News Summary
California cities are experiencing notable shifts as several municipalities appoint new city managers and make staff changes in response to housing mandates and governance challenges. Notable appointments include Wendy Kaserman in Santee and Seimone Jurjis in Newport Beach. Local governance is adapting to state mandates as cities navigate budgeting issues, retirement of longtime managers, and leadership changes. Recent developments also highlight the need for local control amid evolving housing strategies, emphasizing the importance of effective leadership in addressing community needs.
California Cities are undergoing significant transitions as several municipalities announce new city manager appointments and staff changes in response to legislative housing mandates and other local governance needs.
In Santee, Wendy Kaserman, who has served as Poway’s Assistant City Manager since 2016, has been appointed as the new city manager. This change follows the dismissal of previous city manager Marlene Best. Meanwhile, in Newport Beach, Seimone Jurjis will take over the city manager position from Grace Leung when she retires in December 2025. Jurjis has more than 30 years of experience in public and private sectors and has been a part of the Newport Beach team since 2011.
In Isleton, City Manager Jon Kennedy recently faced challenges as he sought an $800,000 loan to prevent bankruptcy or disincorporation. However, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors rejected this request, leaving Isleton with over $4.7 million in debt.
Artesia’s city manager, Abel Avalos, is approaching his first anniversary in office. He previously served as the Community Development Director and has also worked in Lakewood and Bell Gardens. Melissa Stevenson Diaz, who has managed Redwood City since October 2015, will be retiring in December 2025 after holding various significant roles in Mountain View and Fremont.
Amid these managerial changes, Folsom Planning Manager Desmond Parrington expressed the importance of local control while acknowledging new state mandates, including Senate Bill 79. This bill requires housing developments to be located near transit stations, reflecting California’s evolving approach to housing issues.
Placerville has appointed David R. Warren as its new city manager, taking over from Cleve Morris, who is retiring. Warren has been with Placerville since 1994, working in various finance roles. In contrast, the city of Los Angeles has addressed its budget concerns by negotiating cost-cutting measures with two unions, which resulted in reducing potential layoffs from 222 LAPD civilian staff down to 75.
Other notable changes include Travis Hopkins being appointed as the permanent city manager of Huntington Beach after serving in an interim capacity for a year. He has been with the city since 2006. Additionally, Paso Robles city manager Ty Lewis has retired following a settlement related to allegations of harassment involving Councilman Chris Bausch.
In a separate development, Ronda Perez, the former city manager of Palmdale, has withdrawn her consideration for the Malibu city manager position. Currently, Candace Bond remains in the role as Interim City Manager.
Furthermore, Greg McDanel, the outgoing city manager of Maryville, Missouri, has announced he will be taking the position of city manager in Seaside, California. In the meantime, interim leadership is being provided by assistant city manager Ryan Heiland.
As of August 2025, there are four city managers named Jim currently serving in California: James R. Lewis in Atascadero, Jim Vanderpool in Anaheim, Jim Schaad in Marysville, and Jim Goodwin in the Town of Paradise. This interesting detail highlights the diversity and blend of leadership names within various Californian cities.
These recent appointments indicate that cities in California are actively seeking to adapt and respond to new legislative changes and local governance challenges, signifying a period of transition and potential growth across the state.
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Additional Resources
- PublicCEO: Trackdown Management’s Picking Up the Pieces (89)
- KQ2: Maryville City Manager Accepts Position in California
- Los Angeles Times: Huntington Beach Appoints Travis Hopkins as City Manager
- Press Democrat: Sebastopol Don Schwartz Media Policy Council
- Wikipedia: City Manager
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