Agoura Hills City Manager to Take Malibu Post in February : Government: David Carmany sees land use planning as one of the major challenges in his new position. He replaces Ray Taylor, who is headed for Westlake Village.

MALIBU —  David Carmany, who has served as Agoura Hills city manager for five years, was chosen Monday by the Malibu City Council to replace Ray Taylor, who is leaving later this month for a similar job in Westlake Village.

“Malibu offers a number of career challenges,” Carmany said, “and I am looking forward to facing those.” Specifically, he mentioned land use planning.

“It’s been a real privilege and pleasure serving Agoura Hills,” Carmany said. “I really enjoyed my six years.”

Carmany, 35, is expected to earn about the same as Taylor, $85,000 annually, although contract details are being reviewed, Malibu council members said. He is earning $80,000 in Agoura Hills.

Carmany, who lost out to Taylor on the Malibu job last year, said he became “very interested” when he learned about the recent opening.

He was selected unanimously and is expected to begin his new job in February.

Carmany said his management technique is “very much participation style,” working closely with staff and the City Council to develop annual goals.

Those goals now must include an understanding of current budget constraints, he said.

“The actions of the state Legislature in raiding local government coffers is merely a dress rehearsal for the coming year,” Carmany said, referring to cities receiving lower distribution of county and state revenues. This calls for “complete re-examination of all different aspects of city operations,” he said.

Before taking the Agoura Hills job in 1987, Carmany served as assistant city manager and community development director in Alhambra for six years and assistant to the city manager of Grand Terrace in San Bernardino County. He has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from USC.

Carmany lives in Agoura Hills with his wife, Laura, and three children. He will commute to his new job.

Agoura Hills, a city of 20,300 people incorporated in 1982, lies north of Malibu across the Santa Monica Mountains. Its general fund budget is $5.7 million, Carmany said.

Malibu, incorporated last year, has about 20,000 residents and a general fund of $7.1 million.

Malibu Mayor Walt Keller said Carmany’s name came up during discussions with colleagues in the California League of Cities and the League of Contract Cities. Carmany was chosen from among eight applicants, four of whom were interviewed, Keller said.

His being a neighbor was a “big plus,” Keller said. “He knows us.”