City to nix admin services dept. in favor of deputy city manager

In a move that is really little more than “cleanup” (i.e., bringing official city code into sync with decisions made by the city council more than a year ago), the council voted to approve changes to city code related to the created-but-not-yet-filled position of deputy city manager.

The actual change repeals one part of city code and amends another to get rid of the Administrative Services department and the position of administrative services director and officially establishes the position of deputy city manager.

According to a city spokesperson, there are seven city employees — four at the airport (one position is currently vacant), two in human resources and one in information technology — that are still part of Administrative Services. The last official director of that department, Bryce Boldt, retired in 2024.

The idea to establish the position of deputy city manager was put forward by former City Manager Taylour Tedder in 2023 and the council approved the position in 2024 after Boldt retired. However, movement on actually filling the position took a backseat to finding a new city manager after Tedder unexpectedly accepted a position as city manager in Rehoboth Beach, Del. after a little less than two years on the job in Boulder City.

For about a year after Tedder left, Community Development Director Michael Mays served as acting city manager. This is a position Mays also occupied for nearly a year in 2021 after former City Manager Al Noyola and former city attorney Steve Morris were both fired by the city council in late 2020. The city agreed to pay $1.7 million to Morris and Noyola in October of 2023 to settle lawsuits brought by the pair of former city executives.

After having hired current City Manager Ned Thomas last year and him officially starting in the position in spring of this year, the city is currently in the process of seeking candidates for deputy city manager and interviews may begin as soon as next month. For now, Mays is continuing to do double duty as both community development director and deputy city manager.

As the role and responsibilities of a deputy largely depend on the working style and preferences of the principal (in this case, Thomas), it is not currently clear if the small number of city employees still tied to the Administrative Services department will report to the future deputy city manager or if adjustments will be made to reporting relationships.

The difference in actual expenditures for this update is approximately $22,500 for the additional salary and retirement benefits for a deputy city manager. The current fiscal year ‘26 budget already includes the increased amount, so no additional budget amount is required.