Trackdown ManagementTrackdown Management’s City Manager Newsletter: Volume No. 20: Issue No. 1

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

Highly respected longtime Lemon Grove City Manager Lydia Romero closed out a ten-year tenure when she resigned her position at the end of 2025. Lydia was appointed city manager for Lemon Grove in January 2016 and her resignation was effective December 31, 2025. Her prior experience included service as Deputy City Manager for San Marcos (2007- 2015), Assistant to the City Manager in San Rafael (1998- 2007).

Aliso Viejo City Manager Mitzi Ortiz passed away unexpectedly on December 22, 2025. She was 45 years old. She worked for Aliso Viejo for 11 years and she was appointed city manager in October 2024. Mitzi was appointed Aliso Viejo City Clerk in 2014. Ann Eifert is serving as the Acting City Manager.

Dana Point City Manager Mike Killebrew retired effective December 30, 2025, after more than 18 years of service to Dana Point. He is a 26-year resident of the city and was the first local resident to serve as city manager. Mike was the Director of Administrative Services and Assistant City Manager for 13 years before becoming city manager in 2020. He previously worked as the Chief Financial Officer for the City of Long Beach. He worked 17 years in various position for Long Beach. Mike was honored as the Dana Point Citizen of the Year in 2019. Mike is a past President of the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club. There is no readily available public information confirming familial relationship between baseball Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew and Mike of Dana Point, though they could be distant cousins.

Former Pinole city manager Kelcey Young is a finalist for the city manager position in Montpelier, Vermont. Kelcey resigned as the Pinole city manager in late November 2025 after only 15 months in the position. Prior to Pinole, she was the city manager in Sweet Home, Oregon. She was also a finalist for the city manager position in Page, Arizona in October 2025. Kelcey earned a BA and an MS in environment and community from Humboldt State University. She earned a certificate in environmental planning from Rutgers University, Newark.

Since October 2017, the American Canyon city manager has been Jason Holley. Jason’s employment agreement was extended in December 2025 through December 2031. Prior to becoming city manager, Jason was the American Canyon Director of Public Works (2013-2017). He also worked for the City of Napa. He is a Registered Civil Engineer and lives in the city of Napa.

In March 2025, the city of Oceanside hired its first-ever Homeless Services Manager, Tasha Tates. Her first objective was to update and implement the city’s Homeless Action Plan. Tasha is a San Diego native. She earned a BS in criminal justice from San Diego State University and two Master’s Degrees from Chapman University. She previously worked for People Assisting the Homeless in San Diego.

Having never worked on a city staff, sunny beachfront city of Hermosa Beach has transitioned Interim City Manager Steve Napolitano to City Manager. Steve is a former five term city council member for Manhattan Beach. He worked 12 years as a Deputy Supervisor to former Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. Steve worked as the Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to Long Beach Council Member Stacy Mungo from 2017 to 2022. He is a former President of the Independent Cities Association. Steve is an attorney, earning his Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School.

Johnny Ford became the Stockton city manager in November 2025. Johnny previously served as the Stockton Deputy City Manager. He had been dismissed and later cleared of wrongdoing. He served as the Director of Parks and Recreation in Shreveport, Louisiana (1989-1993), Superintendent of Parks Operations in Cincinnati, Ohio (1994-1998), and Director of Parks and Recreation in Durham, North Carolina (1998-2002). He served as the Deputy City Manager and Director of Parks and Recreation in Stockton from 2003 to 2009. Johnny earned a BS and MS from Grambling State University.

Members of the Carpinteria Administrative Services Department received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting recognition from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. The Carpinteria City Manager is Michael Ramirez, and the Administrative Services Director is Licette Maldonado.

California’s “Kevin Bunch” of city managers includes current city managers Kevin Woodhouse of Pacifica, Kevin Thompson of Cloverdale, Kevin Ingram of Lakeport and Kevin Kearney of Bradbury. Past and retired Kevin’s include Kevin Duggan of Mountain View and Campbell, Kevin O’Rourke of Fairfield, Buena Park and Stanton, and Interim City Manager assignments in Santa Ana, Stockton and Woodland. Other Kevin’s include Kevin Miller of Foster City; Kevin Murphy, who served in Newport Beach and Alhambra; Kevin Radecki of the City of Industry; and Kevin Chun, who worked in Bellflower, La Cañada Flintridge and for other cities. Kevin Daniel is the Workforce Development Manager for the City of Sacramento. Kevin Fulton is a Los Angeles Planning Assistant.

In late 2025, the city managers of all eight incorporated cities in San Joaquin County. including Stockton, Tracy, Lathrop, Manteca, Ripon, Lodi, Escalon, and Mountain House signed an unprecedented joint letter warning of a “transit disaster”. Lathrop City Manager Stephen Salvatore spearheaded the effort, criticizing the San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) for “unilateral” service expansions that are claimed to be inefficient and a waste of public funds.

Antioch City Manager Bessie Marie Scott began her city manager tenure in October 2024. Bessie transitioned to Antioch from Seattle, Washington where she held several high-level positions. She was the Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety. Bessie earned a BA in law and society from the University of California, Santa Barbara and MPA from the University of Washington, Evans School of Public Policy & Governance.

Longtime city manager Mark Scott, who most recently has served as the City Manager for Santa Fe, New Mexico is headed home to Fresno, after confirming his resignation. His official resignation day was January 1, 2026. Deputy City Manager Andrea Phillips has served as acting city manager. Mark, at a December 2025 city council meeting vigorously supported the city staff from unwarranted public interrogation questioning from a member of the council. Mark served as the city manager of the cities of Beverly Hills (14 years), Spartanburg, South Carolina, Indio (2017-2021), Fresno (2010-2013) and Burbank, San Bernardino and Culver City. He served as Interim City Manager for many cities including Live Oak, Ojai, Downey and Lincoln. He earned an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Former Inyo County Superior Court Executive Officer and Senior Deputy County Administrator Pamela Foster is the city of Bishop City Administrator. She succeeded City Administrator Deston Dishion, who retired after serving the city in various position for 30 years. Prior to becoming an Inyo County official, Pamela worked as the Executive Director for Mammoth Lakes Housing.

Shorts

  • Former city council member now the La Palma city manager, Peter Kim, applied for ICMA membership in December 2025.
  • In August 2025, Calistoga city manager Laura Snideman resigned, and former Chief of Police, Assistant City Manager Mitch Celaya was named Interim City Manager.
  • ICMA Ethics Director Jessica Cowles, who earned a BA from Michigan State University and an MPA from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, worked on the staff of Annapolis, Maryland and as Town Manager in Berwyn Heights, Maryland for about four years (October 2014 – May 2018) before joining the ICMA staff in May 2018.
  • Dana Point Assistant City Manager Kelly Reenders previously worked for Santa Ana, the County of San Bernardino and the city of Ontario.
  • San Luis Obispo Fire Chief Todd Tuggle resigned after three years of service and Paso Robles Deputy Fire Chief Randall Harris was appointed to be the Interim Fire Chief.
  • On November 6, 2025, the Colorado River Board of California, whose Chair is John B. “JB” Hamby of the Imperial Irrigation District, announced that California’s 2025 water use is projected to reach its lowest level in 75 years.
  • Steve Bade, Interim City Manager for the city of Redding, retired in December and Personnel Director Kari Kibler is the new Interim City Manager.
  • Santa Monica City Manager Oliver Chi has publicly warned that the city faces a projected $29.1 million deficit for fiscal year 2026- 2027.
  • Deputy City Manager Gustavo Romo is the Interim City Manager for the city of Beaumont following the retirement of City Manager Elizabeth Gibbs.
  • Former South Lake Tahoe city manager Joe Irvin is the new city manager for the city of Malibu.
  • Los Angeles Dodger utility star Mookie Betts will not play for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic as the birth of his third child is expected around the same time as tournament play.
  • Starting in early December 2025, Jennifer Ott is the new Hayward city manager in the city she previously served as Deputy and Assistant City Manager.
  • Marisha Smith is the new Sacramento city manager starting in January 2026, transitioning from her position as City Manager for the city of Santa Rosa.
  • Former Chief of Police, El Centro City Manager Robert Sawyer was officially appointed in October 2025 following his service as Acting City Manager.
  • Kevin Ingram was appointed Lakeport city manager in July 2020 following the retirement of City Manager Margaret Silveira.
  • After serving as the city manager for the City of Temple City for 25 years, Karl L. Koski retired in 1990.
  • Dr. Dwane Milnes, DPA, served as a City Manager or Assistant City Manager for 24 years before he retired as the City Manager for the City of Stockton in 2001.