Don Schwartz [Courtesy City of Sebastopol]
The City of Sebastopol is looking for a new city manager.
That was the news from an April 15 closed-session meeting, in which city officials announced the council and City Manager Don Schwartz “have mutually agreed to end their professional relationship, effective immediately.” Schwartz had been city manager since January of 2024, with an annual salary of $245,000. No details were offered as to the parting of the ways.
The closed session was held following the council’s regular Tuesday public meeting. Schwartz was not in attendance. The council voted 3-2 to break with Schwartz, with members Sandra Maurer and Neysa Hinton dissenting.
Following the vote, Mayor Stephen Zollman said in a statement, “Mr. Schwartz has served our community with professionalism and care. We are grateful for his service and the contributions he has made to Sebastopol.”
Zollman went on to credit Schwartz with his work in negotiating an agreement to consolidate the city’s fire department and working to solve the city’s financial challenges.
According to a statement from the council, an interim city manager will be appointed in the coming days, as the city begins the process of selecting a new permanent city manager.
