Chico selects Vallejo administrator Gillian Haen as new city manager
The city of Chico announced Wednesday it has selected Vallejo Assistant City Manager Gillian Haen to serve as its next city manager.
The Chico City Council is scheduled to confirm Haen's appointment at its next regular meeting July 7 and designate Assistant City Manager Erik Gustafson as the interim city manager, according to the weekly city council agenda.
Haen has held the assistant city manager position in Vallejo since 2022 and is expected to begin her new role Aug. 10. Chico's current city manager, Mark Sorensen, is scheduled to retire July 10.
The proposed contract for the position starts at an annual salary of $285,000 and comes with a $15,000 one-time relocation allowance for moving expenses.
Haen came on board with the city of Vallejo in 2019. Her first role was as the city's planning and development services director. She was promoted in 2020 to the role of deputy city manager.
In 2021, she became assistant city manager. Among other things, Haen was lead negotiator on the North Mare Island Development Agreement for long-term development of Mare Island and was most recently heading up negotiations with the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians regarding a planned small casino operation and office in Vallejo.
Haen regularly gave updates on the Broadway Project homeless housing facility, now known as Broadway Village, to the City Council and city staff. Originally budgeted at $9 million, the 47-unit facility in north Vallejo ballooned to $27 million with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost overruns.
Before coming to the city, Haen was an operations manager at Munselle Civil Engineering Healdsburg from 2017 to 2019 and before that, she was planning and development director for Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University at Sacramento.
"I'm honored for the opportunity to serve the Chico community," Haen said. "My focus will be on maintaining the city's successes, prioritizing strong fiscal stewardship, providing responsive public service, and building trust through collaboration as we work together to meet the city's challenges and future opportunities.
"I look forward to working together to ensure Chico remains a successful, vibrant, and close-knit community for generations to come."
"As Mayor, I am honored to welcome Gillian Haen as Chico's next city manager. Throughout this process, it became clear that Gillian is a thoughtful, experienced leader who shares our commitment to public service and to building a strong, thriving community," Chico Mayor Kasey Reynolds said.
Vallejo Councilmember Peter Bregenzer said, "I have worked with Ms. Haen for the past three and a half years, and I have enjoyed her professionalism and upbeat attitude. Ms. Haen strives to make the city of Vallejo a better place for our residents."
He added, "I look forward to seeing her career as city manager progress and wish her well in her new role in Chico."
Vallejo Councilmember Helen-Marie Gordon noted that Haen is the first woman city manager for Chico. She added, "It is exciting news, but bittersweet. For nearly seven years, I have had the privilege of getting to know Assistant City Manager Gillian Haen and working with her in different capacities."
Noting her work with the Broadway Project, she added that she served families as well with the Blue Rock Springs supportive housing project, and collaborated with nonprofit organizations and other partners to expand housing and shelter options.
"While criticism was often directed toward her and her team for issues beyond their control, she remained focused on doing her job with professionalism and integrity," Gordon said.
Requests for comment to Mayor Andrea Sorce, Tonia Lediju, Alexander Matias, J.R. Matulac and Charles Palmares went unanswered.
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