Dave Kiff to Encourage City Council to Begin City Manager Transition Process
Kiff is committed to implementing a smooth transition and to assisting in addressing key initiatives that take additional familiarity, like efforts to limit the noise and pollution impacts of John Wayne Airport.
Kiff describes the transition as “preparing for Dave 2.0,” where he may focus his energies on specific issues near and dear to him, specifically including homelessness and the outdoors.
Kiff said, “I have loved this job and this community a great deal. This is an amazing community to work for, and I have felt honored to do so nearly every day. But this is a pretty grueling job, with demanding issues and a resident base that deserves and expects 100% focus. I have to admit that over time that has worn me out a bit. As I get less young, I don’t recharge as quickly. I see, too, that as my “time remaining” (“TR” as Mayor Duffy Duffield calls it) gets shorter, there are other efforts and experiences that draw my interest.
“But for this community, I know that the next city manager will become the leader of one of the best teams of department heads that I have ever known. I am confident that the City Council will get a number of terrific applicants for this post.”
Mayor Duffield stated, “Dave’s steady hand at the City’s helm has helped steer the City through good skies and bad. We remain a community thankful for public service and we appreciate Dave’s decades of commitment.”
Mayor Pro Tem Will O’Neill also commented, “Dave’s willingness to lead regionally on issues like pension reform and homelessness have set him and our City apart. No doubt we will expect similar leadership from Dave’s successor.”
“I won’t say goodbye yet, as there are more months ahead of me here, but I will say that all is good. I’ll encourage anyone reading this to know that I remain full of optimism for the City’s future and my own,” Kiff said.