Newly Retired City Manager to Serve as Interim Manager
May 20, 2021 12:00AM ● By Story by Shaunna BoydCITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - On May 7, City Manager Chris Boyd announced his retirement, effective May 11. At the May 13 meeting, the City Council considered the appointment of an interim city manager to fill the role until a permanent replacement can be hired. The recommendation was to hire Boyd as a retired annuitant. The proposed employment contract has a maximum term of 12 months but would likely expire sooner, once a replacement is hired. Boyd would be paid the same hourly rate he received as manager but would not receive any benefits—saving the City $100,000 in that 12-month period if he served the full year.
During public comment on this item, Dr. Jayna Karpinki-Costa, who served on the City Council from 2004-2012, submitted a statement suggesting former city manger Henry Tingle, who retired in 2016, should be considered for the interim position. “He led our new city on a strong and true path,” wrote Karpinki-Costa, suggesting Tingle is “the best person for this job.”
Forrest Allen and Thomas Scheeler also wrote in recommending Mr. Tingle for the position, with Scheeler stating, “I do not think continuing our current situation is the best for the citizens of Citrus Heights.”
Others expressed support for Boyd serving as interim city manager. Bill Van Duker noted Boyd’s focus on economic development and streamlining staff structure “to make it less costly and more efficient.” Van Duker also pointed out that Mr. Tingle, along with everyone else involved in the City’s incorporation effort, was well aware the City budget “would run into deficits toward the end of our 25-year property tax drought. … Chris Boyd did not create the deficit. It was there all along,” wrote Van Duker. “But Chris has done a great job in managing the complexities of tight money, economic downturn, and all of the other issues we have faced in the last 5 years.”
Van Duker also stressed the importance of bringing “the vision of Sunrise Tomorrow to fruition” in order to secure the financial future of Citrus Heights. He worried that another interim manger would be “a caretaker until the new permanent manager is hired and this opportunity might slip away.”
Kermit Schayltz praised Boyd’s administration for its transparency and urged the Council to appoint Boyd as interim manager. He took issue with “baseless accusations” that have attempted to blame Mr. Boyd for the current financial issues.
Mayor Steve Miller addressed the comments recommending Mr. Tingle: “If we were faced with an emergency vacancy tonight, I would have full faith in asking Henry to consider acting as our interim city manager. Fortunately, we have Mr. Boyd willing to provide continuity.” In particular, Miller cited the importance of having continuity while allocating the pending federal relief funds, which the City hopes to use to restore some funding to the police department—the department that Boyd built as the City’s first chief of police. He also echoed the concern that ongoing negotiations with Sunrise Mall ownership about the Sunrise Tomorrow plan could stall with another manager stepping in at this crucial time.
Vice Mayor Porsche Middleton made a motion to approve the resolution and contract. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Jeannie Bruins.
Councilmember Daniels made an alternate motion that Council continue the item until their next meeting and that Henry Tingle be contacted for consideration. The alternate motion was seconded by Councilmember Tim Schaefer.
Councilmember Daniels said, “This is not an easy situation. I don’t think that there’s any secret that there’s a fracture in the Council regarding the confidence in Mr. Boyd. I think if Mr. Boyd wanted to be our city manager that he shouldn’t have retired. … I think it’s time for a change because there are some things that need to be done differently in our city.” Councilmembers Daniels and Schaefer both said they have heard from community members who want Mr. Tingle to serve as interim city manager.
Councilmember Bruins said that while Mr. Tingle is “a wonderful man and a good friend … he’s been out of the loop for five years.” She said it wouldn’t be prudent to leave the City without management when they have Boyd available to serve during the transition.
Bruins also said, “I have not heard from one person in the community stating dissatisfaction with Chris Boyd’s performance and his hard work as city manager” before the public comments submitted at the meeting. She guessed that “this groundswell that I’m hearing from Councilmember Daniels and Councilmember Schaefer is within their own group of people they communicate with on an ongoing basis.” Bruins has not heard similar sentiments from the community at large— rather, she has heard support and encouragement for retaining Boyd as the interim manager. For those looking for a change, Bruins said that will be coming when a permanent replacement is hired, but the City needs continuity in the interim.
Councilmember Daniel’s substitute motion failed, 2 to 3, with only Daniels and Schaefer in favor. Daniels then offered another substitute motion to change some of the contract language restricting maximum hours, clarifying Council access to timesheets, and reducing the pay rate and termination notice. This motion also failed 2 to 3.
The Council then returned to the original motion, which passed 3 to 2, with Daniels and Schaefer dissenting. Mr. Boyd’s term as interim city manager began immediately after Council approval, and he will be actively engaged in the recruitment of a permanent replacement.