Trackdown Management’s City Manager newsletter: Volume No. 14: Issue No. 18
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.
Sonia Hall was appointed City Manager in the California City of Parlier in November 2020. She previously served as the Parlier City Administrator (May 2019-November 2020). Before coming to Parlier, Sonia worked in the private sector starting in 2004. She was the District Director in the 29th Assembly District from 2000 to 2004. Parlier incorporated in November 1921. The city has a population estimated at 15,618.
James “Jim” Purtee drove from Chatsworth to La Mirada to attend the “Proof of Life” lunch on Thursday, September 30, 2021. Jim worked as a Housing Planner in the City of Simi Valley starting in 1988. In 1999 he was appointed Deputy City Manager in Simi Valley, and in 2006 he took the Director of Administrative Services position. Jim was appointed to the Simi Valley Assistant City Manager and Government Affairs position in 2012. Jim was recruited to serve as the City Manager in the City of Palmdale starting in 2015. Jim retired in 2019. He earned a BA and Masters from California State University, Northridge. He received a 30- year ICMA Award in 2018. Vallejo Director of Water.
Michael A. Malone is the new Interim City Manager following Interim City Manager Anne Cardwell resigned. Mike has been the Vallejo Director of Water since April 2017. He previously worked as the Operations Manager, Water Distribution Superintenden and Plant Services Division Manager for the City of Sacramento. Before that he worked 20-years for the San Jose Water Company. Mike is a United States Navy veteran and earned a BA from St. Mary’s College.
Kelly McAdoo Morariu, City Manager in Hayward is a new member of the Executive Board of the City Managers’ Department of the League of California Cities. Kelly came to Hayward in October 2010 as Assistant City Manager, and she was apppointed to the top post in August 2016. She previously worked as Assistant to the City Manager in Palo Alto, and as a Senior Management Analyst in Fremont. Kelly was represented with the “Rising Star Award” by MMANC in 2012. Encinitas city official have elected to ban the use of natural gas hookups in most new construction, from commercial buildings to granny flats. They say that their building electric ordinance is part of the City’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases.
Pamela Antil is the Encinitas City Manager, appoined in September 2020. Pam previously served as the Assistant City Manager in Santa Barbara. Pam’s predecessor, City Manager Karen Brust retired.
Fremont City Manager Mark Danaj resigned his positdion and Assistant City Manager Brian Stott is the Acting City Manager until further notice. Fremont’s Directof of Communications Geneva Bosques announced the personnel actions. Mark joined the Fremont city staff as City Manager in September 2018, after serving as City Manager in Manhattan Beach (July 2014-January 2018). Previously he worked in Fremont as Assistant City Manager; San Jose as Director of Human Resources; and in the County of Lake as Assistant to the County Manager (February 1992-February 2003). Mark earned a BA from Marquette University and an MBA in finance from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame.
Ron Takiguchi, P.E., CBO, has been hired as the new Building Official for the City of Pasadena. Ron has more than 30-years of experience, most recently as the Assistant Director/Building Office in the City of Burbank. He previously served as the Chief Building Official for the City of Santa Monica, and he was a Deputy Building Office with the County of Los Angeles. Ron is a registered professional engineer and a certified building official. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member at UCLA Extension in the Department of Engineering and Technology.
Palos Verdes Estates has named former Hermosa Beach Police Chief Sharon Papa as Interim City Manager, temporarily replacing former City Manager Laura Guglielmo. Sharon worked for the Long Angeles Police Department and became the first woman police chief in Hermosa Beach. She had a 40-year law enforcement career before retiring in October 2019.
Former City Manager Steve Harding is a practitioner-scholar and continues to lecture and write. He is very good and should be recognized for his contributions to the public management craft. His latest piece is entitled “Running In Lanes.” Take a look at https://practionerscholar.com/2021/09/
Lakeport City Manager Kevin Ingram has his city working with a Community Kitchen Project with a newly built community kitchen at the Silvera Community Center in Lakeport. The North Coast Opportunities’Community Kitchen Project (CKP) will feed the homeless, provide a variety of support services to those in need, and develop job skills for cooks-in-training.
Jay Parrish has served as the City Manager in the City of Ferndale, California since October 2006. Kristene Hall is the Ferndale City Clerk. Jay previously served as the Interim City Manager in Rio Dell (2005- 2006). He received a 10-year ICMA Service Award in 2015. Jay is an alumnus of Humboldt State University.
Gregory C. Devereaux has served in public service positions for more than 30-years. He served as the Acting Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Long Beach; Director of Community Development and Housing and Neighborhood Development for the City of Garden Grove; and from 1993 to 1997 he was City Manager in the City of Fontana. In September 1997, Greg became the City Manager for the City of Ontario, California. Greg left the city to become the County Administrative Officer for the County of San Bernardino in February 2010. He retired from that position in June 2017. Greg has served as a member of the Rose Institute’s Board of Governors.
Palm Springs has renamed the dog park behind its City Hall in honor of former City Manager David Ready. David is credited with spearheading the development of the park. The park features 1.6 acres of fenced grass with separate play areas for small and large dogs. David served as the Palm Springs City Manager from 2000 to 2020. At his retirement, David was the longest-serving City Manager in the Coachella Valley.
Duarte City Manager Daniel Jordan was appointed in February 2020. Daniel previously served as the Finance Director in the City of La Cañada Flintridge, and most recently Westlake Village. He earned a BA in political science and government from the University of California, Irvine, a Master’s in Public Policy Analysis and a PhD in political science from Claremont Graduate University.
Anthony (Tony) B. Lopez, listing his address as Pismo Beach, is a former City Manager of City Administrator in the Cities of Corning, Orange Cove, Hawaiian Gardens, McFarland, and Parlier. Tony served on the Fresno County Grand Jury in 2013. He received a 30-year ICMA Service Award in 2014. He worked as an Interim City Manager in Orange Cove in 2018. Tony earned an AA from Long Beach City College, a BA in criminal justice, and an MPA from California State University, Long Beach.
*Coronado’s new City Manager Tina (Shull) Friend previously worked in Santa Cruz (2005-2019) and as City Manager in Scotts Valley (June 2019- September 2021).
*Tony Olmos, of the City of Brea staff, is the new Public Works Director for the City of Pasadena.
*Half Moon Bay City Manager Bob Nisbet recently received a three-years employment agreement extension and compensation increase.
*Retired City Manager Robert “Bud” Ovrom is a member of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority Commmision.
*Grass Valley City Manager Tim Kiser joined the city staff as Public Works Director in June 2005, and he was appointed City Manager in September 2017.
*Kristen Elderson Flores is a Senior Management Analyst in the San Carlos City Manager’s Office, and began her public service career in August 2007 as a Management Intern in the City of Bellflower.
*Frank G. Tripepi, who prior to his storied City Manager career in Rosemead, served as a Sergeant in the United States Army with the 23rd Field Artillery Group in Vietnam, worked as the President and CEO of Willdan Financial Services (June 2002-June 2011) before becoming a Willdan Senior Vice President in Business Development.
*Lemon Grove City Manager Lydia Romero, who started with the city in January 2016, taking over for City Manager Graham Mitchell, who left to be the El Cajon City Manager, previously served as the Assistant City Manager in the City of San Marcos.
*Newport Beach City Manager Grace Leung attended a Coastal Cleanup Day on September 18; an event that was part of a Statewide beach cleanup day sponsored by the California Coastal Commission.
*When Kevin Duggan retired at age 60 as City Manager in Mountain View, he was the longest-serving City Manager in Mountain View history.***