Santa Rosa picks new city manager

The Santa Rosa City Council announced Tuesday that it had picked an official from El Paso, Texas, to be its next city manager.

Sean McGlynn, deputy city manager of the nation’s 19th largest city, was unanimously selected after a nationwide search that attracted a field of 40 applicants.

“The City Council unanimously believes that Sean McGlynn will bring inclusive and innovating leadership to Santa Rosa,” the council said in a statement. “His work demonstrates an ability to reach out to diverse groups of stakeholders and to think strategically from a solution-oriented perspective.”

Among other things, McGlynn oversees El Paso’s planning and economic development divisions, which have recently succeeded in attracting companies to El Paso that have created 1,100 new jobs.

Prior to becoming deputy city manager, McGlynn headed the city’s Museums and Cultural Affairs Department where he launched the city’s public art program, encouraged downtown events, and oversaw numerous winning exhibitions and programs.

McGlynn holds a masters degree in theater from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Pittsburgh.

Mayor Scott Bartley said McGlynn was an “out of the box” choice because of his diverse background in the arts community.

“He’s going to be different for the city of Santa Rosa, and we need something different right now.”

El Paso is a very polarized community politically and, Bartley said, McGlynn had demonstrated his abilities as a consensus builder during his time there and during his interviews with the council.

The city will consider an employment contract for McGlynn at its Aug. 5. meeting.