Change coming to Modesto City Hall

Council approves shifts among staff positions in Finance, HR

By Adam Ashton
aashton@modbee.com

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Modesto City Manager Greg Nyhoff continues to shuffle the highest level of Modesto government to his liking 15 months after he became the city's top executive.

The City Council on Tuesday adjusted two departments — Finance and Human Resources — to reflect changes Nyhoff wanted.

Neither department has an incumbent director. Human Resources Director Robin Renwick accepted an early retirement package in May. Finance Director Wayne Padilla left a month later to become Chowchilla's assistant city administrator.

The adjustments to the Finance Department eliminate two vacant analyst positions and freeze an open deputy director position.

The city plans to hire a new finance director and create a new budget manager post that would answer to Nyhoff.

The logic behind the change holds that Nyhoff would have someone focusing on big-picture budget questions year-round while the Finance Department would handle day-to-day issues.

Nyhoff's adjustments to the Human Resources Department will result in at least two layoffs, one of whom is Human Resources Deputy Director Barbara Santos.

Under the proposal, Modesto would hire someone to take a director-level position in the Human Resources Department.

Modesto eliminated about 100 positions this summer through buyouts, early retirements and the deletion of empty positions while the city cut about $14 million in spending.

Since coming to Modesto in June 2008, Nyhoff has promoted a parks director, designated an acting police chief, appointed Fire Chief Jim Miguel as interim deputy city manager, moved former Deputy City Manager Judith Ray to the parks department and crafted a plan to separate daily Public Works services from long-range planning for sewer and water.

Bee assistant city editor Adam Ashton can be reached at aashton@modbee.com or 578-2366.