Today, Mayor Ted Brandvold announced that the Modesto City Council will begin contract negotiations with candidate Joe Lopez for the position of City Manager. Mr. Lopez had been assigned the role on an interim basis while a formal recruitment took place.
“The City Council has entered into contract negotiations with the candidate who has risen to the top of the pool,” said Mayor Brandvold. “Joe has embodied a positive relationship with the community, gained employee confidence, and has become a public servant stakeholders have come to respect.”
Mr. Lopez has 18 years of public sector experience, which began in the Human Resources department at the County of Sacramento. Six years ago, Joe began his tenure at the City of Modesto as the Director of Human Resources, then as Director of Administrative Services, and then as Deputy City Manager, providing leadership over such departments as Information Technology, Finance, and Human Resources. Most recently, he has been serving as Interim City Manager. Joe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from California State University, Chico, and a Master of Arts degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from California State University, Sacramento.
The City Council is expected to vote on the City Manager contract at a future council meeting. As part of contract negotiations, the Council will consider a series of goals to be included as performance measurement tools. As City Manager, Joe will be responsible for the day-to-day support of more than 1,500 employees, and the administration of a $350 million budget.