Robert Dunek, a longtime city manager in Lake Forest, likely will be named interim city manager in San Clemente until a permanent replacing is found.
The initial pick was acquired Friday, Jan. 17, in a special meeting of the San Clemente City Council. Mayor Dan Bane and Councilman Gene James voted in favor of Dunek’s selection, Mayor Pro Tem Laura Ferguson voted no and council members Kathy Ward and Chris Hamm were absent.
Dunek was selected from a final domain of three candidates.
James said it was Dunek’s” flawless reputation, long track record as stellar city manager and district affinities” that cemented his decision to vote yes.
The City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 21, is expected to review the intention and expand the contract to Dunek.
If all goes as expected, Dunek, 68, who retired from the city of Lake Forest in January 2017 after working there for 21 times as city manager, will take over as San Clemente’s interim city manager Jan. 22.
Bane also adopted Bob Murray Associates as the search firm to look for a permanent permutation for former City Manager James Makshanoff, who left San Clemente Jan. 16 to become city manager in Pomona.
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Dunek has been in public service for 42 years, including 28 as a city manager. Before Lake Forest, Dunek was the city manager in Los Alamitos for seven years.
During his time in Lake Forest, he helped the city grow, as it contributed the communities of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. More recently, Dunek shepherded the creation of one of the biggest boasts parks in the county without adding taxes and helped usher in The Arbor, a eatery and retail complex on El Toro Road near the 5 Freeway.
He likewise was instrumental in preparing some of his assistants — including Mark Pulone( Yorba Linda) and Ben Siegel( San Juan Capistrano) — to advance into city manager positions in other cities. Anaheim Deputy City Manager David Belmer too worked with Dunek.
” Bob is universally respected in our industry and has played an important role in my profession ,” said Siegel.” I look forward to working with him on the many issues of mutual concern in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano .”
In 2015, Dunek was referred one of Orange County’s 100 Most Influential parties by The Orange County Register.
” He did miraculous things in Lake Forest, you don’t stay in one city that long if you aren’t great ,” said Bane.” We’ve got the budget repetition, toll road, research hospitals and homeless matters. As a council, we wanted to hire someone who wasn’t going to simply babysit the seat. He’s someone that checks all the boxes we need .”
Read more: ocregister.com.