Trackdown ManagementTrackdown Management’s City Manager Newsletter: Volume No. 17: Issue No. 14

For over 15 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.

Picking Up the Pieces

Cloverdale City Manager David Kelley will leave his position on December 20, 2024. He has served as the Cloverdale City Manager since March 2018. He joined the city staff in February 2016 as the assistant city manager and community development director. After working for a private consulting firm starting in 1995, David went to work for the County of Colusa. He left the county in 2001 and worked for a private company in Rocklin. In September 2004, David was hired as a senior management analyst by the Town of Windsor. He became assistant town manager in August 2011 and worked in that post while Linda K. Kelly served as town manager. David earned a BA in economics from California State University, Chico and an MBA from Sonoma State University.

Tamara Vides is the new Watsonville city manager. Tamara is a native of Argentina and has worked for the city for some 30-years. She replaces City Manager Rene Mendez, who is the new city manager for the City of Salinas. Tamara served as interim city manager following Rene’s departure. She has worked as Assistant City Manager since October 2020. Tamara earned an MA in recreation administration from San Jose State University. Calexico City Manager Esperanza Colio Warren was unexpectedly placed on administrative leave on June 7. She continues to be designated as on administrative leave. Juan Contreras has served as the acting city manager since June 7. The administrative leave decision came only two years into Colio’s five-year employment agreement. No explanation has been given to the public about the administrative leave action. Maritza Hurtado, leader of a local Calexico Recall group, wants the city manager fired.

Retired City Manager Kevin Duggan is serving with the Mineta Transportation Institute (MINETA). Kevin is an Ethics Instructor and Senior Advisor for ICMA and the League of California Cities. He served in local government for more than 40 years, working for Campbell for 18 years, the last 6 as city manager. Kevin worked as the Mountain View city manager from 1990 until his retirement in April of 2011. Kevin is a former ICMA West Coast regional director from 2011 to 2019. He was the president of the City Managers’ Department of the League in 2008-2009. Kevin was named the recipient of the 2019 ICMA Distinguished Service Award.

Elaine Lister began her tenure as the city manager for the City of Mission Viejo in July. She took the reins from retired City Manager Dennis Wilberg, who received the prestigious Wes McClure Award from the League of California Cities for his dedication and mentoring of others. Elaine served as the Mission Viejo Director of Community Development from December 2013. She served as the director for 11 years. Elaine was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland and earned a BS from the University of Glasgow. She also earned an MS from San Diego State University.

City of Dublin Assistant City Manager Colleen Tribby has been selected to serve as the next Dublin city manager. Colleen will replace City Manager Linda Smith when she retires in October. Colleen started as an associate consultant with a private firm in February 1998. She was a manager and consultant with MAXIMUS from October 1999 to February 2003. In July 2005, she started with the City of South San Francisco as a budget & financial manager. Colleen joined the City of Dublin city staff in April 2013 as the director of administrative services. In December 2019, she was promoted to be the Dublin assistant city manager. Colleen earned a BA in literature and philosophy from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from the European School of Economics. She also completed an executive leadership program at the University of California, Berkeley. While attending Claremont McKenna College (CMC), making us think about WNBA Rookie Caitlin Clark, Colleen was a four-year player and Captain of the CMC Women’s basketball team. She has coached girls’ basketball in the Tri-Valley area for more than 10 years. She received a 10 Year ICMA Service Award in 2022. Colleen is the fifth Dublin city manager in the past three years.

Sunnyvale Director of Finance Tim Kirby is the new Sunnyvale city manager. Tim has been serving as interim city manager since June 29 following former City Manager Kent Steffens’ retirement. Tim has worked for the city of Sunnyvale for 29 years, starting with the city in 1995. Tim worked as utility billing manager from 2000 to October 2013. He became the assistant director of finance in 2013, and Tim was promoted to Sunnyvale finance director in January 2016. He earned a BA in environmental studies San Jose State University.

With City Manager Lori Sassoon departing the Norco city staff in August 2024, Finance Director Lisette Free is serving as interim city manager while the recruitment process is pursued. Lisette was hired in Norco in 2017 as accounting manager. She became finance director in 2020. Before joining the Norco city staff, Lisette worked 10 years for the County of Orange as a Senior Internal Auditor (2007-2012) and Audit Manager (2012-2017). She earned a BS in accounting from Azusa Pacific University. Lori worked for Walnut, Glendale and San Bernardino before serving as city manager for Villa Park (2009-2012) and deputy city anager for Rancho Cucamonga (2012-2022). She was selected to serve as the Norco city manager in August 2022. Lori earned a BA from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and an MPA from California State University, San Bernardino.

Courtney Padgett, Burbank Assistant City Manager, has been named to serve as interim chief information officer, replacing Kevin Gray. Kevin is moving on to serve as the chief technology officer for Metrolink. Though Courtney is accepting the new responsibilities, she will also continue in her role as Burbank’s assistant city manager. She has been the assistant city manager since July 2024. Courtney joined the Burbank city staff in 2017 serving on the Police Department’s Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET). She has been the police administrator since 2020. Before coming to Burbank, Courtney worked in State and county government positions in Florida. She earned a BA and an MS in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida.

Antioch has hired Bessie Marie Scott as the city’s new city manager. Bessie steps in to replace Acting City Manager Kwame Reed. The hiring action was taken on a 3-2 vote. Bessie is the deputy inspector general for Public Safety for the City of Seattle, Washington. The Antioch position will be her first as a city manager. Bessie earned a BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MPA from the University of Washington.

Dixon City Manager Jim Lindley was appointed in February 2012. He previously served as the city manager for the City of Dunsmuir. Jim became the Dunsmuir city manager in June 2010. The previous Dixon City Manager Nancy Huston left the city to work as an assistant county administrator for Solano County. Jim earned a BA in economics and an MPA from California State University, San Bernardino.

Shorts

  • Richard Jacobs, a longtime Solana Beach resident, formerly of Willdan Engineering and a former owner of his own consulting service, graduated from the University of Maine.
  • Stanley Morgan of Vacaville, former Anderson City Council Member and Dairy Valley (Cerritos) assistant city manager, went to El Segundo High School.
  • Lakewood city council member Todd Rodgers, retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, is the new chief of police for the Rio Hondo College and charged with building their first Police Department.
  • Former City Manager Ron Molendyk is currently working business development for Assured Care & Staffing Services based in Anaheim.
  • Former South Gate and West Covina city manager Andy Pasmant earned a BA from California State University, Los Angeles.
  • Edward R. James, a former U. S. Marine who is a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) alumnus, who served 10 years as the Concord city manager starting in 1994, served as the Concord Interim City Manager in 2007 and again in 2016.
  • Alameda, where Jennifer Ott serves as city manager, is asking residents to immediately report crimes to the police department rather than posting them on social media.
  • Matt Morley, who served as the assistant city manager for the City of Cupertino from January 2003, is the new city manager for the City of Saratoga starting in June 2024.
  • Goleta City Manager Robert Nisbet began his Goleta tenure September 2022 and previously served 4 years as city manager in Half Moon Bay.
  • Deborah Dixon, worked for Gardena and Torrance and the private sector before she joined the City of Lomita about 6 years ago, starting in October 2018 and she was promoted to human resources and risk manager in November 2023.
  • Retired Sacramento City Manager John Shirey has been serving as the president of the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera since July 2021.
  • Rod Wood gets kudos for pulling together a Northern California “Proof of Life” lunch program including the September lunch at Mimi’s Café in Fairfield.