City Manager Alex D. McIntyre has named Judi Herren as Menlo Park’s new city clerk. Ms. Herren has served as the deputy city clerk for the Town of Atherton for six years and previously worked in the City of Redwood City. Ms. Herren is scheduled to begin April 2.

Ms. Herren is the latest in a number of staff changes at City Hall. Several executive team members have left or are leaving the organization due to retirement or opportunities at other local area cities.

Within the last nine months, the City’s previous city clerk left to join Redwood City, the police chief left to join Palo Alto and the assistant city manager took for a position in Sunnyvale. In addition, two other key department heads have announced their intentions to retire: Community Development Director Arlinda Heineck at the end of April and Community Services Director Cherise Brandell in June. City Manager McIntyre has been able to promote some management members into the latter two positions. “Our succession planning has been successful in the case of foreseeable departures and I am pleased that the City has the depth of talent, which will ensure continuity of service and allow us to continue to make progress on the City’s priorities,” McIntyre said.

McIntyre recently promoted Assistant Community Development Mark Muenzer to community development director effective April 2. Mr. Muenzer has been with the City for approximately one year, but has over 20 years of experience in planning and land development including previous service as the community development director in Evanston, Illinois. McIntyre also promoted Assistant Community Services Director Derek Schweigart to the community services director role effective March 4. Mr. Schweigart started with the City as a recreation manager over five years ago, after serving in several recreation leadership positions in the Bay Area, and was promoted to assistant community services director in 2016.

Teri Black of Teri Black & Associates has been contracted to conduct several executive recruitments for the City to fill vacancies, which were unforeseen or created through promotions. Initially, she will be tasked with filling the positions of assistant city manager, assistant community development director, assistant community services director and police commander. As other management positions become vacant, she will assist with recruitments to help fill the positions quickly.

Overall, the City is currently in the process of filling 32 vacancies. McIntyre said, “The public sector, like the private sector, experiences regular turnover. Successful recruitments are often hindered by the high cost of living and long commutes. Many public agencies are experiencing similar challenges in their recruitment efforts as cities compete with each other and the private sector for talent.”