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.
Hawaiian Gardens has selected a new City Manager to replace City Manager Ernesto Marquez. Norwalk Assistant City Manager and Human Resources Director Ernie Hernandez will be the new Hawaiian Gardens City Manager.
Longtime City Manager Larry Pennell is the Interim City Manager in St. Helena in the beautiful Napa Valley. Larry started his long-storied career in 1969 as an Administrative Assistant in Fairfield. He served as City Manager in Benicia (1973-1979) and Wasco (1994-2007). Larry earned his Bachelor and Master degrees from San Jose State College. Larry currently lives in Bakersfield.
Longtime Fowler City Manager David Elias has retired after 29-years of service. Fowler City Clerk Jeannie Davis will serve as the Interim City Manager while Fowler recruits a permanent City Manager. David served as the Fowler City Manager for the past 17- years.
Arcata City Council Member Mark Wheetley has been selected to serve as the City Manager in Fortuna. Mark was first elected in Arcata in 2005. He serves as a biologist for the California Fish and Wildlife Service. Mark replaces Fortuna City Manager Randy Mendosa, who previously worked as the Arcata Chief of Police. Mark is a graduate of Humboldt State University.
Redding City Manager Kurt Starman, 52, has announced his plans to resign effective May 19, 2017. Kurt has served in the position since May, 2006 following service in Redding as Director of Administrative Services, Deputy City Manager and Assistant City Manager. He joined the Redding city staff in November, 1991 as a Budget Services Officer.
Adelanto City Manager Cindy Herrera has announced that she will step down as City Manager, though she plans to retain her City Clerk position. Cindy said that she always looked at her City Manager service as “interim,” allowing the City to find a new City Manager following Tom Thornton’s resignation after only six weeks on the job. Tom was appointed following City Manager Jim Hart’s resignation.
Retired Camarillo City Manager J. W. Little began his public service career as an Administrative Analyst in Wichita, Kansas. Bill came to California in 1984 to become the City Manager in Orange. He was hired as the Camarillo City Manager in 1988 and served there until 2000. Bill served as an ICMA Regional Vice President on the ICMA Executive Board in 1978-1980. Bill is currently a member of the Camarillo City Council.
Retired City Manager Allan L. Roeder is the Interim City Manager in Fullerton. Allan served as the Costa Mesa City Manager from 1985 to 2011. Since retiring he served as the Interim City Manager in Garden Grove (January to September, 2015). Allan was originally hired in Costa Mesa in 1975 as an Administrative Assistant in the Public Works Department.
Jackson City Manager Mike Daly will retire effective April 1, 2017. He was appointed City Manager in Jackson in January, 1999. City Planner Susan Peters will serve as the Acting City Manager until a full-time replacement is appointed. Prior to joining the Jackson staff Mike served as the City Manager in Rio Dell from September, 1995 to January, 1999. He was an Administrative Services Director in the City of Manhattan Beach prior to that (1982-1995). Mike earned a BA from San Jose State University and an MPA from the University of Southern California (USC).
Carson Assistant City Manager Cecil Rhambo has been selected to serve as the new City Manager in the City of Compton. Cecil is replacing Interim City Manager Jerry Groomes, who is a former Carson City Manager. Cecil retired as the Assistant Sheriff in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after a 31-year law enforcement career. He took the Carson ACM post in 2014.
City Manager Bob Richardson of Grass Valley, the largest City in the western region of California’s Nevada County, has been selected to be the next City Manager in the City of Auburn. Bob is returning to Auburn, where he served as City Manager from 2003 to 2014. Bob replaced City Manager Dan Holler when he left Grass Valley for Mammoth Lakes.
Santa Ana City Manager David Cavazos and the city have decided on a “separation on amicable terms,” according to City Attorney Sonia Carvalho. Just a few weeks after being placed on administrative leave, the City Manager has been relieved of his duties, and will receive a severance payment of $315,000. Prior to joining the Santa Ana city staff David worked his entire public service career for the City of Phoenix, Arizona starting in 1987 as a Management Intern. He served as the Phoenix City Manager from 2009 to 2013. Last June, David was publicly censured by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) for having a personal relationship with a subordinate Santa Ana employee. In his absence, the Acting City Manager is Gerardo Mouet. Cerritos resident and former Assembly Member
Phillip Hawkins is serving his fifth term as a member of the Central Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors. Phil represents the Cities of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Paramount and Signal Hills on the Board. Phil served as a member of the Bellflower Redevelopment Agency Project Area Committee at its inception. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Assessment Appeals Board.
Former City Manager Ross G. Hubbard, who worked in Banning (1971-1973); Riverside (1973-1074); and Rialto (1975) prior to serving as City Manager in Livingston (1975- 1979), currently lives in Greensboro, Georgia. Ross was born in June,1946. He earned his MPA from the University of San Francisco. Before leaving California in 2005, Ross worked as City Manager in Atherton (1979-1989); as Town Manager in Moraga (1989- 2000); and as City Manager in Pacific Grove (2000- 2005).
West Sacramento city officials cut about a fourth of its more than 400 employees during the recession of the last decade. Increases in city staff pension costs has prevented West Sacramento from refilling those vacated positions as the economy has improved, according to Assistant City Manager Phil Wright.
Former Thousand Oaks City Manager Scott Mitnick, 52, a past President of Cal-ICMA, is the new Chief Administrative Officer for Sutter County. Since October, Scott has worked as a Managing Director for the investment banking firm of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company. Scott began his public service career in 1987 as a Budget Analyst in the City of Brea. He worked in Burbank and Yuba City before joining the Thousand Oaks staff as a Deputy City Manager in 2000. He was appointed City Manager in 2005 and served in that post until last year (2016).