Meet Beaumont's New Interim City Manager

BEAUMONT, CA — Many Beaumont residents already know Elizabeth Gibbs, but now she has a new role in the city. On April 11, the Beaumont City Council voted to appoint Gibbs as interim city manager.

She is a very familiar face to many Beaumont residents. Prior to her appointment, Gibbs served as the city's community services director from July 2018 through January 2022. Before that, she was the city’s transit director from May 2016 through July 2018. Gibbs also served as Beaumont interim city manager between June 2015 and May 2016, as well as several other city positions prior to that.

By way of background and experience, Gibbs has served as a public administrator for 32 years. She holds a bachelor's degree and a master's of public administration degree from California Baptist University.

Gibbs is stepping in following the April 8 news that Beaumont City Council and City Manager Todd Parton reached a mutual agreement for separation. The City Council voted 4-0 to approve the agreement, with Councilmember Rey Santos abstaining.

Parton was hired by the city on October 31, 2016, and he worked with the City Council to successfully lead the community "through one of its darkest periods," according to the city.

"Some of the many accomplishments achieved by Mr. Parton and the City Council include navigating the City out of economic collapse, establishing strong fiscal resiliency, resolving critical legal challenges and an SEC investigation, and addressing outstanding orders by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board. After inheriting a General Fund deficit of $11 million, Mr. Parton implemented fiscal policies that led to a surplus of more than $17 million," according to a city news release.

During Parton's tenure, the city constructed the new $112 million wastewater treatment plant, completed design and construction of the Potrero Road interchange, and launched a road maintenance program that resulted in the investment of $15 million to rehabilitate 152 lane miles, according to the city.

Other accomplishments under Parton's leadership included adopting the city’s first-ever wastewater master plan, establishing a strategy to utilize recycled water, expanding public safety services to meet growth demands, adopting the city’s first-ever Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, and restructuring the city’s community facilities district financing program that provided relief in special assessments for many of Beaumont’s households, according to the city.

“At the time Mr. Parton joined the city of Beaumont, it was facing significant challenges. Mr. Parton was the right person at the right time to serve as the administrative leader of our city and to work closely with the City Council to place the city on a sustainable and prosperous path. The City Council extends its gratitude to Mr. Parton for all of his efforts and we wish Mr. Parton well in his future endeavors," Beaumont Mayor Lloyd White said in a released statement.

For his part, Parton said, “It has been my honor to have served the city of Beaumont, and I thank the City Council for the trust that they have placed in me. I am proud of all that we have accomplished and thank my staff team who made these successes possible. Beaumont’s future is bright, and I am glad to have been here at such a critical time. It has also been a pleasure working with the many volunteers and community leaders who make Beaumont such a wonderful community.”