Economic development director placed on leave

Huntington Beach’s economic development director is on administrative leave, officials said Wednesday.

Economic Development Director Stanley Smalewitz was put on leave Aug. 7 by Interim City Administrator Paul Emery, city spokeswoman Laurie Payne said. The human resources department is in the early stages of a personnel review of Smalewitz, she said.

Details of the investigation are confidential, Payne said.

Smalewitz has been in charge of the city’s economic development department since October 2005. Previously, he was the city of Commerce’s director of community development, following jobs for the cities of Los Angeles, Riverside, Alhambra and Inglewood.

During his time in Huntington Beach, Smalewitz has headed up the beginning of the Surf City Nights street fair, facilitated negotiations that got a Trader Joes market slated to replace a shuttered Ralphs, the failed attempt to bring a Costco discount store to Golden West College land, as well as many other projects.

-Michael Alexander