A month after being left at the proverbial altar by their first-choice candidate for City Manager, City Council will get back out there and meet some people this weekend.
Council has scheduled a closed session meeting for July 10 to continue recruiting Santa Monica’s next City Manager after Rene Bobadilla rejected the City’s offer of employment when breaches in process made his name public prior to the council’s final decision.
Following a months-long process, Bobadilla was chosen from among 62 applicants for the position. However, his current city of Montebello voted to retain him, offering him a new contract with $318,500 in salary, lifetime medical benefits and an enhanced severance package.
Bobadilla’s name was leaked by individuals with knowledge of the council discussions and in declining the Santa Monica position, Bobadilla said the process was meant to remain private before saying the decision to remain in Montebello was the right one for his family at this stage of his career.
The city has been without a permanent chief executive since Rick Cole resigned in April 2020. Then City Attorney Lane Dilg was named as Interim City Manager but she resigned earlier this year to pursue job opportunities with her family out of state. Santa Monica has hired former City Manager John Jalili to serve as interim city manager following Dilg’s last day on June 22.
editor@smdp.com
