The Santa Cruz City Council yesterday announced that it will vote on the appointment of Water Director Rosemary Menard as the Interim City Manager at its next meeting on August 24, 2021. The Council unanimously decided to appoint an interim city manager due to the ongoing recruitment and the pending retirement of current City Manager Martín Bernal on August 31, 2021.
Menard brings more than 40 years of experience in the public sector to the role. Before joining the City in January 2014, Menard held executive-level water utility leadership roles with the cities of Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, and Washoe County in Reno, Nevada. Her strategic analysis, communication, organizational development, and negotiating skills have helped her successfully develop and implement an array of diverse initiatives throughout her career.
During her tenure with the City of Santa Cruz, she led a community-based water supply planning effort that produced a consensus-based plan of action for addressing and resolving Santa Cruz’s long-standing water supply reliability issue. She has also initiated a major water system renovation effort involving investing and reinvesting in water system infrastructure to increase resilience and prepare for climate change.
“Rosemary brings an incredible wealth of experience to the role of Interim City Manager. She has a proven track record as a visionary leader and strategist. She also holds a deep commitment to meaningful community engagement in charting a course for the future. We are confident Rosemary will be able to quickly step into this role and provide effective leadership during a critical time of recovery for the City,” said Mayor Donna Meyers.
Pending a vote by the Council on August 24, Menard will assume the role of Interim City Manager effective September 1, 2021. The Council will continue the search until a permanent hire is found.