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Sheila Pautsch, a longtime City of South Pasadena department head, has returned to her office after being placed on administrative leave.
Pautsch, who returned last week, said she could not discuss details of the situation on why she was asked to depart her office for 9 ½ weeks as the city’s community services director while an investigation was underway, but explained she is happy to be back. Pautsch received full pay and benefits during her absence.
Apparently, there was no wrongdoing by Pautsch, who has been with the city for more than 10 years.
“Sheila has returned, and our team is happy to have her back,” said John Pope, the city’s public information officer. “She is and will continue to provide leadership as part of the city’s core management team and our resident expert in all things recreation and community services.”
Pope said the nature of the leave is a confidential matter “but I can say that she has been fully cleared to resume her duties.”
Anthony Kim and Angela Loera filled in as co-directors while Pautsch was away. Pope thanked Kim and Loera for their service, adding: “We welcome Sheila back.”
Pautsch oversees the South Pasadena Senior Center, recreation, and transit divisions for the city. Among the events administered by her department are a winter event providing kids an opportunity to play in the snow, a family Easter egg hunt in the spring and a summer music concert series– all in Garfield Park. Pautsch also oversees the South Pasadena Historical Museum, known as the ‘Iron Works Museum’, and was a key leader in the recent exterior restoration and preservation of our city’s heritage.
In addition, she’s responsible for the Arroyo Seco Golf Course management agreement, and the San Pascual Stables, the Arroyo Seco Racquet Club, All Star Batting Cages and Historical Museum leases.
Dr. Marina Khubesrian, in her second term as mayor, said at the start of the investigation it was South Pasadena City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe’s decision to put Pautsch on administrative leave. Khubesrian said she could not provide specifics regarding the city manager’s actions.
Ms. Pautsch has obviously been silenced by some sort of agreement. At a time when the public is becoming more and more disillusioned with how the city is being run, something important happens that the public, and I suppose even the City Council, can’t know about. But this is all part and parcel of the cloud hanging over City Hall. Morale is low among employees who remain after many were let go. And yet the mayor tells us that it’s the “rising mob” of protest that will make it difficult for the city to hire good employees. They mayor has it backwards. Bad management is what makes it difficult to hire employees. Until the City Council wakes up and changes the management, the problems will remain.
“Details Remain in the Dark” should just be the subhed for all city news.