PARLIER – After a six-month search to find a new city manager — and more than a year without a permanent one — the city of Parlier has hired someone to serve as its administrative leader.
The Parlier City Council voted 4-0 on June 19 to approve a three-year contract with its new city manager, Aaron Palmer; Councilmember Diego Garza was absent. Palmer, who is moving to the Valley to take the position, will begin his tenure on June 30.
“We finally have our city manager, and congratulations to Aaron Palmer,” Mayor Alma Beltran said. “We look forward to working with you; I think you’ll do great.”
Palmer’s contract will be effective through June 30, 2028, and he will receive annual performance evaluations from the city council. His salary is set at $185,000, and the city has agreed to pay for all moving expenses.
According to the contract, Palmer can be terminated without cause by a 3-2 vote of the Parlier City Council. If he is terminated without cause, he will be eligible to receive six months of severance pay. Additionally, if the city chooses not to renew the contract, Palmer will be notified nine months before the contract is set to end. If the council does not provide nine months notice, Palmer will also receive six months of severance pay.
The city hired Palmer after an extensive recruitment process conducted with the help of recruiting firm WBCP, which the council entered into a contract with in December 2024. The process included three oral interviews, one citizen panel, two elected officials panels and a comprehensive background and character check.
According to a city staff report, after several applicants were evaluated, Palmer stood out as a highly-qualified candidate.
“Palmer has extensive experience in the city manager positions and leadership roles, he possesses all the qualities desired for this position,” the staff report said. “Aaron’s values and approach align well with our organiziations’ mission and vision, making him an ideal addition to the team.”
Palmer most recently spent five years as city manager of Live Oak, a Northern California city with a population of about 9,000, according to The Appeal-Democrat, a local newspaper based in Yuba County. Prior to that, he spent three years as city manager of Canyon Lake, a gated community of 11,000 people in Riverside County.
Following the council’s approval of the employment contract, Palmer took the oath of office and shook hands with each of the council members present, as well as with Acting City Manager and Parlier Police Chief David Cerda.
As Cerda stood up from his seat at the council dais to shake Palmer’s hand, city staff joked that he was “running away” from the chair that will soon be Palmer’s. Cerda has served as both the police chief and the acting city manager since former City Manager Sonia Hall was terminated by the council in April 2024. Council members thanked Cerda for his work as acting city manager, acknowledging how difficult it can be to juggle multiple roles.
“I want to thank Chief Cerda, our acting city manager, for everything he’s done, not just for us council members, but for our community, our staff,” Councilmember Janie Molina said. “It’s hard to wear two hats … but you did a great job. I really appreciate everything you have done for all of us and I know you’re happy to go back to the PD.”
Cerda, during his final staff report as acting city manager, said he has appreciated city staff’s hard work and the support and teamwork from the staff, the council and the mayor.
“There’s a lot we’ve accomplished, and we can always do better, so we’ll strive to do better, but staff is doing a fantastic job for the city,” Cerda said.
Cerda also welcomed Palmer and said he looks forward to working with him.
“I think it’s going to be an exciting and fun experience,” he added.
Council members similarly welcomed Palmer not just to the city but to the Valley, and said they hope he and his family feel at home here.
“I did see that you have quite a bit of experience working with cities and you know how government works, so that’s the good thing, to have someone that has the experience and the background, which is important to us,” Beltran said.
