New city manager is chosen

He’s a graduate of local schools

The Madera City Council will consider a contract for Madera’s next city manager at the next council meeting, Wednesday, Nov. 7. He is a Madera native, Arnoldo Rodriguez, who has been Development Services Department director for the City of Yuba City.

He was chosen during a search that began in June to find a replacement for interim City Manager Steve Frazier, the former police chief who was chosen to replace former City Administrator David Tooley, who retired abruptly in December.

Prior to working for Yuba City, Rodriguez spent 13 years in a number of roles in the City of Fresno’s Development and Resources Management Department. He has more than 16 years of local-government administrative experience.

Rodriguez attended Eastin-Arcola School and graduated from Madera High School.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology, law, and society, from the University of California, Irvine, and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Rodriguez’s first job was working alongside his family in the fields in and around Madera, harvesting grapes, garlic, and chiles. Rodriguez credits his parents with instilling an unrelenting work ethic in him early in his childhood, citing their desire to see him advance his education and pursue a career in public service.

“I’ve always had a desire to return home to serve my community,” said Rodriguez. “For the opportunity to present itself is exciting for my family and I, and we look forward to raising our children in Madera. Having them attend some of the same schools that I did — it’s humbling.” Rodriguez and his wife, Georgette, have three daughters and one son; their oldest daughter, Josette, is a freshman at UC Merced.

The City Council retained Bob Murray and Associates in June to conduct a national search for its next city manager.

The proposed employment agreement will be available on the city website after 3 p.m. Friday, when the agenda package for the City Council meeting has been finalized.

If the Council votes to approve the proposed contract, Rodriguez could start as soon as early December.