Willits city manager is retiring
Replacement hired
A t ouching tribute to retiring Willits City Manager Stephanie Garrabrant- Sierra was a sweet start to the City Council meeting held Dec. 9. For the first 20 minutes or so of the Public Communication portion of the agenda, city staff paid tribute to her and the many accomplishments she helped achieve in her three years of service to the City of Willits.
Garrabrant-sierra’s last official day in the office will be Dec. 31; however, she said she will be available to help the new city manager, Brian Bender, settle in until March 2021.
Newly elected City of Willits Mayor Madge Strong talked at
length about the tremendous progress the City made over the last few years thanks to Garrabrant- Sierra’s “guidance and management skills.”
“It’s been a very, very busy year (in 2020) since Stephanie has been leading us,” said Strong. “Stephanie guided the ship… It’s a hard and often thankless job.”
She went on to recite a long list of accomplishments including, but not limited to, developing wildfire response and Public Safety Power Shutoff protocols, helping to create alternative water sources for the City, managing the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Rails to Trails grant, the upcoming Great Redwood Trail project, refinancing the City’s sewer bonds and saving the City millions of dollars, the Music in the Park concert series, the cannabis tax, the Urban Forestry Grant/ beautification of Main Street, the purchase of a solar array for the City’s water plant, the Watershed Conservation Easement, updating the City’s housing elements, and most recently, helping the City pass Measure K. Strong said Measure K was Garrabrant-Sierra’s “crowning accomplishment” because it essentially “saved the City.”
City of Willits Human Resources Analyst Karen Stevenson spoke on behalf of City Staff and said Garrabrant-sierra had “inspired us to do better” and “reach beyond our comfort zone.” She told Garrabrant-sierra that she will be remembered for her “hard work and contribution to the community.”
Community Development Director Dusty Duley said he had a “deep respect” for Garrabrant- Sierra’s ethics and appreciated her “genuine support” and willingness to listen over the years.
Office Staff Delores Pedersen thanked Garrabrant-Sierra for making City Staff feel valued.
Garrabrant- Sierra said she loves Willits and plans on staying in the area after retirement. “It’s been a hectic, crazy, wonderful, sometimes heartbreaking, three years.” She added that she is “so proud” of all the work the staff has done together, especially the $12 million in grant funding procured and tripling the amount of resolutions the City passes each year.
NEW CITY MANAGER >> According to the Agenda Summary Report, after narrowing down the list and interviewing four of the twenty “most qualified” applicants for the position of City Manager, the Council offered the job to Brian Bender, of Montana.
“Mr. Brian Bender has a wealth of experience having previously served 18 years in the public sector. He began his public sector work in Clinton County, Indiana as the Zoning Administrator. He later served as the Executive Director of the Clinton County Area Planning Commission. Mr. Bender transitioned to a planner position for the City of Bensonville, Illinois and then became the Planning Director for Winona County, Minnesota. In 2011 he moved to Montana to become the Planning Director & Floodplain Manager for Powell County. He held that position for over 5 years until he was selected in August of 2016 as the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Deer Lodge, Montana. Mr Bender is excited about a long-term relationship with the City and would seem to be an excellent fit. Mr. Bender has a B. A. in Geography from Plattsburgh State University of New York. He also has an M. S. in Geography from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. Mr. Bender is a certified planner through AICP, as well as a certified floodplain manager,” reads the Summary Report.
Bender will assume his post on Jan. 4, 2021. He will earn a salary of $124k for the first six months and then his salary will increase to $128k, with an agreement term of three years.
ELECTIONS >> With the 2020 Election ratified by the County, Willits City Council congratulated the members who were re- elected: Gerardo Gonzalez, Saprina Rodriguez, and Strong. Per protocol, the current City Council members nominate and vote on which of them will act as Mayor and Vice Mayor each year. For the year 2021, Strong was voted Mayor and Rodriguez was voted Vice Mayor.