Novato official Peggy Flynn hired as Petaluma city manager

The Petaluma resident has over 20 years of municipal experience, serving most recently as assistant city manager of Novato.|

Peggy Flynn, a high-ranking city official in Novato and a Petaluma resident, has accepted an offer to become Petaluma’s next city manager.

After a nationwide search that took four months to complete, the Petaluma City Council voted unanimously to appoint Flynn, 52, to the position. She will fill the void left by John Brown, who retired in November after a decade at the helm.

“As a Petaluma resident, I am excited and grateful for this opportunity to serve my community,” Flynn said in a press release. “To work with our experienced, professional and dedicated staff and council to serve residents and businesses is a dream come true. I am deeply committed to ensuring a thriving Petaluma for generations to come.”

Flynn has worked for Novato since 2012, and most recently served as the assistant city manager. She has more than 20 years of municipal experience working for the San Jose Redevelopment Agency, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District.

Flynn will be entering into a three-year contract that will renew annually, establishing a new three-year term unless one side elects to terminate it. She will earn a base salary of $210,000.

The council is expected to adopt a resolution on Monday that authorizes the city’s agreement with Flynn. She is projected to start in Petaluma on Feb. 25.

“Peggy’s deep knowledge and leadership ability across the organization has served Novato incredibly well,” Novato City Manager Regan Candelario said in a statement. “Her commitment to our community and staff is unwavering, and she has been extremely effective in successfully achieving the goals of our council.”

As assistant city manager, Flynn handled central administration, public engagement and the sustainability program for Novato. She oversaw redevelopment efforts at the former Hamilton Air Force Base as well as the development of Novato’s downtown SMART station.

According to the press release, the Petaluma City Council sought a candidate in a leadership position at a similar city, boasting a portfolio that ranges from water utility and flood protection to land use management and experience handling economic development.

“It is particularly satisfying to be welcoming our new city manager with unanimous council support,” Petaluma Mayor Teresa Barrett said in the press release. “Petaluma has a lot to do, and I very much look forward to working with Peggy.”

Flynn has a history of developing community engagement initiatives throughout her career, the press release said, and was instrumental in the passage of Measure C in Novato in 2015, which extended an existing sales tax for 20 years by reducing the rate by a quarter-cent. It was supported by 73 percent of the city’s voters.

Petaluma officials expect a tax measure to come forward in the next few years to help fend off a looming deficit and continue funding basic services.

“Peggy has been an incredible asset to Novato,” Novato Mayor Eric Lucan said in a statement. “She is an exceptionally experienced manager who has transformed the way we engage our community and our staff, which has ultimately improved our decision-making process. Her impact is far-reaching, and we will greatly miss her.”

Flynn did not respond to messages seeking comment on Wednesday.

(Contact News Editor Yousef Baig at yousef.baig@arguscourier.com or 776-8461, and on Twitter @YousefBaig.)

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