Carlsbad’s City Council unanimously approved a contract Tuesday for new City Manager Geoff Patnoe, who begins the job Dec. 19 after serving more than four years as Carlsbad’s assistant city manager.
The council appointed Patnoe on Dec. 3 after the former city manager, Scott Chadwick, announced Nov. 21 he was leaving to become the new president and CEO of the Port of San Diego beginning in January.
Patnoe will receive a total of $335,635 annually in salary, auto allowance and deferred compensation in his new capacity, Mayor Keith Blackburn said. He also will get the same health benefits package offered to other city administrators.
Chadwick, who was hired by Carlsbad in 2018, earned a total of $514,477 in compensation for 2023, including benefits and pension debt, according to the website Transparent California.
Patnoe thanked the council for “this tremendous honor, and the opportunity … to work with the best public employees in California.”
Before he was hired in Carlsbad, Patnoe was San Diego County’s director of the office of strategy and intergovernmental affairs for 10 years. Prior to that, he was on the staff of county Supervisor Dianne Jacob for five years, and he’s been executive director of the nonprofit San Diego County Taxpayers Association.
Also at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, two people elected and one person re-elected Nov. 5 were sworn in and began their new four-year terms.
City Clerk Sherry Freisinger delivered the oath of office to City Treasurer Christian Peacox, who campaigned as an entrepreneur and businessman.
Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, D-Encinitas, officiated for first-time District 2 Councilmember Kevin Shin, a restaurant owner and former firefighter, and for re-elected District 4 Councilmember Teresa Acosta, who is beginning her second term.
Shin succeeds District 2 Councilmember Carolyn Luna, who agreed not to seek re-election when she was appointed to the vacant seat a little less than two years ago.
