Kiff promoted to deputy city manager

NEWPORT BEACH -- Dave Kiff, former assistant to the city manager, starts

his new position as deputy city manager today.

Peggy Ducey, who previously held the title of deputy city manager, left

the city to become the executive director of the Orange County Regional

Airport Authority. Her salary is still paid by the city, but she works as

an independent contractor and reports directly to the airport authority

board of directors, City Manager Homer Bludau said.

Bludau said Kiff deserved the promotion because he has been working on

important city issues, including the Upper Newport Bay, tidelands

management and annexation.

“His areas of responsibility were much greater than I would expect from

an assistant to the city manager,” Bludau said. “[Deputy city manager]

was a title I thought he deserved. He’s got great human relations skills,

gets along with everyone and is a team player. He’s really a great asset

for the city.”

Kiff was hired in January 1998 by former City Manager Kevin Murphy.

Before that, Kiff worked as an assistant to the city manager in the city

of Orange and was a staff member to seasoned politician Marian Bergeson

when she was a state senator and an Orange County supervisor.

“I’m very excited about it,” Kiff said. “Newport Beach has been a great

city to work for, and I look forward to continuing to be here in a

slightly different capacity.”

While his duties will be virtually the same, Kiff will take a more active

role in managing the city’s income property, which is land the city owns

-- mostly in the harbor -- and leases to other parties. Kiff said he will

also work on doing a better job communicating with the press and the

public about city issues.

Bludau said for the time being, he won’t hire a new assistant to the city

manager.

Another change in the city’s structure includes the creation of a new

department, called Human Resources and Risk Management -- two divisions

that were previously under the Administrative Services Department, Bludau

said.

Assistant City Manager and Economic Development Director Sharon Wood will

oversee that department, as well as the Planning Department. She also

will move her office from the second-floor Planning Department to the

first-floor city manager’s office.