Sentinel staff report–
For a City Council that has seen its share of divided votes in recent years, a unanimous vote for a new city manager wasn’t to be taken for granted.
But on Thursday, the Citrus Heights City Council voted 5-0 in favor of selecting Ashley “Ash” Feeney to serve as the city’s top executive. Feeney has served as assistant city manager in Davis, and will now be tasked in Citrus Heights with overseeing all of the city’s departments, presenting a biennial budget, and following directives from the City Council.
Council members noted many qualified applicants had sought the position, but expressed excitement and optimism in voting for a four-year contract with Feeney to serve as city manager.
“Where you stood out head and shoulders above the rest was your ability to get things built,” said Councilman Steve Miller, noting Feeney’s record in seeing new hotels and developments in Davis. “This was in Davis, what we view as a ‘can’t do’ community. Well, I just can’t imagine, I’m so excited for, what you can do in a ‘can-do’ community and what what we can do with Sunrise Tomorrow.”
Councilman Bret Daniels also said the decision was initially difficult: “It was tough until the end… but then Mr. Feeney really stood out. He really, really stood out.”
Daniels also noted Feeney lives “a stone’s throw” from Citrus Heights, in Fair Oaks, and described him as “a really funny guy” and “a genuine guy.”
The months-long search for a new city manager began in May of last year, when then-City Manager Chris Boyd announced he would be retiring. An executive search firm was hired, and council members later held closed-door interviews with the top candidates.
“This opportunity definitely feels right to me,” said Feeney in remarks just prior to the council’s vote. “Citrus Heights has so much to offer today, and tremendous future opportunities.”
Mayor Porsche Middleton later tweeted that she was “beyond excited” to vote to hire Feeney, saying “Ash’s experience in Davis as the assistant city manager and director of community development, economic development and sustainability will help council and staff write the future of Citrus Heights.”
The city manager is the top executive position in the city, responsible for planning, supervising, and coordinating the city’s budget, policies, information technology, and general operations. The city manager is also tasked with hiring the city’s police chief, and takes direction from the City Council.
Feeney is slated to officially take the position as city manager by the end of January.
As previously reported, according to a contract posted in the council’s Jan. 13 agenda packet, Feeney’s starting salary will be $240,000, along with accruing 160 hours of annual leave, a 5% 401(a) match, health, and other benefits. Annual leave can be cashed out at up to 80 hours, and merit-based pay increases can also be authorized by the council.
Daniels, who has been critical of high salaries paid to city employees in the past, told The Sentinel he believes Feeney’s compensation is appropriate.
“We looked at the salary package more so from a total cost basis than simply the salary,” he said. “The outgoing city manager has additional benefit-cost factors that the new city manager will not receive. It’s a fair package.”
The prior city manager was paid a slightly higher base salary of $257,535, as of the most recent data from 2020 posted at publicpay.ca.gov. When factoring in benefits, other pay and cash-outs listed, the total compensation for the city manager in 2020 totaled around $363,000.
