Chris Zapata
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Jan 6, 2012 | After a year since the job became available, San Leandro unanimously named Chris Zapata its next city manager. The announcement was made Thursday evening after a special closed session.
The new city manager has held the same position in National City, Calif. since 2004. The coastal city of 60,000 located in San Diego County and situated near the border offers some of the same diverse demographics found in San Leandro.
Zapata also spent time as the deputy city manager of Glendale, Ariz. during the Phoenix suburb’s dramatic rise a decade ago into a major league city consisting of a state-of-the-art sports complex that would later host the Super Bowl in 2008.
“Throughout his career in the public sector, Chris has built an extensive record of substantial accomplishments,” said San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy.
Zapata’s expertise in sports entertainment and business development followed him to National City. As city manager, he led a credible bid to lure the San Diego Chargers to his city. The plan later fizzled, although the Chargers are still without a new home.
“His skill-level was phenomenal,” said Councilman Jim Prola. “I didn’t see anything negative about him.” Prola added he believes Zapata is someone all the public employee union can work with. The beginning of negotiations between the city and its police officers’ union and city workers will likely be Zapata’s first order of business.
The issue of local residence has been one of the community’s top desires for its next city leader. Zapata says he plans on living in San Leandro. “It’s important to me to not only serve the city for which I work, but to also become a part of that community,” he said.
A second sticking point for many San Leandrans living in difficult economic time is the issue of salary. No details on Zapata’s salary and employee benefits were given Thursday night. That information will be released next Wednesday, Cassidy said. The City Council will discuss and vote on approving Zapata’s contract during its next meeting Jan. 17.
Many in the community were up in arms two years ago over the $202,000 salary of former city manager Stephen Hollister even though the figure was a bargain compared to neighboring East Bay cities. Zapata made $165,000-a-year in 2010 while not receiving a raise since 2004, according to online news accounts, including take a 10 percent pay cut in 2006 lasting six months.
There are indications Zapata’s salary and benefits will be far more generous than the previous city manager. One councilmember indicated they will speak out against the contract during the next council session.
Zapata’s intention to search for new employment has been evident over the past two years, but not without the full knowledge and blessing of his council in National City. “It’s nothing personal,” the mayor of National City told a San Diego newspaper two years ago. He was candidate for city manager in Stockton in early 2010 and was a finalist last May in Chandler, Ariz.
Although he was born and raised in Arizona, he has current ties to the Bay Area. His daughter is a psychiatrist in San Francisco and his son recently graduated from Stanford. Zapata is a graduate of Northern Arizona and also held municipal management positions in various Arizona cities such as Eloy, Superior and Goodyear during his 25 years in local government.
Zapata will be the best thing to happen to San Leandro!!
Kim Barley-Baloo
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Three things to you From Az Zapata!
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Regardless of the past Chris Zapata is a breath of fresh air honest with integrity and experience!
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Just a few months ago, this jackass was attacking Cassidy moving a couple blocks from his residence. Now the fool moves to Alameda in the dead of night like a snake and continues to attack Cassidy. Tavares you're a hypocrite through and through.
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yes, why do you keep attacking san Leandro and it's savior Steve Cassidy? You don't even live here anymore. find some more dirt on alameda now that you're their problem now. there's got to be more going on over there then retards drowning in shallow water.
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Tavares, why are you living in Alameda? Some type of self imposed exile? Did you paddle your way there in a canoe on the estuary, where you live in self imposed exile making scurrilous attacks upon Steven Cassidy?
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I'm very interested in finding out what kind of contract they gave him. I wonder if it includes a financial incentive to live in San Leandro? A loan? More money?
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only a truly savvy mayor such as Cassidy wrangle in an inspiring manager like Zapata.
I love how Cassidy spends a quarter of the time in his office as Tony did but at the same time he blows him out of the water! Good riddance to bad mayors. No one misses you Tony.
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Oh crap. Prola thinks Viva Zapata will roll over and give big fat contracts to the City Employees. I smell a rat.
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If he serves no more than 3 years it's not because he's too ambitious you old fart, (that's if tony santos above is the former mayor) It would be because he is too honest for the corrupt bullshit that goes on in this town. Maltester is dead. Hopefully we can get some honest and free elections and government around here. And Tavares; you're an idiot.
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prediction: zapata serves no more than three years. too ambitious for san leandro. tony santos
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