CHINO – Chino’s assistant city manager and community development director, Pat Griffin, inexplicably and unexpectedly departed from his post over the weekend.
Griffin, was last seen at his office on February 2, functioning in his normal capacity. On Friday, February 3, he was away from City Hall for a routine day off, referred to as a flex leave. He did not return to work on February 6, having apparently let himself into his office at some point over the weekend of February 4-5, at which point he slid his letter of resignation under the door of city manager Pat Glover’s office.

Pat Griffin

There was no immediate explanation of the reason for Griffin’s departure. His desk had been cleaned out when other employees arrived for work on February 6.
There was some speculation that Griffin may have been miffed that he was passed over for elevation to the city manager’s position.   Glover announced the first week of January that he will depart as city manager on February 27. The council undertook to recruit Glover’s replacement through a nationwide search to be conducted by the headhunting firm of Bob Murray and Associates. The council gave no consideration to the option of promoting from within to replace Glover, spurning both Griffin and Jose Alire, the city’s former public works director who was promoted to assistant city manager last year.
Griffin had been with the city of Chino for 18 years, having begun in 1994 as controller. In short order his duties were widened to include the position of deputy treasurer in 1995. A few months later he was made finance director and in April 1997 he became the city treasurer. Six months later he was promoted to assistant city manager. In 2009 he took on the added duties and title of community development director.
Brent Arnold, the city planner who had been serving in the capacity of Griffin’s deputy director of community development, will serve as interim assistant city manager and community development director.
On February 7, the city council designated  police chief Miles Pruitt as interim city manager.