Duran promotes Ron Bernal to Antioch Assistant City Manager

City Manager Steve Duran advised the Antioch City Council on Friday that he has promoted Ron Bernal to the position of Assistant City Manager effective April 17, 2016. He will also retain his department head responsibilities for Public Works and Engineering.

Bernal has served the City since 1998 and has been the Public Works Director and City Engineer since 2009. He worked for the City of Dixon, CA from 1984 to 1998.  He holds a Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of California at Davis and is a registered civil engineer.

In a news release on Monday, Duran said “I couldn’t be more pleased to promote Ron to the position of Assistant City Manager. He is a terrific team player. Ron’s professional and personal knowledge of the City of Antioch and his exemplary track record of leadership in managing large, complex and multifaceted City operations make him worthy of his new responsibilities.”

The action is in response to the Council’s recent vote to fill the position with an existing member of city staff, who is also a department head. The vote included a $60,000 budget for both the Assistant City Manager position and for those in the departments affected. Mike Bechtholdt will take on some additional managerial responsibilities within Public Works and Lynne Filson will do likewise for Engineering.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the City of Antioch in this new role,” Bernal said. “I look forward to working with the City Manager on homelessness, economic development, emergency operation preparedness, protecting our water rights and other important issues facing our community.”

Duran asked the Council for the position to be filled as part of succession planning, for when he eventually retires.

“I hope to see Ron succeed me as City Manager a couple of years or so down the road,” Duran shared. “I will be leaning on Ron to chair a few interdepartmental task forces, such as on blight and homelessness. I also want to have Ron more involved in the budget process and economic development to help other staff and to round out his city-wide experience.”

Bernal and his wife Irma live in Antioch, and have a daughter and son. They became grandparents this year, with the birth of their grandson in January.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

 


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