Trackdown Management’s City Manager newsletter: Volume No. 15: Issue No. 2
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.
Burbank City Manager Justin Hess was named the 2022 CCMF City Manager of the Year, and the Corporate Sponsor of the Year Award goes to the Kosmont Companies.
Kosmont Companies was founded by former City Manager Larry Kosmont. Larry was the recipient of the 1980 John H. Nail Memorial Award when he was the Assistant City Manager in Seal Beach.
Justin has worked for the City of Burbank for more than 20- years, beginning as an intern in Planning. Justin serves as the Vice President of the CCMF Board of Trustees.
Former City of Ceres City Manager Tom Westbrook, serving as the Community Development Director in the City of Red Bluff, is the new Interim City Manager in Red Bluff. City Manager and City Attorney Richard Crabtree announced his intent to retire in April. Tom is a native of Red Bluff, graduating from Red Bluff High School. He worked in Stanislaus County and for the City of Ceres. He worked for the Planning Division for 18-years before taking the City Manager post. He returned home to Red Bluff in September 2021as the Community Development Director.
City Manager Scott Mitnick has left the City Manager position in the City of El Segundo. His last day was February 2. Chief Financial Officer Joe Lillio was named Acting El Segundo City Manager. Scott joined the El Segundo staff in 2019 after more than 30-years in public service positions. Joe has served as the city’s CFO for the past 6-years. No reason for Scott’s separation was announced.
Redondo Beach Chief of Police Keith Kauffman will retire Feb. 28 bringing to a close a career of nearly 30-years in law enforcement. Keith spent 22-years on the Hawthorne police force. He came to Redondo Beach in 2015. Born and raised in Redondo Beach, he carried on a family legacy. His father Kenneth Kauffman served on the Redondo Beach force from 1970 to 1994.
City Manager Sean Scully recently started his tenure as the City Manager in the City of Lincoln. Sean is a former City Manager in Riverbank, and he worked for 7 years for the City of Gustine, including two years as City Manager. He previously worked in planning and economic development for the City of Turlock. Sean earned a BA from California State University, Monterey Bay and an MPA from California State University, Stanislaus.
Veteran City Manager Gilbert Livas of the City of Downey will retire effective July 1, 2022. Gilbert has served as the Downey City Manager since December 2011. He joined the City of Downey as Community Development Director and Deputy City Manager in 2007. He was promoted to Assistant City Manager in 2010. Previously, Gil worked for the City of Bell Gardens in redevelopment starting in 1994.
Santa Clarita Assistant City Manager Frank Oviedo was recognized with the 2021 John H. Nail Memorial Award from the City Managers’ Department of the League of California Cities. Frank has served as Assistant City Manager in Santa Clarita since 2013. He worked for the city from 1997 to 2002 before working for Elk Grove as Deputy City Manager. After Elk Grove Frank became the first City Manager for the City of Wildomar in 2009.
After working in West Covina (1992- 2000) and Chino Hills (2000-2004), Jeffrey Collier joined the city staff in the City of Whittier as Director of Community Development. Jeff served as the Whittier City Manager from January 2012 until his retirement in November 2019. Jeff is currently serving as the Acting City Manager in the City of Fullerton starting in December 2021. Jeff earned a BS in urban planning from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and an MPA from California State University, Fullerton.
Former Banning City Manager Andy Takata, currently the City Administrator for the City of DuPont, Washington, continues to serve as a member of the Technical Water Polo Committee of the Collegiate Water Polo Association, and with USA Water Polo. Andy is a former Olympic Water Polo Referee and a member of the 2014 USA Water Polo Hall of Fame Class. Andy has served with USA Water Polo since 1978; more than 44-years. Andy earned a BA from California State University, Fullerton.
Retired Sacramento City Manager John Shirey, who earned a BSIE from Purdue University and an MPA from the University of Southern California (USC), is a Director with Golden Pacific Bank in Sacramento and continues to serve on the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera. John is also a Master USA Track & Field Official. He serves as President of the USA Track & Field Pacific Foundation, which raises funds for track and field athletes and coaches. He has served with USA Track & Field since February 1973. USATF is the official sanctioning body for the sport of track and field in the United States.
Veteran City Managers Bob Adams, Troy Butzlaff, Hugh Riley and Randy Anstine are among an impressive group of professionals, including Marshall Linn, with Bayshore Consulting Group with offices in Lancaster and Orange. Retired Norwalk City Manager Mike Egan is the new Interim City Manager for the City of Artesia filling in following the resignation of City Manager William “Bill” Rawlings. Mike began his city government career with the City of Bellflower where he became City Manager following Linda Manning Lowry, who retired as the Pomona City Manager in December 2019.
Former Covina City Manager (1993-1999) and Azusa City Manager (2005-2011) Francis “Fran” Delach, who worked on the HdL Companies team (1999-2005), is Vice President with Delach Development Resources in Covina and he serves as an Adjunct Faculty member and City Manager in Residence for the University of La Verne.
We are correcting our errors of the January 2022 issue regarding retired City Manager Martin Lomeli. He began his public service career in 1975 as an Administrative Intern in the City of West Covina. In January 1976 he took a Personnel Coordinator position with the City of La Verne. In December 1978, Marty went to work with the City of Rosemead and then-City Manager Frank Tripepi. He left there in December 1979 to take an Administrative Analyst position with the County of San Luis Obispo. He became the Assistant City Manager in La Verne in January 1981 and was appointed City Manager there in June 1987. Marty retired after 23-years as the La Verne City Manager and he moved to Morro Bay in 2016. He served as the Morro Bay Interim City Manager in 2017. In addition, Marty also served as Interim City Manager in Irwindale, La Puente and Upland.
Colton City Manager William R. Smith is among the finalist for the City Manager position in Kearney, Missouri. The other finalist is Greg McDaniel of Mayville, Missouri. Both candidates are finalists to replace Michael Morgan, who is retiring as City Manager. Bill previously served as Community Services Director.
Former Manteca (2008-2011) and Davis (2011-2014) City Manager Steve Pinkerton is the current General Manager for the Mountain House Community Services District in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Retired City Manager Donald Jeffers has relocated to the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego County.
Orval Overall, the winning pitcher of the Chicago Cubs’ final game of the 1908 World Series, was born in Farmersville.
Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang once served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Pico Rivera.
Former California State University, Fullerton Head Women’s Basketball Coach Barbara Ehardt, is a member of the Idaho Falls City Council.
Mike Futrell, a former submarine officer in the U.S. Navy, began serving as the City Manager for the City of South San Francisco in April 2014 after being the Chief Administrative Officer of Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he is a former member of the Baton Rouge City Council.
Russell Leavitt is a Planner and Environmental Coordinator for the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District and served as President of MMANC in 2002.
Janice Mathis, formerly of the city of Norwalk staff, California State University, Long Beach staff, Pomona City Manager’s office, CCMF and a Senior Personnel Management Consultant, earned an MA in human behavior from National University.
Lindsay City Manager Joe Tanner is the son of retired veteran City Manager Joe Tanner.
Retired City Manager Norman R. King, who served as the ICMA President in 1995, was the City Manager in Claremont (1975-1979), Palm Springs (1979-1990) and Moreno Valley (1991- 1996), and worked as the Executive Director of the San Bernardino Associated GovernmentsTransportation Commission (1996-2005).