An important city position was filled this week as Andrew Sturmfels was introduced to the City Council at their June 21 meeting as the new assistant city manager, to aid in the administration of Healdsburg’s city business and staff.
The crucial position has been vacant for over two years as the city worked to reduce costs during the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Sturmfels however is not a new employee, as he has been the administrative services officer for Healdsburg since 2021. The promotion moves him into a role with more responsibility.
In his new position, Sturmfels will play a lead role in overseeing the operations of city departments and coordinating with outside agencies and organizations. The position will also involve direct oversight of several high-profile, multi-departmental projects that have been identified as strategic goals by the City Council.
City Manager Jeff Kay called him “a valued member of our team. His broad experience, work ethic and commitment to serving our community make him a great match for this position, and we are lucky to have him.”
Sturmfels, 39, started with the city in 2021, after serving in several public policy positions with the state government in Sacramento. He earned his master’s in public policy and administration from California State University in 2012.
Kay, who himself started in Healdsburg early in 2021, called the position “a very important role,” and said, “In recent months we’ve built a healthy collection of priority projects that don’t fit neatly in our operating departments, and it’s become clear to me that we need some additional help to keep those things moving.”Sturmfels lives in Healdsburg with his wife and three children. “My family and I moved here from West Sacramento for the job, but we’ve been frequenting Healdsburg since the early 2000s, when we first started dating,” Sturmfels told the Tribune. His three children, between eight and three years of age, attend local schools and preschool.
