Menlo Park Loses Fourth Manager in Two Months

Human Resources Director Gina Donnelly’s late August departure has the city scrambling to fill positions.

Donnelly cited her commute from Morgan Hill, roughly 40 miles up US 101, becoming unmanageable as impetus for the job change. Her new gig as HR Director of Monterey is a comparable, if not longer commute though.

Other departures include Public Works Director Jesse Quirion leaving for a Google job in Tennessee, Finance Director Drew Corbett taking the same position with the City of San Mateo, and the retirement of Assistant City Manager Starla Jerome-Robinson.

Police Commander Dave Bertini was tapped as interim human resources director and Ann Stillman, San Mateo County's deputy director of public works, will plug holes part time as interim public works director.

Most notably is the contracting of Nick Pegueros, former town manager of Portola Valley who recently submitted an "involuntary resignation", to be the interim administrative services director. He work with human resources, finance and information technology services.

City Manager Alex McIntyre lamented the process of recruitment saying, “people can't afford to move to the area, the ones who I have to hire are the ones who are here.”

Further reading on the Menlo Park departures can be found here.