Santa Cruz Set To Hire Watsonville's Huffaker As New City Manager

SANTA CRUZ, CA — The City of Santa Cruz is expected to name a new city manager within the next couple of weeks after the city council unanimously recommended hiring Watsonville City Manager Matt Huffaker at its meeting Thursday night.

Huffaker has served as Watsonville’s city manager since 2018 and brings decades worth of city government experience to the job, officials said in a news release Thursday. The City Council is scheduled to make the appointment at its meeting on Nov. 9 and details of the employment agreement will be released before that meeting, officials said.

If approved by the council, Huffaker will begin work in Santa Cruz on Jan. 3.

Huffaker has worked for the City of Watsonville since 2016 and served as assistant city manager prior to being named to his current post. He previously worked for the City of Walnut Creek in a variety of leadership roles.

“We have many important initiatives underway in the City of Santa Cruz, and Matt has a unique set of qualifications to make a positive impact for our community quickly,” Mayor Donna Meyers said in a statement on Thursday. “Not only will he bring a wealth of operational experience to the role, but he will also arrive with deep relationships across the region already in place.

“The Council was particularly impressed with his breadth of creative ideas that stem from his experience, vision, and leadership values. We are incredibly excited about him as the recommended hire for our next City Manager.”

If approved, Huffaker will take over the role from Water Director Rosemary Menard, who has been serving as interim city manager since Aug. 24. Menard moved into the interim role after the retirement of Martín Bernal in August.

Since starting as Watsonville’s City Manager, Huffaker has doubled the city’s general fund reserves while expanding parks, arts and recreation services programs, the news release said. He also led an inclusive public outreach and education effort that resulted in an 80 percent voter-approved special revenue measure, which provides critical funding for fire, police and parks and recreation in perpetuity.

Huffaker also worked to foster a dynamic and connected workplace culture by spearheading the City’s first Employee Engagement Action Plan to build a more connected, empowered, and valued organizational culture.

“I’m very humbled and excited to have the opportunity to serve as Santa Cruz’s next City Manager. Santa Cruz has tremendous opportunities before it, and I look forward to working with the Council, community and City staff to advance the many important initiatives underway,” Huffaker said in a release. “I think my local experience and established regional partnerships will allow me to hit the ground running. I’m ready to get to work.”