City manager stepping down
CAMPBELL— The surprise and shock of Campbell City Manager Amy Brown’s resignation seems to have worn off as City Council members and staff move forward with finding a replacement.
Brown recently informed the council of her decision, Mayor Evan Low said. She is expected to stay with the city through late February.
Brown, who has accepted the job as director of agriculture and environmental management with Santa Clara County, has been with the city for a little more than a year. Before being hired in December 2011, she had been with the city and county of San Francisco for 12 years, serving as deputy city attorney, director of real estate and acting city administrator.
Low said he was initially surprised by Brown’s announcement. Although happy for her, Low said, he is also disappointed for the city.
“One of the greatest responsibilities as a council is selecting a city manager to oversee and run the city,” Low said. “When you choose a city manager, when you make that selection, your hope and intent is that this person will serve for a significant period of time.”
Brown was hired by the city after a months- long search. Low said he doesn’t expect the process to take as long this time around.
The council met with “a number of qualified candidates” in 2011, he said, and word has already been spread that Campbell is looking to hire a new city manager. But the city will do its due diligence in finding the right person, Low added.
The city is expected to use Peckham & McKenney Executive Search and Consulting, which was hired a year and a half ago to find a pool of qualified city manager candidates. The city paid the firm approximately $ 15,000, Low said.
He added that residents shouldn’t feel that there is something wrong inside the city because of Brown’s resignation.