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The City of Long Beach was first incorporated in 1888, disincorporated on July 24, 1896 and incorporated for a second time effective December 13, 1897. By 1898, it had become the fastest growing city in the United States.
In 1907 a new City Charter was written, which created the position of City Auditor to be elected “by the qualified electors of the city.” The early City leaders understood that the “watchdog” of City money must be independent so they established the City Auditor as an elected position instead of appointed. To this day, the City Auditor still reports directly to the people of Long Beach, rather than to a City Council or City Manager.
In 1908 the first City Auditor, Ira S. Hatch assumed office. The term of office was two years and the annual salary for this position was set at $1,000. He served in that position for two terms until 1912. He then ran for Mayor and was elected, and later he represented Long Beach in the California Assembly.
Lewis W. Shuman was elected City Auditor in 1912 and resigned soon after in 1913. His Chief Deputy City Auditor, D. M. Rankin, was appointed City Auditor then ran in the election of 1913 but lost to Harvey Durkee. Two years later, former City Auditor Lewis Shuman ran again for the office of Auditor but lost to Charles O. Boynton.
Charles O. Boynton had been an elected City Clerk and ex-officio assessor before his election to City Auditor in 1915. That year he hired Myrtelle L. Gunsul to be Chief Deputy City Auditor -- she was later to succeed him after his retirement.
After 4 years as Chief Deputy City Auditor, Myrtelle L. Gunsul was elected City Auditor in 1919. She was re-elected ten times and retired in 1951 after serving 32 years as City Auditor. Miss Gunsul (as she was called then) holds the distinction of being the longest serving elected official in Long Beach. During the time she served, Long Beach grew from a population of 61,000 in 1919 to over 250,000 in 1951.
Upon her retirement, Myrtelle L. Gunsul highly recommended that her Chief Deputy, Freeman I. Castle, be appointed to serve out her term. Instead, the City Council voted to appoint a city division manager, John R. Mansell. Mansell was drafted by the Council partially because they wanted an Auditor who would not seek election for the seat in the upcoming primary. However, John Mansell did run for the office and won --- this time with Gunsul's endorsement. He served 10 years as City Auditor, and was then appointed City Manager of Long Beach, a position he held for the next 15 years.
Murray T. Courson served as City Auditor from 1961 until 1978.
When Murray Courson retired mid-term, the City Council conducted a search for a new Auditor and appointed Robert Fronke from a field of 6 candidates in June 1976. He is the only City Auditor to be appointed from outside of Long Beach City government, and he served as the 8th elected City Auditor for 16 years.
Fronke was a strong defender of the independence of the office of the Auditor. In 1979 a Charter Revision Advisory Committee recommended a change in City charter language to limit the City Auditor to financial audits and to prohibit operational audits unless specifically requested by the City Council. The City Council unanimously voted against such a change in the charter after City Attorney Robert Parkin opined against the need for change.
Mr. Fronke resigned in October of 1992 to take a full time position on the faculty of Pepperdine University School of Business and Management. He continues to be a valuable resource to Long Beach through his many community activities.
Upon Fronke’s recommendation to the City Council, Assistant City Auditor Gary Burroughs was appointed to serve out the two years remaining on Fronke’s four-year term. Burroughs had been Fronke’s Assistant City Auditor since 1986. Burroughs was elected in 1994 and served as City Auditor for the following twelve years for a total of fourteen years as City Auditor.
Laura Doud began her term of office in July 2006 becoming the 10th elected City Auditor.
In 2008 the Office of the Long Beach City Auditor is celebrating its Centennial year.
Recognizing the importance of knowing where the office has been in charting a course for the future, Laura Doud is compiling historical information about the City Auditor’s Office. Anyone having information about the history of the City Auditor's Office is encouraged to contact the City Auditor’s Office at (562) 570-6434.
Official Duties of the Long Beach City Auditor
 Click
here to view the original duties outlined in
1907
Click
here to view the current duties as of 2008
Long Beach City Auditors
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1908 - 1912 |
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Ira S. Hatch |
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1912 - 1913 |
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Lewis W. Shuman (resigned in 1913) |
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1913 |
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D. M. Rankin (appointed by City Council to be acting Auditor) |
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1914 - 1915 |
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Harvey Durkee |
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1915 - 1919 |
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Charles O. Boynton |
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1919 - 1951 |
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Myrtelle L. Gunsul |
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1951 - 1961 |
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John Mansell |
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1961 - 1976 |
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Murray T. Courson |
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1976 - 1992 |
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Robert Fronke |
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1992 - 2006 |
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Gary Burroughs |
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2006 - |
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Laura L. Doud |
Staff Contact:
You are encouraged to contact Olivia
Silva Maiser, Director of Communications at
562-570-6434 or at
Olivia_Maiser@longbeach.gov
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