Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Rick Cole was named Wednesday as the new city manager of Santa Monica following a unanimous vote by the city council.
"He comes here with a wealth of experience, and all of us are confident that Rick Cole and Santa Monica are going to be a great match," said Mayor Kevin McKeown, calling Cole a “respected and inspirational visionary for successful sustainability, resilience, and quality of life.”
Cole is the third deputy mayor to announce his departure from Garcetti’s office this year. Doane Liu left for an executive position at the Port of Los Angeles and Eileen Decker was recently named as the top federal prosecutor for the Los Angeles area.
"Santa Monica will benefit from his talent, experience and commitment to public service," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. That experience includes work for the cities of Pasadena, Azusa, and Ventura, where he most recently served as city manager. He is also the former acting director of the Local Government Commission, a Sacramento-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting sustainability for local communities.
Cole had planned on remaining in Los Angeles until the end of Garcetti’s administration. He considered the position a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, however, thanks in part to the eagerly awaited debut of the Expo light-rail line.
Santa Monica is “a progressive city. It’s a well-run city. It has the resources to do some incredible things,” he said.
Cole is replacing Rod Gould, who stepped down in January. Gould is signing on as vice president of Management Partners, a consulting firm which specializes in improving operations for local governments. Elaine Polachek has been serving as interim city manager since February 1.
Read more about Wednesday’s announcement here.