Sonoma City Council selects new city manager

The Sonoma City Council has extended a job offer to David M. Guhin to fill the city manager position, a role that has lacked stability since 2020.

The council will seek to cement the offer at its April 19 meeting and approve an employment agreement for Guhin, who will oversee activities at City Hall, emergency management and communication with the public.

Guhin was chosen after months of recruitment efforts by the city council. Highlights of his lengthy resume include four years as assistant city manager of Santa Rosa, director of Santa Rosa Water and, most recently, executive director of government operations for the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.

“Mr. Guhin has particular expertise in hands-on project management, community engagement, cross-departmental improvements/process streamlining and implementing efficiencies to increase productivity and support council goals,” according to a Thursday news release from the city.

According to the conditional offer, Guhin will be paid an annual salary of $236,000 and will begin his employment on May 8.

“I’m honored that David Guhin has accepted the role of city manager. David’s background, stellar references and knowledge of Sonoma make him the perfect fit,” Mayor Sandra Lowe said in the release.

Guhin has a bachelor’s degree in environmental civil engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and a master of arts in organizational development from Sonoma State University.

After college, Guhin worked in various levels of government in Santa Rosa, where he developed the city’s action plan to address affordable housing, created policies on medical cannabis, led the “emergency operation center planning and intelligence section” during the 2017 Tubbs Fire and aided in the rebuilding efforts in affected communities.

“Having lived in the county for over 20 years, I have been fortunate to spend a lot of time in the city enjoying the cultural arts and celebration that sets Sonoma apart. I am looking forward to serving the community and supporting the staff and the council to implement their goals,” Guhin said in the news release.

The council hopes to bring stability to the city’s top position, which has seen five managers in the past three years. After Cathy Capriola retired in December 2020, Dave Kiff filled in as interim city manager. Garrett Toy was hired in June 2021, but left six months into his two-year contract citing a “mutual parting” with the city. Then Assistant City Manager Sue Casey took the interim position in February 2022, but was let go as city manager in November, and stepped down from her assistant role in December. In January Former Windsor City Manager Mark Linder was tapped to fill the seat until a permanent hire could be found.

Contact Chase Hunter at chase.hunter@sonomanews.com and follow @Chase_HunterB on Twitter.