Hanford City Manager Mario Cifuentez is leaving for the same position out of state.
The city announced Monday that Cifuentez will be the new city manager of Cottonwood, Arizona.
The big picture: Cifuentez leaves Hanford after over five years on the job.
- He came to the city after working for the City of Visalia.
- One of his top achievements as city manager was pushing for Measure H to pass. Measure H is the first sales tax in city history to ensure that essential services will continue to be provided for residents.
- He was selected as the new Cottonwood city manager after a recruitment process that started with 158 candidates.
What we’re watching: Cifuentez will stay on with Hanford until Aug. 17.
- In the meantime, the Hanford City Council has opted to use an outside firm to help recruit his replacement.
- The city will begin accepting letters of interest for the role of interim city manager.
What they’re saying: “Of my 39 years in local government, I am most proud of the past five spent here in Hanford with all of you,” Cifuentez said in an email to city staff. “Together, we have moved the organization a gigantic leap forward, oftentimes despite a strong resistance to change that exists in the community and that previously existed in our organization.”
