City Council Moves Closer to Naming New City Manager

The City Council met in closed session meetings on Saturday and Sunday to interview candidates vying to be the City’s next city manager.

Although it is possible, don’t expect an announcement on Monday regarding a new city manager.

The new selection will have to give notice to their employer and work out employment agreements.

City Manager Miguel Márquez announced his retirement late last year, with intentions to stay until a new city manager is chosen.

He became Pasadena’s city manager in 2022, when the city was still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and confronting major issues including housing affordability and public safety. Early in his tenure, Márquez oversaw the hiring of a new police chief.

The past three mayors have all led the City Council through the process of choosing new city managers.

Mayor Gordo led the City Council through that process when Márquez was chosen and former mayors Terry Tornek and Bill Bogaard were at the helm when Steve Mermell and Michael Beck were chosen.

Pasadena has a council-city manager type of government, which calls for the elected City Council to serve as the city’s primary legislative body and to appoint a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations, draft a budget, implement and enforce the council’s policy and legislative initiatives, and oversee 14 of the 16 city departments.

This next city manager will oversee a public sector agency, public/private partnerships, and a full-service City with robust services with an approximate $1 billion budget and a dedicated and talented staff of approximately 2,000 employees and an engaged community of approximately 140,000.