San Bernardino Appoints Third City Manager in a Year, Loses Rochelle Clayton to Barstow, Taps Retired Brea Leader

In yet another shift in city leadership, the San Bernardino City Council has appointed William “Bill” Gallardo as interim city manager, marking the city’s 17th city manager in 16 years–and the third in a year. The move comes just days after former acting city manager Rochelle Clayton was officially named the new city manager of Barstow.

During the Feb. 19 City Council meeting, Mayor Helen Tran acknowledged Clayton’s departure, calling it a significant loss for San Bernardino but a gain for Barstow. “I got news that our former acting city manager has been appointed as City Manager to the City of Barstow. It’s a loss for us, but a huge gain for Barstow. Thank you for all of your service,” said Tran. Clayton was present in the audience with her family.

Councilmember Dr. Treasure Ortiz echoed that sentiment. “I would like to thank Clayton for her service and time. It’s not always easy, and I appreciate everyone that steps up to the plate for the city of San Bernardino. I know your affected reach is going to be long-lasting in the city, and the level of integrity and camaraderie that you bring is going to be hard to replace. I wish you the best of luck; we were lucky to have you.”

Clayton, who has more than 30 years of government experience, was officially named city manager of Barstow after a unanimous City Council vote there on Feb. 18. The city of Barstow issued a statement highlighting her extensive leadership background, including managing a $200 million budget as interim city manager of San Bernardino, leading homelessness policy negotiations, and overseeing infrastructure projects.

“It’s exciting to be a part of moving the city forward,” Clayton said in a statement. “Having grown up riding my bike all over Barstow as a kid, it is beyond rewarding to return and lead this community into its next chapter!”

New Leadership in San Bernardino

Following Clayton’s departure, the San Bernardino City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 21 to appoint Gallardo as interim city manager. Gallardo, who retired in December 2024 as city manager of Brea after a 35-year career, stepped out of retirement just two months later to serve San Bernardino temporarily.

“Bringing Bill Gallardo on board will ensure a smooth transition while the Council and I take the next steps to find our next City Manager,” said Mayor Tran.

Gallardo’s extensive experience in municipal leadership includes serving as Brea’s city manager from 2015 to 2024, as well as holding positions such as assistant city manager, finance director, and revenue manager. He holds a business degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

During the Feb. 21 special meeting, former council member Kim Calvin expressed concerns about the city’s frequent turnover in leadership. “I cannot move forward without stating how disappointing it is for San Bernardino to be going through three city managers in the past year,” said Calvin. “It is unfortunate that when we do have a good city manager working for us and they tell us exactly what we need to hear to move forward–we have council members who like to make it personal and disagree.”

Calvin further alleged that Councilmember Fred Shorett has repeatedly undermined city managers by insisting their role is simply to “keep the lights on.” “At least four times during my tenure, Councilmember Shorett has said that,” said Calvin. “He said it to interim acting city manager Tanya Romo as well. We need to let the interim or acting city managers do their jobs.”

Despite these concerns, Calvin welcomed Gallardo to the position. “I’ve heard some good things about you, and any city that would keep you for 35 years must be due to the fact that you’re doing great things there. We look forward to that, assuming that you’re allowed to do your job.”

Community member Christian Shaugnessy also spoke at the meeting, offering words of encouragement. “Mr. Gallardo, I know San Bernardino can be a very spicy city. You may have heard a great deal about us, but we are a city with a lot of love. I welcome you to the City of San Bernardino and I wish you very well here.”

Gallardo expressed his enthusiasm for the role, stating, “Thank you for the opportunity of being your interim city manager. As you know, I retired from Brea in December, and this opportunity came up very quickly. I checked with my Brea family, and they encouraged me to be here. It’s my way of giving back to this community—I am a resident. I take this interim role with enthusiasm and with purpose. My commitment to you all is I will work diligently to become a valuable resource to the city, council, staff and just as importantly, to maintain crucial relationships with the agencies you deal with.”

Gallardo introduced his wife, Karina, and children, Nick, Veronica, and Rene, during the special meeting.

Gallardo’s salary as interim city manager will be up to $154,051 annually. His official start date is pending approval from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). In the meantime, acting city manager Tanya Romo will continue serving until Gallardo’s appointment is finalized, at which point she will transition into the role of deputy city manager, permanently replacing Clayton.

To ensure a seamless leadership transition, the San Bernardino City Council has hired the executive search firm Ralph Anderson to conduct a recruitment process for the permanent city manager position.

After the council’s unanimous approval, Mayor Tran congratulated Gallardo, saying, “Congratulations, Mr. Gallardo. Thank you for your commitment to come to San Bernardino, and thank you to your family.”