Margaret Silveira, 53, was the No. 1 pick from amongst 62 candidates who applied for the job, according to Lakeport City Attorney Steve Brookes, who has overseen the recruitment process.
Silveira, who has 18 years of management experience, currently is the manager for Gustine, located in Merced County. Gustine has a population of just over 5,000, according to the US Census.
She has held that job since November 2007, and in that capacity has dealt with a city budget that is reportedly more than $5 million, close in size to that of Lakeport. Silveira also was involved with facilitating the adoption of that city's first redevelopment project area.
Brookes said the Lakeport City Council made Silveira a conditional offer of employment, which is dependent upon her passing a background check that is still ongoing.
If the council goes forward with hiring Silveira, she'll be Lakeport's third city manager since it went to the city manager form of government in 2001, and the first woman it has hired for the job. Previous city managers were Randy Johnsen and Jerry Gillham.
Last week, Silveira notified the Gustine City Council and city staff of her plans to leave for Lakeport, according to the Gustine Press-Standard.
Silveira could not be reached for comment Monday. City staff in Gustine indicated she was out of the office for the week, and Brookes said she was planning to visit her brother.
Brookes said once the background check is completed, “There is a contract that has been drafted that will be sent to her for review and comment.”
Once Silveira signs the contract, the council will ratify the agreement in an open council meeting. Brookes said he expects that to happen sometime in March.
The city is offering Silveira an annual salary of $115,000, said Brookes, which is the same as she currently is receiving in Gustine.
When Gillham left the position last year he was receiving around $98,000 a year, said Brookes, who conducted a survey of city manager salaries in 2007 and found that Lakeport's pay was low.
Applications for the job came mostly from around California, but there also were a few out-of-staters, Brookes said.
“I think it was a very good recruitment we had,” he said.
The selection process included two community interview panels, with County Administrator Kelly Cox, former District 4 Supervisor Karan Mackey, People Services Executive Director Ilene Dumont and Mendocino College Foundation Director Wilda Shock among the local leaders who offered their input, Brookes said.
“Everybody had Margaret as their first choice,” he added.
Prior to becoming Gustine's city manager, Silveira was the director of housing and economic development for the city of Riverbank – located in Stanislaus County – from May 1999 to November 2007, and the owner/partner of Silveira General Construction in Newman from June 1991 to December 1999.
She has a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership from Chapman University in Orange, and an associate's degree from Modesto Junior College.
Her affiliations include membership in the California Economic Development Association, California Redevelopment Association, California City Managers, the Central San Joaquin Valley Risk Management Authority and the Statewide Employee Risk Management Association.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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