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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Del Rey Oaks City Manager Daniel Dawson resigned. He has served as the Del Rey Oaks City Manager since August, 2009. Deputy City Clerk Kim Carvalho has been appointed Interim City Manager. Del Rey Oaks is a city in Monterey County that was incorporated in 1953.

Menifee City Manager Rob Johnson has resigned. Economic Development Director Jeff Wyman has been appointed to serve as Acting City Manager while an Interim City Manager is recruited. Rob previously worked in Corona, and joined the Menifee staff in 2009 as a Senior Manager for Community Involvement. He served as Interim City Manager from 2012 to 2014 with he was appointed City Manager.

Long Beach City Manager Pat West has named Anitra Dempsey to serve as Interim Deputy City Manager to fill in for former DCM Arturo Sanchez, who is now an Assistant City Manager in Sacramento. Anitra has worked for Long Beach for 28-years and is not a candidate for the permanent appointment of Deputy City Manager.

Former Sonoma City Manager Carol Giovanatto, 60, is a passionate NASCAR fan. Carol has retired after 41-years in government service beginning with her initial position as an account clerk in the City of Cloverdale. She was selected to serve as the Sonoma City Manager in 2011 when her predecessor, Linda Kelly, took the Town Manager position in Windsor. Julie Roman has served as the Community Services Director, Parks and Recreation Manager in Stanton since October, 2006.

Assistant City Manager Fran Robustelli was named Interim City Manager in Walnut Creek while an executive recruitment effort identifies a replacement for City Manager Ken Nordhoff. Fran is also the Walnut Creek Human Resources Director. She previously served the City of Hayward in that capacity. Ken has joined HdL Companies as a principal.

Lakewood Assistant City Manager Lisa G. Novotny has retired after working for the City of Lakewood for 34-years. She started her career covering the switchboard as a temporary to fill in behind a staff member on maternity leave. After serving as the Assistant to the City Manager for many years, Lisa was appointed Assistant City Manager in 2007. She earned an AA degree at Golden West College, and a BA and MPA from California State University, Long Beach. In 2013 Lisa received a 30-year ICMA Service Award.

Fullerton City Manager Joe Feliz retired effective December 31, 2016. Joe joined the Fullerton city staff in 1984. After serving as Assistant City Manager starting in 2005, he was appointed Assistant City Manager in 2005, and then Director of Parks and Recreation in 2007, he was appointed City Manager in 2011. Fullerton Human Resources Director Gretchen Beatty has worked as the Acting City Manager since Joe was placed on Administrative Leave and then took a Leave of Absence while a city investigation into a single car accident in which Joe was involved was undertaken. Joe earned a BA and MA from California State University, Fullerton.

City Manager Gary Milliman, who started his career in Bell Gardens, and served as City Manager in South Gate, Fort Bragg and Cotati, and as Southern California Director for the League of California Cities, is completing his tenth year as City Manager in Brookings, Oregon in 2017. Most recently, Gary completed a program at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada, to meet the qualifications to serve as a Municipal Court Judge in Oregon. Oregon Law allows non-attorneys to serve as Municipal Court Judges at the option of the City in which they serve. Gary hopes to serve as a Municipal Court Judge when and if he retires again!

Gary Ameling, Director of Finance for the City of Santa Clara worked in the Bellevue, Washington Finance Department from December 1989 to September, 2001, part of the time as Interim Finance Director. In 2002 Gary moved to La Mesa where he served as the Director of Administrative Services. For the past 7-years, starting in January, 2010, Gary has been the Director of Finance in Santa Clara.

Former Glendora Deputy City Manager Brenda Fischer, who served as City Manager in a couple of Arizona cities: Maricopa and Glendale, was a candidate for an appointment to a vacant City Council seat in the City of Henderson, Nevada. Brenda served as the Public Information Officer & Human Resources Analyst in Henderson from 1995 to 2000. Brenda earned a BA from USC and an MPA from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Unfortunately she was not selected.