WATSONVILLE — A little less than three years after starting his position as Watsonville City Manager, Charles Montoya has applied for a city manager position in Avondale, Arizona.
Montoya is one of four finalists for the position, according to a press release from that city.
The community of that city was invited for a “meet-and-greet” of the candidates on May 2.
The Avondale City Council discussed the item on May 7 in closed session. Avondale City spokeswoman Ingrid Melle said Wednesday that the city is “pleased with the quality of the candidates,” but that a decision has not yet been made.
Montoya said that the three years he has spent here have been “phenomenal.”
“I bought a home here; this is a beautiful community,” he said. “But whether my future is here or in Avondale, I have to continue to look forward to what’s next.
“Watsonville is a beautiful place, and we have made a lot happen in a short amount of time.”
Watsonville Mayor Lowell Hurst said that no final decision has been made, and cautioned against reading too much into Montoya’s job search.
“There are a lot of positions out there and people are always wanting to move up,” Watsonville Mayor Lowell Hurst said. “There is always a need for city managers to do important work.”
Montoya started as Watsonville City Manager in November 2015. Including benefits, he earns a little more than about $250,000 annually, according to Transparent California.
Watsonville City Councilwoman Nancy Bilicich said that Montoya has made some “positive changes” during his time with the city, and said that he “has not been here long enough.”
Bilicich pointed to ongoing efforts to beautify the downtown Main Street corridor.
“He has led our city in a positive direction in my opinion,” she said. “There have been some positive changes.”
Bilicich said that city leaders still need to address other issues such as parking and establishing a fire station in the east side of the city.
“Nothing is perfect,” she said. “There are a lot of things to solve.”
Councilwoman Rebecca Garcia said that she voted to hire Montoya based in part on his commitment to stay with the city long-term.
“Three years is not long-term,” she said. “Things may have changed in his life, but he made a commitment.”
Garcia said she joined councilman Jimmy Dutra in asking for an evaluation of Montoya’s performance last year, a motion she said was voted down by a majority of council members.
“I had assumed there would be an evaluation every year, because that’s common practice,” she said.
The reasons behind Montoya’s search for a new job are unclear. Many people reached for comment were somewhat guarded in their answers.
“If someone is looking for new employment then it tells me their heart is not in the their current job,” Councilman Jimmy Dutra said. “Many of us want what is best for Charles and we wish him well. We are hopeful he finds that fit that is right for him.”
Dutra said the City of Watsonville is “resilient.”
“We have an amazing and brilliant staff and we will be better than ok with whatever happens,” he said.
Without getting specific, Councilwoman Trina Coffman-Gomez said Montoya has gotten “frustrating” criticism for some of his recent hiring decisions.
Coffman-Gomez countered that notion, saying that Montoya has hired a “strong staff.”
“To me, you hire based on talent and needs and expertise,” she said. “I think he has done that very well.”
Coffman-Gomez praised Montoya’s performance, and said she hopes he decides to stay with the city.
“There has been a very progressive, positive movement with our city,” she said. “We’ve seen a lot of good change.”
Located about 18 miles west of Phoenix, Avondale has a population of 76,238, according to the United States Census Bureau. About 50 percent are considered Hispanic or Latino.
According to the Avondale press release, Montoya is vying for the position against current Avondale assistant city managers Gina Ramos Montes and Kevin Artz, and Oxnard assistant city manager Ruth Osuna.
