Los Banos City Council terminates city manager, appoints police chief to take on role

Los Banos City Manager Alex Terrazas was officially terminated this week by the City Council, after he had served in that role since June 2016.

The details of his termination are left in question, and a news release sent by the city did not elaborate on the reasons behind Terrazas’ dismissal. Terrazas’ five-year contract was set to expire in June.

The Los Banos City Council met in a closed session Monday afternoon and made the decision.

In the meantime, Police Chief Gary Brizzee has been appointed by the council to act as interim city manager until a replacement can be found.

“It is an honor to serve the City Council and residents of Los Banos in the capacity of acting city manager,” Brizzee said in a news release. “Our goal as staff is to continue to provide great service to our community.”

Brizzee has previously served as city manager twice — once from Nov. 1, 2012 to April 30, 2013 then again from Jan. 15, 2016 to June 30, 2016.

“The Council is confident that Gary possesses the vital knowledge, skills, and understanding of the City’s operations and that he will continue to lead the City going forward,” Mayor Tom Faria said in the release.

Brizzee did not say the reason for Terraza’s termination, saying it was a personnel issue. “(His contract) was coming to an end, at the end of June,” Brizzee said. “Both parties decided now to separate employment.”

Terrazas was hired by the city in June 2016 and he was under contract for five years with a base annual salary of $170,000.

Prior to coming to Los Banos, Terrazas worked as assistance city manager in Truckee. His career in politics started as a legislative intern under former Democratic Congressman Vic Fazio, followed by jobs with the California League of Cities, and working as an analyst for the city manager’s office in Mountain View.

Proposals for city manager recruitment will be accepted until 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 31.

This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 12:10 PM.