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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Manhattan Beach City Manager David Carmany has been dismissed. Dave is a veteran City Manager and had served as the City Manager in Seal Beach prior to joining the City of Manhattan Beach in January, 2011. He replaced former City Manager Geoff Dolan, who was also terminated. Dave had previously served as City Manager in Pacifica, Agoura Hills and Malibu. He also served as a PARS executive for a time. Finance Director Bruce Moe has been selected to serve as Interim City Manager.
Carson Director of Community Services Raymond Cruz is the new City Manager in Rolling Hills. Ray replaces City Manager Tony Dahlerbruch, who left in May to become the Palos Verdes Estates City Manager. Prior to his Carson service Ray was the Assistant to the City Manager in Glendale. Retired Hermosa Beach City Manager Steve Burrell has been serving as the Rolling Hills Interim City Manager.
La Puente City Manager Bret Plumlee is the new City Manager of Los Alamitos, taking over from Interim City Manager Gregory Korduner. Bret began his career in 1988 in the La Mirada Finance Department. He worked as the Finance Director in Rolling Hills Estates (1995-1998), El Segundo Director of Administrative Services (1998-2007), and La Quinta Assistant City Manager (2007-2011) prior to becoming the La Puente City Manager in 2011. Retired La Verne City Manager Martin Lomeli has been appointed Interim City Manager in La Puente.
Following a closed session to discuss his employment, Martinez City Manager Phil Vince resigned abruptly effective immediately on Friday, October 18, 2013. Assistant City Manager Alan Shear will serve as the Interim City Manager until a replacement is found for Phil. Phil is a past President of MMANC. Phil worked in Novato for more than 17-years in various positions. He then served as the Town Manager in Moraga from 2004 to 2008 until his appointment in Martinez.
Poway City Manager Penny Riley, 53, has announced her intention to retire effective early next calendar year. Penny has worked for the City of Poway since March, 1988, starting as a college intern. She worked her way up to senior management positions and was appointed Assistant City Manager in 2004 under longtime City Manager Jim Bowersox, a former Cerritos staff member. City Manager Rod Gould replaced Jim and served in Poway until 2009 when he was appointed City Manager in Santa Monica. Penny was appointed City Manager in 2010. Her last day will be January 24, though her official end date will be February 28. She plans to continue course work at Marantha Bible College and serve on a short-term mission trip to Zimbabwe.
Corte Madera Town Manager David Bracken, who also serves as the Town’s City Engineer, was injured in a motorcycle accident about 1PM of Sunday afternoon, September 29, on Highway 1 near Bolinas. David said he slid out on a turn in the road. He was transported by ambulance to the Marin General Hospital. Bolinas is an unincorporated coastal community in Marin County known for its reclusive nature. It is only accessible by unmarked roads and directional road signs along State Highway 1 that point to the town have been removed by local residents.
Regina Houston-Swain is the fourth Los Angeles executive to leave since the election of Mayor Eric Garcetti. Regina has served as the General Manager of the Department of Disability for the past 9-years. She is retiring after a 32-year career with the City of Los Angeles. She joins Port General Manager Geraldine Knatz, Fire Chief Brian Cummings and Housing Executive Director Mercedes Marquez, who have all announced that they are leaving city service.
Retired La Mirada City Manager Thomas E. Robinson has announced the founding of TR Management Services, Inc., a management consulting firm. Tom draws on more than 40-years of local government experience. He worked in Cerritos and Commerce prior to joining the La Mirada city staff in 1985. He was appointed City Manager in 2008. He earned an MPA at California State University, Long Beach.
Parlier Interim City Manager Shun Patlan took the position in June after the dismissal of former City Manager Lou Martinez. Shun has worked for the City of Parlier for more than three decades. He became the Public Works Director in 2010.
Brea City Manager Tim O’Donnell was named 2013 City Manager in Residence for the Pepperdine University’s Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at the School of Public Policy. The Davenport Institute was established in 2011 as part of a collaborative effort developed by Cal-ICMA to offer Pepperdine University graduate students in the public policy and public administration programs the opportunity to learn first-hand from some of the best City Managers in California.
Emeryville City Manager Sabrina Landreth is the former Oakland Budget Director. In June, 2013 she replaced City Manager Patrick O’Keeffe, who retired last April. City Attorney Michael Biddle served as the Interim City Manager until Sabrina’s appointment. Sabrina earned an Engineering degree from MIT and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.
Antioch City Manager Jim Jakel, 57, served as the Martinez City Manager from December, 1989 until June, 1996 when he became the Executive Director of the Contra Costa Council, an economic development advocacy group. In December, 2003 he was appointed to the Antioch City Manager position. He worked in Alameda prior to being appointed City Manager in Martinez, and he began his career as a Junior Planner in Antioch in 1980. Jim has announced his retirement at the end of the year (2013).
Alameda Mayor Marie Gilmore is married to ESPN college football sportscaster Rod Gilmore. They met while they attended law school at Bolt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. The current City Manager in Alameda is John Russo, 54, former Oakland City Attorney and past President of the League of California Cities.
Arnold Dowdy, who served as the Grover Beach City Manager from 1974 until 1991 died at the age of 70 on Tuesday, October 15, 2013. When Arnold left Grover Beach in 1991, he became the City Manager in Santa Paula. He returned to Grover Beach in 2001 to serve as Interim City Manager. After retiring, Arnold served a term as a member of the Grover Beach Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission. He began his public management career in 1974 in the Grover Beach Finance Department. He was born in December, 1942. Arnold earned an AA from Paducah Junior College in Kentucky, a BA from California State University, Los Angeles and an MPA from the University of San Francisco.
Long Beach City Manager Pat West has announced the appointment of the former Director of Government Affairs and Strategic Initiatives Tom Modica to the Long Beach Deputy City Manager position. Tom joined the Long Beach city staff in 2002 as a Management Assistant.
Marianna Marysheva-Martinez is a seasoned executive with fifteen years of municipal government experience. She worked in a large organization as the Assistant City Administrator in Oakland, and a smaller jurisdiction as Town Manager in Mammoth Lakes. She recently resigned her post in Mammoth Lakes. Marianna earned a BA from San Francisco State University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. Marianna was instrumental in guiding the Town of Mammoth Lakes through a bankruptcy filing in 2012, and for the successful mediation and settlement of the Mammoth Lakes Land Acquisition (MLLA) lawsuit.
Charles Chieppo, a research fellow at the Ash Center of the Harvard Kennedy School, reports that San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed is leading the charge for a ballot measure that would amend the California state constitution to allow state and local governments to reduce pension benefits for current public employees.
Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira and the City’s Department Heads have conducting a business outreach walking door-to-door in the business districts. They contacted business owners or managers to solicit suggestions or hear concerns regarding local economic development issues.
Long Beach Business Relations Manager Erik Sund has resigned from the Long Beach staff to accept the Assistant City Manager position in the City of San Clemente. Long Beach Budget Manager Dennis Strachota has taken over Erik’s old position in Long Beach. Erik, previous to Long Beach, worked in the Cities of Downey and Irvine.