One question answered, one big question still remains. On Tuesday, the Davis City Council unanimously voted to name Paul Navazio as Interim City Manager, effective on September 24, the same day that current City Manager Bill Emlen will leave to take a position with Solano County.
Mr. Navazio was hired as finance director in February of 2004 and was promoted to Assistant City Manager in March of 2008. Prior to joining the city of Davis, Mr. Navazio spent six years as the Budget Manager for Berkeley and four years as Budget Manager in Oakland.
According to the city’s release late last night, the Council voted in a Special Meeting on August 31 to engage in a search to fill the permanent City Manager position. Currently, the city is preparing a Request for Proposals to hire a search firm. Selecting a search firm and completing the hiring process for a permanent City Manager will take several months.
“Paul is a perfect fit to keep us moving in a forward direction during these difficult budgetary times,” said Mayor Don Saylor. “His knowledge of the organization, particularly the financial aspects, is paramount, and I am confident he will be able to manage the transition seamlessly.”
Mayor Saylor added, “The Davis City Council has every confidence in Mr. Navazio’s leadership during this transition. He has all the authorities, duties, responsibilities and privileges associated with the position of City Manager. Paul will continue in this position until the City Council has conducted appropriate processes to fill the City Manager position.”
Mayor Pro Tem Joe Krovoza added, “I am pleased the Council was able to act swiftly on this matter, giving Paul time to implement a transition plan. One of his first tasks will be to organize senior management to reflect the needs of the transition.”
Mayor Pro Tem Krovoza added, “The City Council appreciates Paul’s willingness to accept this assignment, and the Council is equally appreciative of the ongoing excellence in public service exhibited by the staff in every department of city government.”
Councilmember Sue Greenwald recalled the first time she met Paul, saying, “I met Paul at a League of California Cities revenue and taxation policy committee meeting. Paul impressed me with his knowledge and analytical abilities. I suggested he apply for our open Finance Director position, and he did. I remain as impressed with his intellect today as I was when I first met him.”
In response to the news of the appointment, Mr. Navazio said, “I am honored – and humbled – by the confidence the Council has placed in me and I am excited at the opportunity to serve the organization and community as Interim City Manager.”
The contract for the Interim City Manager position will come to the City Council for approval at the September 21 meeting.
Commentary
However, given the challenges ahead, there should at least be some consideration of the fact that Mr. Navazio’s position right now, at least, is vacant. The next few months, in our view, are critical to the city’s ability to stave off further fiscal crisis. Mr. Navazio will need not only to perform the duties of city manager and lead the entire city, but also to help guide the city fiscally.
That seems a tall task, even for one as eminently qualified as Mr. Navazio. The urgency of this situation is great. By our calculations, the city needs to figure things out within three years or face further fiscal crisis as unmet needs, unfunded liabilities, and increased pension obligations meet an uncertain and sluggish economic forecast.
The city’s recently approved MOUs only extend two additional years and are insufficient to address the core issues facing the city.
How Mr. Navazio will be able to wear both hats is a matter of huge concern. If the council embarks on an external search process, we are looking at no less than six months and possibly nine months to a year with an interim city manager, and apparently with no finance director. This is no small concern, and is certainly not meant to denigrate the qualifications of, or the honor and trust placed upon Mr. Navazio.
These are simply tough times and they require quick and decisive actions. The coming months will tell us much about the direction and future of this city and community.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Bad decision , this guy can barely do his finance job !
“His knowledge of the organization, particularly the financial aspects, is paramount, and I am confident he will be able to manage the transition seamlessly.”
I still remember the Council meeting where Don Saylor publicly embarrassed Paul Navazio by “sending him back to his desk” to redo his fiscal report on the Covell Village development because Paul Navazio’s fiscal analysis did not jive with Councillman Saylor’s vigorous advocacy for Whitcombe’s project.
I also remember Paul Navazio putting things like road repair in the “unmet need” category, then waving his magic wand and declaring the budget “balanced”, to provide political cover for the City Council majority…
Paul Navazio is very well-connected with the network of municipal finance directors through his League of California activies and through his prior big-city jobs. He will have a much easier time back-filling our finance director job with a qualified person either temporarily or permanently, as the case may be, than if he left for a higher position in another city and we had to backfill his position.
Sue Greenwald , It’s thinking like this that stagnates our progress .
“”””””He will have a much easier time back-filling our finance director job with a qualified person either temporarily or permanently, as the case may be, than if he left for a higher position in another city and we had to backfill his position.”””””