Trackdown ManagementTrackdown Management’s City Manager Newsletter: Volume No. 17: Issue No. 15

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

Fillmore City Manager David W. Rowlands is the new Santa Maria city manager. He is the first city manager to be hired from outside the city staff organization in about 60 years. Dave is succeeding City Manager Alex Posada, who has served as the interim city manager since September 2023. Alex resumes his responsibilities as the director of recreation and parks. Dave has been the Fillmore city manager since August 2013. He previously worked as city manager for Clayton, Ohio from January 2001 to August 2013, and previous to that he served as the deputy city manager for the City of Novato. He earned a BA from California Lutheran University and an MPA from California State University, Stanislaus.

Dublin has a new city manager. Assistant City Manager Colleen Tribby, 50, is the new Dublin city manager. She is taking the reins from City Manager Linda Smith who is leaving the city to become the city manager for the City of Orinda. Colleen joined the Dublin city staff in 2013 as the director of administrative services. She became the assistant city manager in 2019. Colleen earned a BA from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from the European School of Economics.

City of El Centro City Manager Cedric Ceseña is retiring at the end November 2024. Cedric served as interim city manager starting in November 2022 and he was appointed city manager in July 2023. He began his public service career as a reserve firefighter with the Calexico Fire Department in 1992. In December 2013 he joined the El Centro Fire Department as a battalion chief and public information officer. Cedric earned a BS from the University of Phoenix.

Anna Marie Presutti, a hotel industry veteran, is the new top tourism official for the City of San Francisco. Prior to being hired by San Francisco, Anna Marie was serving as interim president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association since May, following the departure of her predecessor, Scott Beck. Anna Marie is a former General Manager of the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco.

Don Pruyn, former San Dimas city manager, who worked as the housing project manager for the Tri-City Mental Health Services after retirement, and also worked as the chief financial officer for the City of Huntington Park. Don and the late-Ray Harris were together as fans at the 2010 Los Angeles Angels’ of Anaheim MLB home opener. Don is a former “Proof of Life” participant. He and retired La Mirada City Manager Gary Sloan and retired City Manager Jerry Bankston of Camarillo were students at Bellflower High School students in 1963.

Jessica Reed is a new senior administrative analyst for the City of Barstow. She will be working in the human resources department. Jessica has worked for Barstow for the past 18 years and held the same title position with the environmental services department. She began her public service career in Barstow in the City Clerk’s Office. Jessica has earned an AA from Barstow Community College, and she is pursuing a BA from Columbia Southern University.

Paso Robles City Manager Ty Lewis, hired in August 2021 after working as the Paso Robles chief of police, is on a leave of absence. Is doctor initiated a medical leave about two months back related to cardiac care issues. Ty also has a daughter in treatment for cancer. Assistant City Manager Chris Huot is the acting city manager. Chris previously worked with the City of Bakersfield. Ty worked in law enforcement for 25 years. It appears that he has exhausted his available medical leave.

Kellee Fritzal worked as an economic development administrator for the City of Culver City in 2000 to 2007. She took the deputy director of economic development in the City of Huntington Beach in May 2007. After nearly 13 years in Huntington Beach, Kellee joined the Fullerton city staff as deputy director of community & economic development in January 2020. Kellee left that position in August 2022 and served as the executive director of a non-profit organization working with nine North Orange County cities to address homelessness. In July 2024, Kellee became the interim executive director for the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District. Kellee earned a BA from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Eric Sonstegard, chief of police in Edgewater, Colorado, is the new assistant city manager for Oxnard, where Alexander Nguyen is the city manager. Prior to serving Edgewater, Eric worked 26 years with the Oxnard Police Department and retired as assistant police chief in 2022. He was appointed Edgewater chief of police in May 2022. Eric earned a BS in the administration of justice from California Lutheran University and an MPA from California State University, Northridge.

Chris Constantin, former city manager for San Dimas where he worked with Assistant City Manager Brad McKinney, is the new town manager for the Town of Los Gatos. Chris began his San Dimas city manager service in January 2021. He worked as the assistant city manager for the City of Chico from April 2013 until December 2020. Prior to that he was the assistant city auditor for the City of San Diego (February 2010 to April 2013). Chris was a senior auditor for the City of San Jose from September 2001 to January 2010. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the West Valley-Mission Community College District for more than 13 years starting in December 1996. Chris earned a BA from San Jose State University and an MPA from The Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

Rebekah Kramer is the new deputy city manager for the City of Menifee. She has worked as the assistant to the city manager in Menifee since September 2022. She joined the Menifee city staff in January 2022 and served as acting city manager from October 2023 to February 2024. Rebekah began her municipal experience as a community relations manager for the City of San Bernardino in September 2011. She served as the assistant city manager for San Bernardino from July 2019 to August 2021. Rebekah earned a BS from the University of Utah and an MA in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.

Former San Bernardino city manager Robert D. Field has been hired to serve as the city manager for Medford, Oregon. He succeeds City Manager Brian Sjothun. Bob began his San Bernardino city manager tenure in September 2020 and resigned in January 2023. Prior to that he served as assistant county executive officer for the County of Riverside. Robert earned a BA in history from the University of California, Riverside and an MA in leadership and organizational studies from California Baptist University.

Shorts

  • Matt Huffaker, Santa Cruz city manager and former Watsonville city manager Rene Mendez, jumped from the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf wearing a rubber duck tube to help raise funds for the Holiday Food & Fund Drive for the Second Harvest Food Bank.
  • Former Ramona Municipal Water District CFO Craig Schmollinger is the new director of finance for the City of Poway.
  • Malibu Deputy City Manager Alexis Brown served previously as the assistant city manager for the City of Imperial (June 2013-August 2023), and she earned a BA from DeVry University.
  • Santa Barbara City Administrator Kelly McAdoo, who previously served as the city manager for the City of Hayward (August 2016-May 2024), earned a BA and an MPA from The University of Kansas.
  • Gary Nordquist retired as the city manager for the City of Wildomar in 2022.
  • Tony Olivito, who is from Downey and previously worked with the staff of the California Contract Cities Association, is currently living in Birch Bay, Washington.
  • San Dimas Assistant City Manager Brad McKinney, the position he has held since June 2019, previously served as assistant city manager for the cities of Rosemead and Alhambra.
  • Monterey Park City Manager Ron Bow served more than 24-years in the United States Air Force.
  • Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang, a former Pico Rivera assistant city manager, reports that the 2024 county Assessment Roll has increased by 4.85% over last year’s, breaking the $2 trillion mark in net total value for the first time.
  • Retired Vista City Manager Rita Geldert, a former CCMF Board of Trustees President, has been spending time with her sister in Florida.
  • Malibu city manager Steve McClary, who took the position following the resignation of City Manager Reva Feldman, and previously worked for Ojai, Camarillo, and Fillmore, began his working career as a newspaper reporter in Fillmore.
  • June Fleming retired as the Palo Alto City Manager in 2012 after working for the city for more than 30 years, starting with the Palo Alto Public Library and becoming city manager in 1992.
  • Pasadena Assistant City Manager David Reyes and interim director of the Department of Water and Power, participated as an “in the ring” fighter in the Annual Centennial Square Boxing Show.
  • Valerie Baron, Concord city manager, is a strong advocate of the Harvard Kennedy Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program.
  • Carpinteria City Manager Mike Ramirez, who earned a BA from California State University, Northridge and an MPP from California Lutheran University, previously worked in recreation for the cities of Oxnard and Moorpark before being appointed assistant city manager in Carpinteria in December 2021.
  • San Dimas Assistant City Manager Brad McKinney worked for Anaheim (2009-2012); Claremont (2012-2016); Rosemead (2016- 2018); and Alhambra (2018-2019) before joining the San Dimas city staff in May 2020.
  • Jorge Rifa, who received a 35 Year ICMA Service Award in 2013, worked for Compton, El Monte, Soledad, and Salinas, prior to taking the city administrator position in the City of Commerce, from where he retired in 2017.
  • Carl Simpson, City of Jackson city manager, previously served as assistant city manager for Dallas, Texas.