New city manager named

There was a changing of the guard in Healdsburg on Monday with the naming of a new city manager and a new mayor.

Marjie Pettus, 48, who has been Healdsburg's assistant city manager for two years, was picked to succeed retiring City Manager Chet Wystepek, ending a six-month recruitment process that involved winnowing out more than 60 applicants for the job.

She will have an annual salary of $148,000.

Originally Pettus did not apply for the position, but "we realized as the process continued, the best candidate was sitting right in front of us," said Councilman Eric Ziedrich, who was selected mayor by his fellow council members for the coming year.

"From the standpoint of a smooth transition, there wasn't a better candidate," he said.

Wystepek, 55, who is stepping down after 13 years as city manager, has the most longevity among his counterparts in Sonoma County's other eight cities.

Pettus, a former administrative services director in Redlands, has served as acting finance director in Healdsburg for the past six months, since the former director resigned.

One of her first priorities, she said, will be filling the finance director vacancy.

"We need to get fully staffed in finance," said Pettus, explaining the budget is a major issue for Healdsburg, as it is for other cities.

Wystepek said Healdsburg faces challenges that many other municipalities share, basically "keeping city finances healthy," particularly with the state threatening to solve its fiscal woes by taking money from cities and counties.

"I'm proud of the fact we're in very good financial shape," he added. "We could be better. But we're not facing any layoffs, or any other funding catastrophes."

For 18 years, Pettus worked in a variety of capacities for Redlands in Southern California. She has experience in human resources, fleet and building maintenance, safety and workers' compensation.

She also was a civilian police commander, overseeing the records bureau and budget as well as an administrator in recreation, housing and senior programs.

A mother of two grown children, she is married to Santa Rosa Police Officer Brian Bilyeu, who formerly worked for the Redlands Police Department.

Pettus grew up in Lake Arrowhead before attending Cal State San Bernardino and getting her master's degree from the University of Redlands.

"I spent a lot of time moving in city government with the idea at some point I wanted to be city manager," Pettus said.

"I'm still kind of reeling," she said of her selection, which she found out about Nov. 21 after the council made its decision in a closed-door session.

While department heads were notified last week, it was right before the Thanksgiving holiday, so word did not spread among the rank and file.

Monday's meeting also served as an emotional farewell for departing Councilwoman Lisa Schaffner, who was honored for her eight years on the council, the longest of any current Healdsburg council member.

Schaffner chose not to run for re-election, and her seat was filled by Tom Chambers, a businessman and former council member in the 1990s. Chambers was sworn in Monday.

Schaffner, executive director of the Sonoma County Alliance, will also be working as a roundtable facilitator with the Sonoma County Economic Development Board. She also was appointed to the county Planning Commission by Supervisor Paul Kelley.

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.

com.