Chino Hills City Manager Benjamin Montgomery has announced his retirement after two decades of public service. Montgomery will step down in March.
Chino Hills credited Montgomery with the following accomplishments:
Maintained long-term fiscal responsibility, navigating economic uncertainty while preserving essential services and quality of life;
Guided the City through emergency response and recovery efforts during the Blue Ridge Fire, working closely with public safety and regional partners to protect lives, property, and open space;
Oversaw City operations and continuity of services during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic;
Led a comprehensive response and recovery effort following the City Hall fire and subsequent water damage, ensuring uninterrupted public services;
Reinvested in community parks and recreational amenities such as the
$10.1M Community Park rehabilitation and inclusive playground at Crossroads Park;Enhanced wildfire safety and emergency preparedness, including securing over half a million dollars in federal funding for weed abatement, the City’s first Heli-hydrant station, and facilitating the agreement for the City’s fourth fire station;
Initiated the City’s first Goal Setting Workshop, working alongside the City Council to establish long-term strategic goals guided by community input;
Led the Peyton Corridor improvements, managing community, business, and neighborhood impacts of a significant transit project;
Served as Executive Director and staff of the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority alongside the Board of Directors to preserve and protect the shared open space;
Navigated complex state housing mandates, ensuring Chino Hills remained compliant while protecting open space, hillsides, and community character and values;
Expanded the City’s response to homelessness with the City’s first homeless services partnership, strengthening outreach, coordination, and access to services;
Invested millions to advance major infrastructure projects, including major street rehabilitations, expansion of the City’s recycled water system, and the construction of the 1,2,3-TCP water treatment facility to protect drinking water;
Remained an involved member of the community as an active member of the Chino Valley YMCA Board of Managers and Rancho del Chino Rotary Club;
Was recognized by his colleagues as Employee of the Year in 2015.
Chino Hills Mayor Brian Jonas called his departure “a significant loss for our community.”
City officials have not yet announced a process or timeline for selecting his successor.