Menlo Park names new city manager at $204,000 a year

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Glen Rojas, the city manager of Chino, a town of 76,000 residents just south of Pomona, will be Menlo Park’s new city manager, Mayor Kelly Fergusson announced Monday.

Mr. Rojas, 56, has been the city manager of Chino for 10 years — a level of experience that impressed City Council members, who picked him from a pool of 21 candidates.

“He’s very well qualified, and very experienced,” Mayor Fergusson said. “We’re very excited about bringing him to our city.”

She noted that the council unanimously picked Mr. Rojas from three finalists last week.

Before being named city manager in Chino, Mr. Rojas had been part of the city’s executive management team for 17 years — as community services director from 1980 to 1996, and as deputy city manager for a brief stint from late 1996 to early 1997.

“We have a young council and a lot of challenges ahead of us, and I think [Mr. Rojas], with his experience, will help drive us through those challenges successfully,” said Councilman John Boyle.

Mr. Rojas will start Aug. 2, and his salary will be $204,000 a year — a 25 percent increase over the $163,233 a year former manager David Boesch was making before leaving Feb. 20 to become assistant manager of San Mateo County.

Mr. Rojas is eligible for a home loan from the city of up to $1.1 million at a 5 percent interest rate if he resides within city limits, said Personnel Director Glen Kramer.

The City Council is expected to approve Mr. Rojas’ employment agreement at a special meeting set for 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 27, in the council chambers at the Civic Center, between Laurel and Alma streets.

Move to Menlo

Mr. Rojas said he’s “always been attracted” to the climate, and “outdoors feel” of Northern California.

Two of his three children live in the Bay Area — including a daughter who just moved to Menlo Park — so the job was “a good fit.”

He said that minimal turnover in the city manager position over recent years made the job look “very appealing.”

As city manager of Chino, Mr. Rojas said he and other city officials headed a massive effort to revitalize the economy and the look and feel of the city, drawing a community college to the area, luring new sales-tax generating businesses, and planning new parks and residential communities.

He said he’s looking forward to working with the community to revitalize downtown Menlo Park and properties along El Camino Real.

“One person can’t change a downtown — it’s going to take a lot of teamwork,” Mr. Rojas said, noting that land-use decisions are usually accompanied by thorough, and sometimes contentious, debate.

Mr. Rojas said he’s supported green building techniques in city facilities during his tenure in Chino, and hopes to support the push by Menlo Park residents to address global warming at the local level.

NOTE: The Menlo Park City Council will not hold meetings on June 26 and July 3. Regular meetings will resume July 10.