Ceres to vote on hiring interim city manager. A nearby city recently fired the candidate
The Ceres City Council is set to vote Monday on whether to hire as interim city manager an experienced administrator whom Los Banos terminated five months ago.
If appointed, Alex Terrazas will bring 27 years of municipal government experience to the temporary position while Ceres recruits a permanent city manager, per an agenda report.
Terrazas and the Los Banos City Council mutually agreed to end his employment as city manager on March 22, the city said in a press release. His five-year contract would have expired June 30, per meeting minutes, but the council approved a separation agreement by a 4-1 vote. The Bee filed a public records request for the agreement but did not receive it as of Friday.
Los Banos Acting City Manager Gary Brizzee did not say the reason for the termination and called it a personnel issue, The Merced-Sun Star reported. Terrazas retired March 24, per the draft Ceres employment agreement, and has not worked for another agency in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System since then.
Mayor Javier Lopez said he is impressed and is not concerned by Terrazas’ time working in Los Banos since 2016. He referenced how ending the contract early was a mutual decision.
“No red flags were raised in my opinion,” Lopez said in a text to The Bee. “For the purpose of interim (city) manager, he will be a great fit. “
The Ceres City Council interviewed three candidates for interim city manager on Aug. 5 and chose to move forward with Terrazas, an agenda report said. Recruiting a city manager may take three to four months, the report said.
City Manager Tom Westbrook’s last day is Monday because he resigned to accept a job in his hometown of Red Bluff. Directing The Bee to Lopez’s comments, Westbrook declined to comment on his recommendation to hire Terrazas.
Before starting as Los Banos city manager in July 2016, Terrazas worked as the assistant town manager for Truckee for 15 years. Terrazas worked for the city of Mountain View for seven years before then, the agenda report said. He holds a master’s degree in government from California State University, Sacramento.
Terrazas is expected to work 40 hours per week and cannot work more than 960 hours in a fiscal year as a CalPERS retiree. He stands to make about $76 per hour, per the draft contract, and will earn no benefits or paid leave.
State law generally prevents people who receive a pension from a public retirement system from working for about six months after retirement. But an exemption allows agencies to hire recent retirees in the same system to fill critically needed positions. Executive orders also allow such appointments to ensure adequate staffing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Terrazas will start as interim city manager on Tuesday if the council approves the contract.
This story was originally published August 23, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
