City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: February 3, 2025
Report #:2501-4016
TITLE
Interim Appointments for Utilities Director and Chief Transportation Official
RECOMMENDATION
This report is provided for information only and requires no Council action.
This memo announces two interim appointments effective January 8, 2025, as a result of the retirement of Dean Batchelor as the City’s Utilities Director and departure of Philip Kamhi, the City’s Chief Transportation Official. Recruitment and hiring processes are underway; interim appointees will continue until the City Manager makes and Council ratifies permanent appointments.
Interim Utilities Director - Kiely Nosé, Palo Alto’s Assistant City Manager, will act as interim Utilities Director. Nose will continue in her current capacity as Assistant City Manager and lead the Utilities Department along with the support of the existing Utilities leadership, notably the Utilities Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Directors. Since her appointment as Assistant City Manager in 2022, Nose has provided leadership and guidance to the Utilities Director and management teams and has acted as a City delegate at the Northern California Power Agency.
Nose’s experience as the City’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO)/Director of Administrative Services offers a broad set of skills to support the Utilities team to ensure forward momentum on utilities service delivery and priorities.
Interim Chief Transportation Official - Lily Lim-Tsao, retired San Jose Transportation Department Assistant Director will act as interim Chief Transportation Official. Lim-Tsao retired from San Jose in early 2024 and brings extensive experience in transportation to support the Office of Transportation team and continued progress on Palo Alto’s transportation priorities.
Recruitments are underway for both of these key leadership positions. City Manager
appointments are subject to Council approval as provided in the Palo Alto Charter (Art. VI, Sec. 6(c)) and Municipal Code (PAMC 2.08.020).
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager