Fire chief promoted to city manager
Webber taps Litzenberg, who has been serving in position for 2 months
After what Mayor Alan Webber said was a nationwide search for the Santa Fe city manager, the job belongs to the fire chief. Webber on Thursday promoted Chief Erik Litzenberg, who had served as interim city manager since late April.
He succeeded Brian Snyder, who was ousted for his role in quietly authorizing 10 percent and 15 percent pay raises for select employees in violation of city policy. Litzenberg’s elevation to the top post in city administration came as something of a surprise.
The mayor in April said Litzenberg would be reinstalled as fire chief after his term as interim city manager.
Instead, the chief received what could end up being the city’s highest-paying job.
Litzenberg, 46, had been fire chief since 2013.
“He has been a change agent and has developed a deep understanding of how the city works — and how it needs to change,” Webber said in a statement. “Working with him for the last few months, I’ve seen how important that
skill set is in a city manager. I know he shares my priorities.”
Webber said he interviewed “some excellent candidates” before picking Litzenberg. A city spokesman did not immediately provide more information about the other candidates who had been considered for the post.
“In the end, our best choice to help lead our city forward was right here at home,” Webber said.
Litzenberg’s appointment requires majority approval of the City Council. He is the second of three top administrators to be hired by Webber — the city manager, city attorney and city clerk. All report directly to the mayor under the city’s new full-time mayor system.
Webber last week appointed Erin McSherry as city attorney. She was the top lawyer at the state Department of Health.
Longtime City Clerk Yolanda Vigil remains in place on an interim basis.
Litzenberg said that he did not initially expect to be a candidate for the position on a permanent basis. But the “crash course, as it were” of the past two months drew him in, he said.
“It inspired my enthusiasm — to look at the broader scope of things the city does well, things the city can improve, ways we can really change to be more responsive to the public,” he said. “In addition, I really have come to appreciate the excitement, the energy the mayor brings to the table.”
Litzenberg has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of New Mexico. He began work at the city fire department as a cadet more than 20 years ago and worked his way up to be a battalion chief, then assistant chief and then chief five years ago.
A city news release highlighted Litzenberg’s work in establishing the city’s wildland fire division, helping to create the Mobile Integrated Health Office and an overall modernization of the department that accompanied an expansion of its service area.
Litzenberg said he envisioned the city manager’s role as comparable to a chief operating officer to the mayor’s chief executive. “Another aspect to that is the allowance to be a sort of thought partner with the mayor,” he said.
Snyder’s annual salary as manager had been roughly $135,000. When Litzenberg was tapped as the interim manager, he began at the same rate. But on Thursday, Litzenberg said his salary as the full-time manager was still to be negotiated. The mayor’s annual salary is $110,000.
When Webber asked Snyder to resign over the raise debacle, Litzenberg, with a levelheaded demeanor and his education in public administration, seemed a good fit for the interim period, several city councilors said. He shepherded city staff through the 2019 budget process despite being thrown into the mix on the fly.
Councilors on Thursday applauded Webber’s decision to hire Litzenberg.
“I think, just like anyone that’s worked in the fire service, he’s pretty straightforward,” said Councilor Chris Rivera, himself a former Santa Fe fire chief. “He’s honest. He’ll tell it like it is. I appreciate that about him.”
Councilor Signe Lindell called Litzenberg a
man of integrity.
“He certainly gave us a very, very wellequipped and well-managed fire department,” she said. “I have similar expectations for him for the entire city.”
Councilor Mike Harris said he was reassured to learn Litzenberg has been leading the interviewing and hiring process for senior staff members.
“I do believe we will have a strong city manager,” Harris said.
“The circumstances the city has right now, we’re ripe for growth,” he added. “We’re ripe for improvement. I think, after talking to City Manager Litzenberg, he not only sees the city that way but he sees himself that way.”
When Webber opened each nonexempt city job to applicants, at least a half-dozen people sought the job of fire chief.
Litzenberg said he planned to reopen a broader search for his replacement. The Webber administration still has full-time hires to make for parks and recreation director, community services director, city clerk and airport manager.
Mayor Alan Webber said he interviewed ‘some excellent candidates’ before picking Erik Litzenberg.