Rockville City Manager Out (PHOTOS)

Barbara Matthews

UPDATED The city of Rockville has announced that Barbara Matthews is no longer the city manager.

According to a news release issued today, Rockville Mayor Bridget Newton and City Councilmembers are launching a national search to fill the position.

In the interim, Public Works Director Craig Simoneau has been named Rockville’s acting city manager.

Simoneau, who earns an annual salary of over $168,629, will receive a 15-percent increase for taking on the additional duties. Matthews was paid $211,180 for her work as city manager, and she is entitled to six months severance pay, according to the terms of her contract with the city. Her contract was not due to expire until Oct. 1, 2016.

City officials have not given a reason for Matthews’ departure. According to the Mayor and Council’s Feb. 22 agenda, the city manager was a topic of an executive session. A second executive session took place at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26. City officials announced Matthews’ departure on Monday morning in a news release.

In a memo to city employees on Monday, Simoneau said he looks forward “to a smooth transition of leadership.”  He said he appreciated the elected leaders confidence as he asked for the staff’s support in moving the city forward.

Craig Simoneau

“I want to emphasize a few things at the outset,” Simoneau wrote in the Feb. 29th memo to all city staff. “First, good communications up and down the organization is key. Second, I want to emphasize thorough staff work that considers all options and products that are professionally presented and reviewed. Finally, teamwork and coordination is extremely important, not only with our residents and stakeholders, but also within the city staff.”

According to Simoneau, Judy Ding has been named Acting Public Works Director.

The last time the city launched a search for a new city manager, in December of 2011, the process to hire a new manager took over nine months.

Matthews was hired as Rockville’s city manager in October of 2012, after serving as the city manager of Takoma Park.

City leaders say they appreciated Matthews’ service to Rockville and they wish her well in her future endeavors.

Mayor and Council to Begin Nationwide Search for a New City Manager #rockville #rkv https://t.co/mIeLwy5tE1

— City of Rockville (@Rockville411) February 29, 2016

About Sonya Burke

Sonya Burke is the Multimedia Manager at Montgomery Community Media (MCM). You can email story ideas at sburke@mymcmedia.org or reach her on Twitter @SonyaNBurke.

View all posts by Sonya Burke