Laguna Beach hires Sean Joyce as interim city manager

Sean Joyce, a retired public servant who has held the role of city manager for other Southland municipalities, will be taking the reins again, this time as interim city manager for Laguna Beach, following action taken by the City Council at a closed meeting Tuesday.

Joyce will temporarily oversee the top job in City Hall recently vacated by Shohreh Dupuis, who parted ways with the city in a separation agreement announced Aug. 24 to settle a workplace claim she filed. Dupuis was officially released from her job at the start of September. She was originally appointed city manager in April 2021.

As recently as December 2021, Joyce was the interim city manager in Huntington Beach after previous City Manager Oliver Chi left for Irvine.

Joyce is not seeking a permanent position. Prior to his retirement, he was a city manager for the city of Irvine, South Pasadena and Sierra Madre. He was also an interim city manager for San Clemente and South Pasadena.

The Laguna Beach City Council approved hiring Joyce for no more than 960 hours this fiscal year at $143 per hour.

“I am honored to be asked to serve the city of Laguna Beach as Interim City Manager,” Joyce said in a news release announcing the appointment. “I will work closely with the City Council and executive leadership during these next few months to ensure a seamless transition and continued forward momentum for city staff, City Council initiatives and current and future projects.”

Laguna Beach city officials confirmed they will embark on a nationwide search for a new city manager.

“Mr. Joyce has a wealth of experience as a city manager and is the right person to serve as our interim city manager during this time of transition for our community and city staff,” Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen said in the release. “We look forward to working with him over the next several months as we undertake the process to recruit and select our next city manager.”

The process is expected to take four to six months, and a new permanent city manager should be appointed by early 2024, officials said.

The public will be able to weigh in on the process as well, according to city staff.

Gavin Curran, Laguna Beach’s assistant city manager and chief financial officer, briefly oversaw the city manager’s desk until Joyce could be named to the interim position.