During a closed-door meeting Monday, Dec. 17, the Manteca City Council voted unanimously to appoint Assistant City Manager Karen McLaughlin as the interim city chief while they find a replacement for retiring City Manager Bob Adams.

It was a timely move. Adams is slated to retire at the end of this month, though he will continue to serve as a consultant at his normal salary.  An executive firm was hired in October to recruit candidates for the city’s highest-ranking job, but the search is expected to take several months.

We couldn’t agree more with the council’s choice for the interim city manager appointment. McLaughlin has worked for the city for more than 20 years and, as the assistant city manager, oversees the personnel, finance, records and technology departments and negotiates developer agreements.  McLaughlin has proven herself professionally and serves the city well.

McLaughlin admits that she has “gone back and forth” on whether to apply for the city manager position, and has yet to make a commitment either way. But we urge her to consider the job — despite its challenges and politics. She is more than qualified, and her knowledge and expertise will come in handy at a time when city department heads are retiring en masse.  

We recognize that most city managers serve at the whim of a council majority and the job is much like walking a tight-rope. Weighing the council’s agenda against the community’s needs will always be a balancing act, but we have no doubt that McLaughlin can successfully walk the walk.

Of course, given the comforts of her current, less public position, the responsibilities of family life and her own countdown to retirement, we can understand how she could find such a volatile job less than appealing.

With that understanding, and in the best interest of the city, the council should appoint McLaughlin to the permanent position of city manager with a caveat in her contract that, on an annual basis, she can decide if she wants to continue or revert back to the assistant city manager job. This arrangement will afford the city council, community and McLaughlin the best of all worlds.

We have no doubt Karen McLaughlin is the right choice at the right time to be Manteca’s city manager!  Let’s hope our city leaders agree.