YORBA LINDA : City Hires a New Finance Director

The city has hired a new finance director to replace C. Gordon Vessey, who retired in July following his arrest for the sale of methamphetamines to a police informant.

Vicki Baker was chosen from a field of 70 applicants and was introduced to the City Council on Tuesday night. She has been director of finance for the city of Signal Hill for the past 10 years and will officially start her job here Nov. 22.

Baker will oversee all aspects of the city’s Finance Department, including investments, purchasing and budget preparations. Although she takes the job at a time when the city is enjoying financial stability, Baker has to finish the work her predecessor left.

When Vessey retired July 26, he left several key financial statements unfinished. The city was also in the midst of establishing new spending priorities for capital improvements.

During Baker’s tenure at Signal Hill, that city succeeded in luring numerous auto dealers away from Long Beach to its auto mall. City leaders would like to see something similar occur.

“We think she’ll bring energy and enthusiasm to our efforts,” said David Gruchow, the assistant city manager who has been acting finance director since Vessey resigned. “Signal Hill has been a very aggressive, active city in efforts to establish the auto mall, which inevitably means the Finance Department has to support those activities.”