City Manager

Overview

Under the Charter adopted by the citizens of Ventura in 1934, the City Manager is "the administrative head of the City government . . . responsible to the City Council for the administration of all City affairs" including hiring and firing department heads, preparing the annual budget and ensuring the effective implementation of the City Council's policies and priorities. The City Manager advises Council on strategic direction for the City and responding to changing community needs. Most of all, the City Manager provides overall organizational leadership to ensure the effective daily delivery of services, projects and programs, guided by the City's 2005 General Plan.

City Manager

Rick Cole has been City Manager of Ventura since 2004. He was recently honored by Governing Magazine as one of their nine "2006 Public Officials of the Year," the only City Manager in the nation to earn that distinction. Governing cited his "intense focus on the details that add up to a vital city." Cole has focused on four key priorities, the ABCS of Ventura government: Accountable government; Balanced budget, Civic Engagement and Smart Growth.

Called "one of Southern California's most visionary planning thinkers" by the Los Angeles Times, he previously served six years as City Manager of Azusa, California. Under Cole's leadership, Azusa was described as the "most improved city in the San Gabriel Valley" by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. He brings an unusual background to city management, having previously served as the Southern California Director of the Local Government Commission, Mayor of Pasadena, Executive Director of the West Hollywood Marketing Corporation and co-founder of the Pasadena Weekly newspaper.

Cole is widely cited as an urban policy expert and is a member of the Congress for New Urbanism, the Urban Land Institute and the International City/County Manager's Association. For citations of his writings and interviews, click here.

Staff Contact Information

Correspondence for the City Manager can be directed to the City Manager's office.

City Hall
501 Poli Street, Room 205
Ventura, California 93002-0099
(805) 654-7740
email: citymanager@ci.ventura.ca.us

Governance
The City is governed by a Charter that constitutes the organic law of the City under the Constitution of the State of California. Under the Charter the City of San Buenaventura has the power to make and enforce all laws and regulations with respect to municipal affairs, subject only to such restrictions and limitations as may be provided in this Charter and in the Constitution of the State of California. The Charter shall also have the power to exercise any and all rights, powers and privileges heretofore and hereafter established, granted or prescribed by any law of the State, by this Charter, or by other lawful authority, or which a municipal corporation may exercise under the Constitution of the State of California. The enumeration in this Charter of any particular powers is not to be held to be exclusive of or any limitation upon this general grant of power. view the charter

Form of Government
The City is under the City Council/City Manager form of government. The City Council hires two of the principal officials of the City, the City Manager and the City Attorney. The City Manager is the administrative head of the City government chosen by the Council without regard to political consideration and solely with reference to his/her executive and administrative qualification, with the special reference to his/her actual experience in, and his/her knowledge of, accepted practice in respect to the duties of the office as herein set forth. He/she need not be a resident of the State of California at the same time of his/her appointment, but promptly thereafter, shall become and thereafter remain during his/her incumbency an actual resident of the City.

The City Attorney is the legal advisor of the Council and all other City officials, boards and departments and, when requested in writing for legal opinion by any City official or head of any department concerning City business, his/her opinion must be given in writing. He/she prosecutes all violations of the provisions of this Charter, City ordinances and such state misdemeanors as the City may elect to prosecute.

City of Ventura Operations Review
In the last several months the City has incorporated a new way of doing business that is more focused on achieving the results that matter most to our citizens. Read More

View City of Ventura's Operations Review (pdf)