The city of Santa Clara ended a lengthy search when it hired a new city manager this week. The City Council voted 4-1 to appoint Jovan Grogan to fill the vacancy left by the previous city manager, Deanna Santana, who was fired last year. Grogan, who is currently the city manager of San Bruno, will start his new position in Santa Clara on May 1.

With solid re-election victories by Becker allies Raj Chahal and Karen Hardy, the 2022 election in the City of Santa Clara will result in no change in the 5-2 split in the city council.

With few exceptions, the grand jury report’s observations, conclusions and recommendations landed squarely on one side of the city’s political divide–led by Mayor Lisa Gillmor–that was on the losing end of the 2020 council elections, promping the 49ers to call for an investigation of the grand jury for conflicts of interest. Today, the final version of the report revealed that two members had recused themselves because of possible conflicts.

The vote ended several months of rancor between the former city manager of Sunnyvale and Oakland and a new council majority.

The vote was preceded by warnings from Doyle and his own attorney that the termination was unfair and illegal.

City staff will discuss Doyle’s “discipline/dismissal/release" behind closed doors in a special meeting Wednesday evening.

The settlement requires the Santa Clara City Council to formally call for a vote by residents on accepting six districts by June 1.

Leaders across Silicon Valley are now gathering signatures to demand an apology and a formal censure for the councilwoman.

Note: This new assessment prompted San Jose Inside to take a fresh look at two years of compensation for employees in California cities.

The state’s top elections official showed up in Mission City today to denounce an effort to shrink the number of council districts.

Kansen Chu says he’ll refrain from endorsing anyone in the race to replace him. But he came close by donating to the longtime SCUSD trustee.