By:KEITH GRANT
Eaton comfortable in old post
As rumors swirled for days over who would replace outgoing City Manager Bruce Nyman last month, the name many observers seemed to least expect was the most familiar one.
Though two years into retirement, Ed Eaton was hooked into taking his old seat on the fifth floor of City Hall, albeit in an intermin role. Despite having spent 20 years in the position before stepping down in 1999, it was not an opportunity he jumped at.
"I was asked if I was interested once we knew Bruce was leaving," Eaton said. "I said 'No!'"
Nonetheless, it didn't take long to convince the longtime City Manager to make a comeback. Even Eaton knew it was a logical choice for the city.
"You couldn't go out and find someone knew to take it with an election in 4 months," he said, speasking of this November's City Council election. "Whoever is elected should be able to select a longterm city manager."
In the meantime, he doesn't see any problems getting the job done despite his time away from City Hall.
"I did 20 years standing on my head. I can do seven months."
Eaton's second tenure as City Manager, therefore, will be substantially shorter than his first. He expects to hold the fort through January, two months short of when Nyman's contract would have expired.
Nyman resigned June 5 slightly more than two years into a three year contract. He accepted a post as head of governmental affairs at Nassau University Medical Center. Though numerous sources indicated the former legislator was unhappy with the position and the politics within City Hall, he refused to make any negative statements about the City when he departed. he noted simply, "The City is on an upswing. The timing [to leave] just seemed right."
For several days before his departure, rumors circulated that Police Commission Ken Cohen and Assistant Commissioner John Laffy were being considered to fill Nyman's shoes. However, at June 6 special City Council meeting, the City officially turned to Eaton in what many observers saw as a smart, non-political move.
Eaton had not traveled far since his retirement, having remained in Long Beach. But he had kept himself at a distance from the day to day goings-on within the City.
"I always felt when you leave a position, you leave it. You divorce yourself from it," he said. That being said, he knows he's in familar territory and has been able to hit the ground running upon his return.
"It's like riding a bike. I'll get reacquainted with things, then move on and hand over a good, vibrant city to a successor."
Under state municipal law, Eaton can only earn a fraction of his former salary. Whereas Nyman vacated a salary of more than $100,000, Eaton is only on an $18,500 salary because he is also collecting a pension from having previously served as City Manager.
"The city will get their money's worth," Eaton said.
One of the contrversies that some people believe pushed Nyman out the door is the dual roles played by the City's number-two man, Gene Cammarato. Cammarato serves as the City's director of operations, and is also the Long Beach Democratic Party leader. Some critics believe that enables him to have more control than the City Managewr, himself, but Eaton doesn't quite see things that way.
"I know that's not the case," he said of such claims. Eaton, in fact, was the man who brought Cammarato to the top level of the City government, hiring him to be Assistant City Manager in 1988.
"He was president of the union at the time, so our relationship had probably been more adversarial at the time," Eaton said. "But I didn't see anyone in-house who had the ability to do things. We had our shouting matches, but I respected his abilities. When Bruce came in, he was fortunate to have Gene here."
In regard to Cammarato's political power, Eaton said "It never affected running of city or my relationship with him. He was effective doing his work as party chairman and doing his work here."
As for their relationship this time around, the City Manager said, "I talk to him about what we have to do here. His politiical activities are on the outside, and it doesn't affect what we're here to do."
He added, "Hey, I'm retired. I'm collecting a pension. I can't think of anyone more independent. I didn't come here to be anyone's stooge or puppet. What are they going to do, fire me?"
As for the job at hand, once again overseeing the City by the Sea in summertime, Eaton said he feels like no time has passed at all.
"In many respects, it's like I never left."
