Santa Monica City Manager Steps Down Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole announced on Friday that he is stepping down in response to the city's budget crisis and amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Cole made his announcement on the city's website in "A Final Message from Rick," citing proud moments from his five years as city manager in Santa Monica and explaining that his decision was a difficult one to make.

"Parenthood taught me that you can’t ask others to do what you aren’t willing to do yourself," Cole wrote. "I have profound confidence in the team we have assembled and it breaks my heart that we will not be able to complete the journey together. So I am offering to step aside now to facilitate the restructuring that must take place, knowing we will need to make reductions in staff at every level of the organization – literally from the top to the bottom (or as I have always preferred to think of it, from the spoke of the wheel all the way outward to where the rubber meets the road). "

Earlier this week the city started asking employees to leave their jobs. The city council voted unanimously during a special meeting on Tuesday to move forward with a "Voluntary Early Separation Incentive Program" and will create a plan for a major organizational restructure.

Santa Monica, like many cities and communities across the U.S., has been struck financially as people are required to stay home and avoid contact to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The City of Santa Monica announced in its report this week that it expects a $154 million deficit through June 2021—and that's anticipated if businesses do reopen this June.

Patch reached out to Cole and will update with additional information.

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This article originally appeared on the Santa Monica Patch