Dos Palos City Manager Darrell Fonseca is retiring after 32 years of service, the city has announced. He is the longest serving city manager of all 482 California cities. His last day is March 31, 2022.
According to a city news release:
Fonseca grew up on his family’s dairy farm, graduated from Fresno State, worked in the State Assembly and as an administrator to U.S. Congressman Richard Lehman. He was active in many successful political campaigns and once employed a 19-year old college student by the name of Barack Obama. He served as the Interim Executive Director of the Fresno County and City Chamber of Commerce and played a role in the effort that brought triple A professional baseball to Fresno.
10 mayors and 32 councilmembers have been in office while he was city manager. Successes during his service include passage of Measure V, a half cent sales tax to fund transportation improvements over 30 years; Moving the Fresno and Merced County Line several miles to provide emergency services to a nearby school; Paying off $25 million of inherited city debt; Obtaining over $40 million in Grants for infrastructure, parks, playgrounds, equipment, and police officers; 32 consecutive balanced budgets, many new businesses, and new housing. He founded the local youth soccer program, and is vice president of Merced Area Crime Stoppers.
The City of Dos Palos received nationwide news coverage in 2006 when Fonseca refused a disgruntled city council’s direction to fire the chief of police who had just recently received a favorable evaluation. With strong public support for him and the chief, the voters overwhelmingly elected new officials. Media stories of the incident received industry recognition.
In his last staff report to the City Council, he announced that the State has awarded a 100% grant of up to $30 million to the City of Dos Palos for a new water treatment plant.
The State Water Board had originally committed $11 million towards the Project but updated the city’s eligibility “due to exceptionally high demand currently being experienced for construction labor and materials.” The announcement received a standing ovation at the council meeting.
Fonseca credited City Engineer Garth Pecchenino and Assemblymember Adam Gray (currently a candidate for U.S. Congress) for helping to secure the upgrade.