John Coates Named Carlsbad City Manager

The City of Carlsbad has officially named current interim City Manager John W. Coates as the next City Manager.

“John has the vision, style and experience we need to help Carlsbad continue on our path to becoming a truly world class organization,” said Mayor Matt Hall. “His collaborative approach to leadership and commitment to working with the community make him a great fit for Carlsbad.”

The City Council still has to officially vote to make everything officially official, but there will be no surprises there. That’s how staff and council work. For the official word follow the jump.Coates named city manager
John W. Coates, a professional with more than 30 years of local government experience, has been selected as the City of Carlsbad’s next city manager. The City Council is scheduled to vote on Coates’ appointment at its March 12 City Council meeting.

“John has the vision, style and experience we need to help Carlsbad continue on our path to becoming a truly world class organization,” said Mayor Matt Hall. “His collaborative approach to leadership and commitment to working with the community make him a great fit for Carlsbad.”

Coates has been serving as interim city manager since Nov. 6 when former City Manager Lisa Hildabrand announced her retirement. Prior to that he served as assistant city manager and Parks & Recreation director. He joined the City of Carlsbad Jan. 4, 2010.

As city manager, Coates will oversee the day to day management of city operations and report to the City Council. Under the City of Carlsbad’s “council-manager” form of government, the City Council establishes legislative policy and appoints a professional manager to oversee day to day operations and delivery of city services.

Coates brings more than 30 years of professional experience to the City of Carlsbad, including serving as the director of community services for the City of Santee; director of parks and recreation for the City of Roanoke, Va.; the superintendent of recreation maintenance for the City of Norfolk, Va.; and a parks district supervisor for the City of Virginia Beach, Va. He also has worked as a regional manager for a national consulting firm providing strategic counsel to local government agencies, including resource management plans, business plans, marketing plans, capital improvement assessments and organizational analyses.

“The City of Carlsbad has earned a reputation for high quality standards, professionalism and strong community connections,” said Coates. “My goal is to build on this tradition of excellence while challenging us to explore innovative new approaches that will deliver an even greater level of value to our community.”

The City of Carlsbad provides the full range of municipal services, including police, fire, water, sewer, streets, library and arts, parks and recreation. The city has an annual budget of $230 million and a AAA credit rating from Standard and Poor’s. A 2012 survey of residents found that 97 percent are happy with the quality of life in Carlsbad and 94 percent are satisfied with city services.

Coates holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Virginia Tech and a Master of Public Administration degree from Old Dominion University in Norfolk.