City Rumor Mill– Nope, Cardwell Not to be Named CM Next Week

 There’s a rumor goin’ round that current Interim City Manager Anne Cardwell will be named full-on city manager, but the mayor says the council is merely going to discuss how to select Greg Nyhoff’s replacement. 

The agenda posted for next week’s Special City Council meeting on August 24 states that it will be “PUBLIC EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT/APPOINTMENT: TITLE: CITY MANAGER.”

According to a source with experience in city hall matters, the Brown Act forbids council members from discussing potential city manager searches in closed session; in order to be closed off from the public, it has to be a discussion about a particular individual and his or her employment status, pre or post employment. What could they be discussing about Anne Cardwell?

What’s not a rumor and a bona fide fact is that many Vallejoans want to see a comprehensive, national search for Nyhoff’s replacement, replete with community feedback, suggestions, and, yes, probably the occasional vitriol and gnashing of teeth. 

Mayor Robert McConnell has said that he’d like to see public input regarding their choice for new city manager. On Wednesday, he told me that the council has not yet discussed choosing a new city manager, and that “the item next week should be for council to arrive at a consensus on how to proceed.” 

McConnell said that he’d like to see at least one public council discussion about any new city manager appointment, as well as a “town hall” type meeting,” adding that he sees “no immediate need to rush.” 

Still, some City Hall insiders say they feel that there’s a push to name Cardwell ASAP. Appointing her would mean internal advancement rather than choosing from agency-picked candidates that come from places such as Avery and Associates which have been accused, rightly or wrongly, of cronyism. Cardwell has a lot of experience and the respect of *some of her current and former coworkers that I have spoken with (*one city hall source tells me “everyone hates her,” so, there’s that). Still, there’s something to be said for bringing in a new City Manager Uber Mensch that can sweep in and turn Vallejo into, erm, downtown Walnut Creek with ocean breezes. 

We sit. We wait. I’ll keep you posted.