Trackdown ManagementTrackdown Management’s City Manager Newsletter: Volume No. 19: Issue No. 09

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

City Council Members of the Los Angeles County city of Huntington Park have established that city as a Sanctuary City, prohibiting the use of city resources, personnel and facilities for federal immigration enforcement. The action was voted 5-0 to adopt the appropriate ordinance. The ordinance requires public reporting of any contact with immigration authorities. Ricardo “Rick” Reyes is the Huntington Park city manager. He previously worked as deputy secretary for the California Department of Veterans Affairs.

Morro Bay City Manager Yvonne Kimball has been dismissed after serving in the position for the past two years. She joined the city staff as city manager in August 2023 following her tenure as Jackson city manager. Yvonne worked as the Jackson city manager from August 2017. Prior to Jackson, she worked as town manager in Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona and as city manager for Bowling Green, Florida. Yvonne earned an MPA from the University of Central Florida. In 2016, Yvonne received a 10 Year ICMA Service Award.

Jarad Hildenbrand is the next city manager for the City of Orange. He is taking over from retiring City Manager Tom Kisela. Jarad has been serving as the Laguna Hills city manager since 2022. He began his public service career with the City of Villa Park in 2006. He was appointed Villa Park city manager in July 2012. Jarad was also city manager in La Habra Heights (2016-2019) and Stanton (2019-2022). He earned a BA from California State University, Fullerton, and an MPA from California State University, Long Beach.

Blue Lake Interim City Manager Dani Burkhart, former Finance Manager, was hired to fill in for City Manager Amanda “Mandy” Magers who parted ways with the city on May 9, 2025. Dani previously worked for the city of Eureka in their finance department. She is a former unsuccessful candidate for the Board of Supervisors in Humboldt County. In 2017-2018, Dani served as the vice-treasurer for the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee. She earned an AA from College of the Redwoods and a BS in environmental science from Humboldt State University.

Officials of the city of Calexico want the federal government to fund a share of the city’s ambulance service. Interim City Manager Rick Daniels reports that 37% of the city’s ambulance service calls are at the international border for transporting patients from the border to the local hospital. People who injure themselves crossing the border are getting free transportation to the hospital paid by the local Calexico taxpayers.

Chula Vista Assistant City Manager Tiffany Allen is the new city manager, replacing City Manager Maria Kachadoorian. Maria is retiring in October. Tiffany joined the Chula Vista city staff in January 2002 as a development services technician. After working through several positions, she was appointed assistant city manager in February 2023. Tiffany earned a BS from the University of Oregon and an MPA from Walden University. In 2024, she received a 20 Year ICMA Service Award.

Pittsburg City Manager Garrett Evans announced his retirement effective September 4, 2025. Garrett has worked for the city of Pittsburg since 1997, when he joined the city staff as an Analyst. Since then, he has worked as director of economic development, director of the redevelopment agency, director of power, assistant city manager and for the past six and a half years, and city manager. He was named city manager in February 2019. Garrett earned a BA in psychology from the University of Arizona and an MPA from the University of Southern California (USC).

As wildfire conditions intensify across the Pacific Northwest, California Governor Gavin Newsom has directed the deployment of a CAL FIRE Type 3 engine strike team to assist firefighting efforts in southern Oregon. The deployment includes five fire engines and a strike team leader who will join suppression operations just north of the California–Oregon border.

Shorts:

  • Hayward Director of Library Services, Jayanti Addleman is the Hayward interim city manager taking the post from City Attorney Michael Lawson, who has been acting city manager since City Manager Ana Alvarez was placed on administrative leave.
  • Recently elected Lemon Grove City Council Member Sitivi “Steve” Faiai, who was a football coach at Helix High School, died unexpectedly earlier this month.
  • Bell City Manager Michael L. Antwine II previously served as the assistant city manager for Compton (October 2019-April 2022) and assistant city manager for Novato (September 2017- 2019).
  • City Manager Bret Prebula of Suisun City volunteered to forgo a significant bonus for outstanding performance because of the city’s current budget issues.
  • New Calabasas City Manager Dr. Kindon Meik is the recipient of the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) City Manager of the Year Award.
  • Edwin Gato is the director of finance for the city of Hercules since January 2019, was previously the finance services manager for the city of Alameda.
  • Former Fairfield Assistant City Manager Savita Chaudhary, is the city manager for the City of Vacaville.
  • Mario Giuliani, who previously worked for the cities of Vacaville and Walnut Creek, as well as the Greater Vallejo Recreation District, in the city of Benicia city manager.
  • San Francisco’s new Mayor Daniel Lurie, took office in January 2025.
  • Grover Beach, where Matthew Bronson has been city manager since May 2016, there has been an effort to make the city attorney position political with the selection by election at the ballot box.
  • Sheryl M. M. Long is the 18th city manager for the City of Cincinnati, Ohio.
  • Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang is a former assistant city manager for the City of Pico Rivera.
  • Huntington Park City Manager Ricardo “Rick” Reyes is a United States Marine Corps veteran.
  • After retiring in 2006 as Napa City Manager, Patricia Thompson has served in “interim” positions with Novato, Larkspur, Santa Rosa and the Town of Ross.
  • Veteran and Retired City Manager Richard D. Rowe served as city manager for the cities of La Palma (1981-1986), Chino (1986-1996), Needles (2003-2008), and Barstow (2009-2011); and he served as interim city manager for Needles (2000-2002), Barstow (2008) and Canyon Lake (2012-2013)