Anaheim’s City Council on Tuesday voted to make a change in the city manager position.
Chris Zapata, who has held the position since July 2018, is stepping down.
Greg Garcia, Anaheim’s deputy city manager, has been appointed as interim city manager.
Anaheim’s city manager is one of three positions directly appointed by and reporting to the City Council. City clerk and city attorney are the other two.
“I and all of Anaheim thank Chris for his service to our city,” Mayor Harry Sidhu said. “There is never a perfect time for change, but it is always a good time to move forward. I want to ensure our residents that even with this change, our city is in the great hands of thousands of employees who are on the front line of providing the services we all expect in times of crisis and normalcy. We have a big challenge ahead of us on the road to recovery, and I look forward to working with our City Council, city staff and community partners to make Anaheim stronger than ever. We’re in this together, and we will get through this together.”
In his role as interim city manager, Garcia ensures continuity for Anaheim, as he has been with the city for 15 years. Within Anaheim’s organizational structure, Garcia has served as acting city manager on several occasions in the city’s manager’s absence.
Serving as deputy or assistant city manager since 2012, Garcia has played a leading role in the city’s daily operations, including Anaheim’s emergency response to coronavirus.
A graduate of Anaheim’s Servite High School, Garcia holds a law degree from University of Notre Dame Law School and a bachelor’s in political science from the University of California, San Diego.
Zapata’s departure takes effect now. Zapata’s agreement with Anaheim calls for 12 months of severance plus an additional month serving as 30-day notice. In addition, he will receive six months of salary by May 21, 2021. His annual salary was $299,000.