The Hollister City Council this week appointed Ana Cortez as the new city manager, following a three-month search for a new staff leader at City Hall.
Cortez will begin her new position in Hollister on Feb. 2, with an annual base salary of $265,000. She replaces former City Manager David Mirrione, who stepped down in September.
The city council unanimously approved the appointment and an employment contract with Cortez at the Jan. 5 meeting.
“I am deeply honored by your consideration to become the next city manager for such a special community that has such a strong identity, that is proud of its history, and that has such tremendous opportunities in front of it,” Cortez told the council during a staff report on the hiring.
Additional compensation in Cortez’s contract includes a retirement contribution up to $2,200 annually; participation in the city’s Executive Management Salary and Benefits Program; and dues to participate in professional associations and conferences.
The Jan. 5 discussion did not include details about Cortez’s career or work history. But council members said they are impressed with her background.
Council member Rudy Picha said city officials worked with a recruiting agency and interviewed “quite a few candidates” for the city manager’s position.
“I feel like we’re going to have really good accountability and really good transparency” with Cortez as city manager, Picha said.
Council member Rolan Resendiz said he was impressed with Cortez’s history and leadership skills.
“Hollister is at a crossroads, and I know with you in the seat of city manager, we are going to be headed toward the future in a bright way,” Resendiz said.
Although former Mayor Mia Casey voiced questions about Cortez’s background during public comment, one council member sought to allay such concerns.
“The council did its due diligence in terms of doing the background and really understanding the core of the issues out there,” Council member Dolores Morales said. “This is the candidate that is going to help our city in all the areas that we need to uplift, but also cares about our employees.”
Morales added that Cortez was the council’s “top choice” for city manager.
Mayor Roxanne Stephens noted “how impressed we were with not only (Cortez’s) ability to articulate solutions to the major concerns we had but also… in the areas of planning and finance, which we know we have some concerns about.”
During the public comment period at the Jan. 5 meeting, Casey suggested a “look at (Cortez’s) recent work history and outcomes in similar roles” showed potential concerns about the candidate’s experience in labor relations.
