Encinitas appoints Jennifer Campbell as new city manager

ENCINITAS — The Encinitas City Council has unanimously appointed Jennifer Campbell as the city’s new city manager following a closed session meeting on Wednesday, Mayor Bruce Ehlers confirmed.

Ehlers told The Coast News that the council reached its decision in a closed session and will consider Campbell’s contract and compensation package in open session at its March 19 meeting, as required by law.

“We reported that we had made a unanimous selection of Jennifer Campbell to be the city manager,” Ehlers said. “We would bring back a compensation discussion in a public and open session.”

Campbell has served in various roles within the city since 2016, including as director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts before becoming assistant city manager. In December, she was appointed interim city manager following the departure of former City Manager Pamela Antil. The council cited Campbell’s experience and collaborative leadership style as key factors in their decision.

“I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the City Manager of Encinitas,” said Campbell in a release. “Encinitas is an incredible community, and I look forward to working with the City Council, staff, and residents to address our city’s needs and enhance the quality of life.”

However, the appointment has drawn concerns from at least one anonymous individual who submitted a public comment ahead of the closed session. The commenter, who appears to be a city employee, urged the council to conduct a full recruitment process rather than permanently appoint Campbell.

“The mere scheduling of the closed session has put the entire city hall staff into a frenzy of worry,” the commenter wrote, describing Campbell as “short-tempered” and “lacking in general local government skills and abilities.” The letter also criticized Campbell’s decision to appoint Jace Schwarm as interim assistant city manager, alleging favoritism and potential pension-related concerns.

“Bottom line, she is not ready for the permanent job,” the commenter wrote.

Ehlers told The Coast News that the anonymous commenter’s claims were “unfounded,” lacked supporting evidence and did not align with the council’s perspective.

“(Campbell is) 100% qualified for the role,” Ehlers said.

“It’s probably been the opposite,” Ehlers said of the city’s relationship with Campbell. “You know, I’ve seen better cohesion by the management team now than I’ve ever seen for 20 some years.”

The city has not yet released an official statement regarding the appointment, but a city official told The Coast News that a statement is expected later on Thursday.

Campbell’s appointment marks her second time serving as the city’s top administrator. In 2020, she was appointed acting city manager following Karen Brust’s retirement. She later transitioned to interim city manager before returning to her role as assistant city manager.

Campbell holds a bachelor’s degree in recreational management from the University of Arizona and a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in leadership and public administration from Northern Arizona University. Before joining Encinitas, she served as assistant city manager in Glendale, Arizona.