Ten days after announcing he had accepted a job with the city of Pasadena, City Manager Mike Futrell has instead opted to remain in Riverside.
“We have significant momentum right now in Riverside: from major economic development projects and infrastructure investments to public safety enhancement, housing initiatives and the continued activation of our downtown and neighborhoods,” Futrell said in a joint statement posted April 25 to social media by his wife Susan Freeman. “I am staying to see these efforts through.”
Following Freeman’s initial post, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo released a statement that he had received a message early Saturday morning from Futrell informing the city that he had decided to withdraw his application and remain in Riverside.
“The council respects his decision and wishes [Futrell] the very best,” Gordo said in the statement sent to Pasadena Now.
The city previously announced in an April 15 release that Futrell had been selected to be Pasadena’s next city manager. He was scheduled to start the new role next month, according to the city of Pasadena, and would have been tasked with major city initiatives like leading the Eaton fire recovery.
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In the statement posted by Freeman, Futrell cited ongoing efforts to educate residents on the upcoming Measure Z sales tax ballot measure, the work to navigate the result of that vote and the city’s recent international economic relationships as other reasons for his decision to stay.
“What makes this decision meaningful is our city employees, community partners and residents who are doing extraordinary work every day,” Futrell wrote. “Riverside is our home. Let us all work together to build upon this success.”
The announcement came weeks after a December 11 letter sent by the Riverside City Council to Freeman was shared online. The letter alleged she had insinuated she was a “part of the city’s decision-making team” in comments to city staff and asked her to cease “all harassing forms of communications” with city employees.
Freeman, in an email sent to The Record in early April, denied the allegations and said the council’s letter was an attempt to “politically filter” her for being outspoken on social media while married to the city manager.
In response to The Riverside Record’s request for comment on Futrell’s decision, the city’s public information officer Phil Pitchford sent Futrell’s statement. Neither Gordo nor Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson immediately responded to The Record’s request for comment.
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