Livermore City Manager Marc Roberts is set to retire in June, city officials announced in a statement Monday night.
Roberts has worked for the city of Livermore for a total of 35 years and has led the city organization as city manager for the past 10 years.
"I was lucky enough to work on everything from downtown revitalization, to reinvigorating our wine country and preserving open spaces surrounding Livermore, to enhancing the financial stability of the city so it could deliver all the services our community depends on every day," Roberts said in the city's statement.
"I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had over the decades to build teams of professionals who have accomplished a lot together and who have made Livermore the great place it is today. I'm looking forward to a long retirement here and will continue to enjoy this amazing community," he added.
Roberts began his career with the city as an assistant planner before he was promoted to associate planner. He was promoted to special project coordinator in 1995 when he developed the city's one-stop permit center, streamlining the permitting process and improving the experience for both staff and customers, city officials said.
In 1997, Roberts was promoted to assistant to the city manager and then community development director in 2000. In 2012, the then-City Council unanimously appointed Roberts to city manager.
During his nearly four decades with the city, Roberts was instrumental in a number of significant projects, including acting as the project manager for the national award-winning South Livermore Valley Specific Plan, which helped grow Livermore wine country from six wineries and less than 1,200 acres of vineyards in the late 1980s to over 50 wineries and more than 4,000 acres of permanently protected vineyards and open space in 2021, according to city officials.
Former mayor John Marchand also highlighted some of Roberts' achievements during his time with the city.
"Marc was appointed city manager the same year I was elected mayor and it was an honor to work with him my entire term in office," Marchand said. "A lot has been accomplished on his watch; over 60 new pieces of public art have been added, along with an emergency operations center, and a new council chamber.
He continued, "the first phase of Stockmens Park has been completed fulfilling a promise that the City made 59 years ago and the first of three new parks in the downtown. Livermorium Plaza will be completed next year, Veterans Park is being planned and more parking is being added to the downtown, our residents top priority. That's a lot to be proud of."
As city manager, Roberts oversees a $139 million budget, $91 million for capital improvement projects and 475 employees citywide. He has appointed 15 executives and has worked with 24 council members and five mayors, including current Mayor Bob Woerner, who reflected on Roberts' impact on the city.
"Livermore has benefited tremendously because of Marcs leadership over the past decade as city manager and even prior to that in his various roles," Woerner said.
I am very thankful to have been able to work with him while on the council. He has done a great job of skillfully working with many different councils to keep us all focused on providing the Livermore community with a great quality of life. I also appreciate his giving us sufficient notice so we can have an orderly transition to a new city manager which we will now begin," he added.
City officials said that recruitment for a new city manager is underway with a replacement expected to be on board in May ahead of Roberts' departure set for June.
