Interim City Manager Will Not Seek Permanent Role

Interim City Manager Withdraws Name from Applicant Pool

COACHELLA — After the overflow audience had dispersed, councilmembers had given their reports, and they were ready to adjourn, Interim City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez said he wanted to “take a moment.” On the same night he was expected to be named city manager, Gonzalez withdrew his name from consideration.

“First of all, as you know, I’m a retired city manager. I got almost 30 years as city manager, 20 of those in four different cities,” Gonzalez explained calmly. “I’ve been a finance director, I’ve been an assistant city manager, I’ve had a very accomplished career and never has my integrity been questioned. And so, when I came to Coachella, I didn’t even know about Coachella in terms of that you guys were looking for. So, a headhunter called me.”

Gonzalez said he was finishing up an interim city manager assignment with the city of Linwood when the headhunter approached him. He lives in the San Marcos, San Diego area near his daughter, his grandson and family. So, he agreed, thinking it could be another fun assignment — within a 2-hour drive from family.

“I had no intention of coming out of retirement, Gonzalez said. “I’m very content, very happy in retirement, spending time with my grandson, with my family, enjoying the San Diego weather, no offense at Coachella Valley, but I’ll take 70-degree weather to 115 any day of the week, right?”

He continued.

“Since it was brought up publicly, I’m going to withdraw from the city manager position. I’m not going to get involved in any political environment that’s going on here. I’ve always looked at a city manager (as having) a choice where they want to go. … we work at the pleasure of the city council, but I have choices, too. As a professional city manager, I have choices. I can stay retired, I can go look for another city, (I’m) very marketable. So I wish you all the best. We can talk about transition.”

You have a great team and the staff, said Gonzalez, who had been serving as interim city manager since March.

“We did an employee survey,” Gonzalez said, “We got some good comments back. So you have a great organization. I feel bad for them really because of all the politics that’s going on here. A lot of potential as a city that you guys have, right? A lot. I felt like I could make some contributions to the staff, the organization, but I’m not going to let my integrity get questioned.”

Newly-minted Frank Figueroa said, “Thank you Mr. Gonzalez. And with that, if there is no item, we’ll adjourn at 9:14 p.m. in honor of my father, Gustav Figueroa.

Gonzalez’s unexpected move came on the heels of Councilmember Denise Delgado saying she some” serious concerns” had been brought to her attention about Gonzalez. She declined to identify what those concerns were.

The City Council tabled the issue of hiring a city manager as a result.  It appears the City Council is back at square one.

The city had hired the Berkeley-based firm, Koff & Associates, to recruit a city manager following the dismissal of Gabriel Martin for unspecified reasons. The position was advertised at $275,000 – $310,000 annually.