Trackdown Management’s City Manager Newsletter: Volume No. 13, Issue No. 17
For over 13 years, Jack Simpson’s Trackdown Management has published the City Manager Newsletter. Jack is a retired city manager and former Willdan executive. His newsletter content weaves together the personal side of the profession in California and helps keep the city manager community, especially retired city managers, connected with each other.
Sausalito City Manager Adam Politzer, 55, will retire in late December 2020. Adam has served as the Sausalito City Manager for the past 13-years, starting in 2007. Adam is not a member of ICMA. Adam’s tenure in Sausalito is the longest as City Manager in the City’s history. He began his public service career as a Recreation Leader in 1987 for Palo Alto. He was promoted to Recreation Service Manager in 1995. He joined the Sausalito city staff as the Parks and Recreation Director in 2000.
Longtime Torrance City Manager LeRoy Jackson, first came to work for the city in August 1966 as a Personnel Analyst. That began LeRoy’s rise in the city organization until he was appointed City Manager in 1983. He quietly retired this month during a virtual City Council meeting on Zoom. His 37-years as City Manager leaves him four-years shy of the State’s record, an honor belonging to Lakewood’s Howard Chambers, who served 41-years before his retirement in 2017. Former Torrance Assistant City Manager Aram Chaparyan has succeeded LeRoy as City Manager.
Santa Clara Director of Communications Lenka Wright is the new Chief Communications Officer for the City of Mountain View beginning October 5. Lenka has previously worked as a TV anchor and reporter, and as a public relations officer for the City of San Jose. She earned a BA in telecommunications and political science from Indiana University and an MA in communication arts from New York Institute of Technology. In Mountain View, she will work closely with City Manager Kimbra McCarthy.
A Black Lives Matter organization’s mural painted on a public City of Martinez street in front of the Martinez Courthouse Building is scheduled to be paved over in early October as part of a larger downtown maintenance project. Martinez City Manager Eric Figueroa said that requests for permission to repaint the mural have been denied.
Brett Miller, 55, is the new Hollister City Manager. Brett joined the Hollister city staff 12-years ago. He came to the city as the Accounting Manager before being promoted to Director of Management Services, and Assistant City Manager. Before coming to Hollister, Brett worked for the County of Butte as an Accounting Manager and Management Analyst.
San Marcos City Manager Jack Griffin has been awarded a two-year extension on his employment agreement. Jack became the San Marcos City Manager in 2012. He previously served as the City Manager in Sebastopol, and he was the Director of Public Works and Director of General Services in the City of Chula Vista. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jack earned a BA in environmental studies from the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
Pittsburg City Manager Daron Hall has announced the appointment of Dennis Reilly as the new Fire Chief for the Pittsburg Fire Department. Dennis will replace Chief Mike Simons, who announced his retirement after 20-years with the department. Dennis has more than 44-years of experience in the fire service. He previously served as the Assistant Fire Chief in the City of Davis.
Cerritos City Manager Art Gallucci announced the appointment of city Planning Manager Robert A. Lopez to be the next Cerritos Director of Community Development. Robert joined the city’s Department of Community Development in 2001. He has earned two Master’s degrees from the University of Southern California (USC). Keith DeMartini is the new Finance Director in the City of Santa Barbara joining City Administrator Paul Casey. He is the former Finance Director for the City of San Bruno. Previous to that he held senior management positions in the City and County of San Francisco for 10-years.
Retired City Manager Tim Casey wrote a book entitled: The Mayor Married Who? The book was published July 29, 2020. It is a look at the lighter side of Tim’s 40-year career in City Management.
Don Scholl joined the City of Tracy city staff in 1999 as a Parks Supervisor, and became the Public Works Director in January 2016.
Baker City Manager Fred Warner Jr., who has been City Manager since May 2016, plans to retire at the end of the year.
During the time Lynwood City Manager Jose Ometeotl is on paid leave following a post he made on his personal Instagram account regarding to sneak attack shooting of two Deputy Sheriff’s in Compton, Community Development Director Michelle Ramirez is the Acting City Manager.
Retired Santa Monica Assistant City Manager Katie Lichtig, who served as City Manager in Malibu (2002-2006) and San Luis Obispo (2010-2017), began her public service career in 1984 as a Presidential Management Intern in the Office of the Inspector General, Washington D.C.
President of the Gateway Cities City Manager group is La Mirada City Manager Jeff Boynton.
American Canyon Fire Protection District officials are recruiting for a new Fire Chief.
MC Hammer, born Stanley Kirk Burrell, was born in Oakland, California.
Jennifer Quan is the Executive Director of the Los Angels County Division of the League of California Cities, and the Regional Public Affairs Manager for the San Gabriel Valley & Arroyo Verdugo Cities.
Recently retired Weed City Manager Ron Stock is one of five candidates for two seats on the Weed City Council.
Fresno native and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Tom Seaver passed away in September at the age of 75.
Santa Clarita is investigating the feasibility of joining Berkeley, Long Beach, Pasadena and Vernon by creating a local public health department.
Former City of Bell City Council Member Danny Harber, 76, was arrested early this month on suspicion of killing his wife.
Michael Cooke joined the Turlock city staff in June, 2018 as the Municipal Services Director.
Seal Beach has commenced a six-month marketing campaign for the community outlined to the media by Assistant City Manager Patrick Gallegos.
Rob Dumouchel, formerly of Eureka, is the new City Manager in Homer, Alaska.
Report signed by South Pasadena Finance Director Karen Aceves says: “Overall, South Pasadena continues to remain in satisfactory financial condition thank to a relatively diverse and stable revenue base.”