With all the comings and goings in California local government, it can be hard to keep track of where your friends are or what’s happening in your neighboring municipalities. But Trackdown Management helps keep the state up-to-date with their newsletter.
PublicCEO presents Jack Simpson’s Picking Up the Pieces.
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Modesto Interim City Manager Jim Holgersson, 63, stepped in when City Manager Greg Nyhoff left Modesto to accept the Oxnard City Manager position. Bob Murray & Associates has been retained by Modesto to help the city recruit a new permanent City Manager. Jim has 37-years of public sector experience, including serving as City Manager in Arlington, Texas, and as Deputy City Manager in San Jose.
Senior Management Analyst Gary Thompson, 63, has been tapped to serve as Interim City Manager in Jurupa Valley, as City Manager Stephen Harding leaves July 31. Gary is a former City Council Member and Mayor in Rancho Santa Margarita, where he served on the Cityhood Committee leading to the City of Rancho Santa Margarita’s incorporation in 2000. Gary resigned from the City Council in 2011. He also serves as the President of a Home Owner’s Association in Rancho Santa Margarita, the Rancho Santa Margarita Landscape and Recreation Corporation.
Newport Beach lifeguard Ben Carlson, 32, drowned while trying to rescue a swimmer of Sunday, July 6, 2014. Ben was pulled from the water by fellow lifeguards following a 90-minute search. Ben was a 15-years department veteran. He went into the water to help a swimmer when they were hit by what has been estimated to be a 10-foot wave. The swimmer made it to shore, but Ben, the lifeguard, went missing. The incident is the first time in the Newport Beach department’s 100-year history that a lifeguard has died in the line of duty, according to Newport Beach Police Department representative Jennifer Manzella. According to his father, Chris Carlson, Ben was a passionate surfer and one of the fastest swimmers on the 200-person lifeguard staff.
Retiring Solana Beach City Manager David Ott came to the city in 2003 from Imperial Beach as the Fire Chief and Director of Public Safety. In Imperial Beach he served as the Assistant City Manager, Fire Chief and Public Safety Director. Soon after joining the Solana Beach staff, David took on the added duties as the Fire Chief in Del Mar. He kept the duel duties until 2009. He added the Solana Beach Deputy City Manager titles in 2005. He became City Manager in 2006. Arcata City Manager Randy Mendosa has retired. He joined the Arcata staff in 1980 as a bus driver. He later became a police officer and rose through the ranks to become the Chief of Police in 2002. He was appointed City Manager in 2008. In Randy’s absence, ArcataFinance Director Janet Luzzi has been appointed to serve as the Interim City Manager.
Jenny Haruyama has been appointed Interim Assistant City Manager in the City of Tracy. Jenny has served as the Tracy Administrative Services Director since 2012. Between 2008 and 2012 she was the Assistant Budget Director in Los Gatos. Jenny joined the Los Gatos staff in 2001 as the Assistant to the Town Manager. Previous to that she worked as a Management Analyst in Rancho Cucamonga, and she served as Management Interns in Mountain View, San Leandro and Milpitas between 1991 and 1993. Jenny was the 2003 MMANC West McClure Management Assistant Award, and the 2007 MMANC Women’s Leadership Summit Rising Star Award.
Thank you to Tom Lando for the note informing us that Rancho Cordova City Manager Brian Nakamura was raised in Lodi, the subject of our July issue. Tom tells us that Brian’s folks still live in Lodi. Tom is a former Chico City Manager who is currently a principal with the Tom Lando Consulting firm.
Saratoga City Manager Dave Anderson, 61, announced his retirement in January, indicating that he will retire in July after nearly 14-years as the Saratoga City Manager. Before joining the Saratoga staff Dave served as the Assistant City Manager in Danville between 1994 and 2000, and he was the Assistant to the City Manager in San Jacinto between 1991 and 1994. Dave earned a BA in Urban Planning from The Evergreen State College and an MPA from the University of Washington. Dave is a native of Everett, Washington where his father served as Mayor for 9-years.
Former Martinez City Manager Phil Vance earned a BA from Saint Mary’s College of California, and an MPA from San Francisco State University. Vince Served as the Martinez City Manager for a little more than six-years. Previous to that he was the Town Manager in Moraga from 2004 to 2008, and he served in various capacities in Novato prior to his Moraga service. Phil worked in Novato for more than 17-years. He is a past President of MMANC.
Hercules Interim City Manager Phil Batchelor was recently presented with a proclamation of appreciation for his six-months of interim service. Phil’s last day in Hercules was June 30 when newly appointed City Manager David Biggs started work.
Michelle Quan earned a BA from the University of California, Irvine and an MPPA at the University of Southern California (USC). She has worked with the League of California Cities since December, 2001, and recently became the Executive Director of the League’s Los Angeles County Division. Jennifer’s hometown is Diamond Bar.
Mark Linder was appointed City Manager in Campbell in February, 2013 after serving as the Parks and Recreation Director in Cupertino starting in 2008. Prior to that he worked in San Jose in a number of positions, including Deputy City Manager, and he was the Assistant Town Manager in Los Gatos between 1991 and 1995. He began his career as an Assistant General Manager for Santa Cruz Metro Transit.
Harvard Business Review Senior Associate Editor Sarah Green says that studies show that top performers are especially vulnerable to major criticisms. Bad news should always be given straight up, and then provide for some breathing room. Frame critiques in terms of the positive results that are desired, rather than what is wrong with the person.
San Ramon City Manager Greg Rogersearned a BA from the University of California, Davis and an MBA from Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business. Prior to his appointment to the City Manager post in April, 2011, Greg served as the San Ramon Administrative Services Director from 2003 to 2011.
San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Santa Rosa, Fremont, Concord, the Sonoma County Water Agency, the Marin Municipal Water District, and Alameda and Sonoma Counties joined together to purchase 90-electric vehicles with the assistance of a $2.8 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a regional transportation agency.Bay Area Climate Collaborative Executive Director Rafael Reyes estimates that the vehicles will save more than $500,000 in fuel costs and about 2 million pounds of carbon dioxide emission over five years.
Yuba City is the home town of Jill Meyer of the Joe A. Gonsalves & Son Sacramento lobbying firm.
Newman City Manager Michael E. Holland was recently awarded with a new five-year employment agreement with the City. Mike has served as the Newman City Manager for the past 8-years. Previous to that he was the City’s Community Development Director.
Crescent City Finance Director Kenneth McDonald has been appointed to the Firebaugh City Manager position. He takes over in Firebaugh from Interim City Manager Ron Manfredi. Ken earned a MBA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He previously served as the City Administrator in Biggs, and in Brian Head, Utah.
Saratoga Community Development Director James Lindsay has been appointed to the Saratoga City Manager’s post replacing the retiring City Manager Dave Anderson. Jim has 22-years of local government experience. Prior to joining the Saratoga staff in 2011, he was the Planning and Neighborhood Services Director in Milpitas. He earned a BA from San Jose State University.
Mark Sorensen is the City Administrator and Utility Director in Biggs, California. Mark was appointed City Administrator in August, 2012. He is a former Chico City Council Member.
Darrin W. Jenkins was appointed to the Rohnert Park City Manager post in December, 2013. Previous to his appointment he served as the Rohnert Park Director of Development Services and City Engineer. He was the Assistant City Manager for about a year previous to becoming the City Manager. Darrin earned a BS and MS in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
Former Blythe Finance Director Frank Luckino is the Interim City Manager in Blythe. Before joining the Blythe city staff, Frank served as the Assistant General Manager/Chief Financial Officer for Hi-Desert Water District in Yucca Valley. He is a former Yucca Valley City Council Member (2004-2011).