City officials announced on Friday that a new city manager was appointed in Santa Maria.
David W. Rowlands was unanimously selected as the Santa Maria city manager by the city council, which will publicly review his employment agreement at its next regular meeting on Oct. 1.
His scheduled first day of employment will be Nov. 30.
According to officials, Rowlands will be Santa Maria’s first City Manager hired from outside of the organization in about 60 years.
“I have the experience and leadership to guide the future of Santa Maria,” Rowlands said in a press release.
He succeeds Alex Posada, who served as the Interim City Manager since September 2023, and who will return to resume his duties as director of the Recreation and Parks Department.
“The City of Santa Maria welcomes Mr. Rowlands and looks forward to the expertise and perspectives he will bring,” Mayor Patino said in a press release. "He already is learning about Santa Maria, has met our department directors, and knows we need creative ways to maintain the level of quality service the community has come to expect.”
City representatives say Rowlands is a third-generation city manager.
He has also served as the city manager for Fillmore in Ventura County since 2013, and the city manager in Clayton, Ohio for 13 years prior to that.
