Arthritis keeps city manager sidelined

Lolita Harper

City Manager Allan Roeder, who has been absent from his top spot

at City Hall for three weeks, is expected to be gone for a few more

until doctors can diagnose and recommend treatment for a mysterious

arthritic condition, sources close to him said.

Christie McDaniel, Roeder’s wife and deputy director of public

relations at John Wayne Airport, said her husband has been out with

an undiagnosed arthritic condition that hit him without warning three

weeks ago.

Roeder has been under general treatment for the past weeks and is

still in the diagnosis stage, she said. His doctors won’t have a

definite answer for another couple of weeks.

“It just came on all the sudden,” McDaniel said of her husband’s

condition. “The last few weeks have been filled with tests.”

Roeder has been gone since Oct. 28, and other city department

heads have rotated as acting city manager, officials said. Roeder was

unavailable for comment Friday.

Don Lamm, the city’s director of development, took the job for the

first two weeks of Roeder’s absence. It has been good training, Lamm

said, and he thoroughly enjoyed working with the council members,

residents and staffers in the city manager’s office.

Steve Hayman, the city’s director of administrative services, is

now acting as city manager.

“We all know how to do the city’s business, and the city is

running as smooth as silk,” Lamm said. “And we keep him informed

while he’s gone.”

Although staffers can handle the responsibility, Roeder’s absence

still weighs heavily on the minds of friends and colleagues.

“We’ve all been concerned, but he’s doing quite well,” Lamm said.

Assistant City Manager Ann Shultz said she got a chance to chat

with Roeder when the stubborn work horse came into the office for a

couple of hours despite his condition.

“He’s taking good care of himself, so I think things are looking

good,” Shultz said. “We’re looking forward to getting him back, but

he is going to be cautious and take as much time as he needs to fully

recover.”

Even if Roeder wanted to return, he is under strict orders not to

rush it from both his doctor and his wife, Shultz said. The city

manager will most likely be out for another few weeks.

Councilman Gary Monahan said Roeder can take all the time he needs

to get himself back to full strength. After all the years of

dedication he has given to the city, Roeder has earned the right to

take his time.

“Give the guy a break,” Monahan said. “He probably has 50 weeks of

vacation time stacked up.”