September 13, 2020 at 8:05 pm

Beginning the week of September 21, Manteca City Manager Miranda Lutzow will be holding online meetings where residents will be able to ask her questions regarding the city. The specific first date of these sessions, as well as their frequency, have yet to be determined per the Manteca Bulletin.

The decision for the meetings to be online is not up for dispute due to the pandemic, but in many ways makes them more accessible than if they were in person. Those who do not have transportation or are working, for example, should be able to participate from home or the office.

Lutzow is the first Manteca city manager to establish regular times for community input. The sessions are part of a wider effort by the city to improve accessibility and communication. Last week, the city’s department heads (which include Lutow as well as those overseeing police, fire, and public works), began a series of monthly walking tours of Manteca’s downtown businesses.

As city manager, Lutzow has played a key role in Manteca’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. She was first hired by the city as Administrative Services Director in July of 2019. After two months on the job, she was appointed Interim City Manager. Lutzow juggled the two positions until April of this year, when the “acting” part of her title was removed.

Lutzow entered the role of city manager during a tumultuous time for the Manteca city administration. She was the third to hold the position in little more than three years. Her predecessor, Tim Ogden, had served for roughly two and a half years. Elene Reyes, the city manager before Ogden, had only lasted for six months.

The entirety of Manteca’s top administration (with the exception of Fire Chief Kyle Shipherd) has been removed or demoted within roughly a year. City Attorney John Brinton is retiring effective September 30, while Police Chief Jodie Estarziau, Public Works Director Mark Houghton, and Administrative Services Director Joe Krisovich (who Lutzow replaced) were fired. Community Development Director Greg Showerman left to work for the city of Modesto, while Finance Director Jeri Tejada was put on administrative leave and then hired away.