Carlsbad Assistant City Manager Geoff Patnoe was named Carlsbad’s new city manager Tuesday to succeed Scott Chadwick, who announced Nov. 21 he is leaving to become the president and CEO of the Port of San Diego beginning in January.
Mayor Keith Blackburn announced the decision after a City Council discussion in closed session. He said Patnoe’s contract is expected to be approved at the council’s Dec. 10 meeting, and he will start the new job Dec. 19.
“We’ve seen Geoff in action and have been impressed by his strategic thinking and leadership,” Blackburn said in a news release. “In Geoff, we get continuity for the organization while tapping into his legislative background and experience overseeing the prudent use of taxpayer resources.”
Carlsbad hired Patnoe in March 2020 at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he helped coordinate the city’s response to the health crisis. In 2022, when the City Council declared a local emergency in response to a sharp increase in bicycle collisions, Patnoe oversaw increased traffic safety measures that reduced the accidents.
Before coming to Carlsbad, he was San Diego County’s director of the Office of Strategy & Intergovernmental Affairs for 10 years, according to city officials. His previous jobs include five years as chief of staff for former county Supervisor Dianne Jacob and a stint as executive director of the nonprofit San Diego County Taxpayers Association.
He is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with a degree in political science and public service, the release states. He and his wife, Christine, live in Rancho Peñasquitos and have two daughters, one in high school and one in college.
“I am deeply honored to be entrusted with the role of city manager and to continue to serve this incredible community,” Patnoe said in the release. “We have a great team in place, and together we will work hard every day to deliver an exceptional level of service to our residents and businesses.”
At the close of Tuesday’s council meeting, which was Chadwick’s last one with Carlsbad, Blackburn presented the city manager with a proclamation recognizing his outstanding service and stating that he “served the city with distinction.”
“Under Scott’s leadership, the city has expanded public safety, parks, affordable housing, environmental sustainability, traffic safety, digital services and transparency,” Blackburn said, reading from the proclamation.
Councilmember Carolyn Luna called Chadwick “a class act” and told him, “You will be very missed.”
“All of us are sad to see you go,” said Councilmember Priya Bhat-Patel.
