San Bernardino appoints another interim City Manager

The chaos continues at the City of San Bernardino while the Council figures out who will run the city.

During a special meeting on Feb. 21, the City Council unanimously approved a resolution to appoint former Brea City Manager William “Bill” Gallardo to the post of interim City Manager.

Gallardo, who resides in San Bernardino, will serve in the post while the City conducts the recruitment process to fill the position permanently.

“Bringing Bill Gallardo on board will ensure a smooth transition while the Council and I take the next steps to find our next City Manager,” said Mayor Helen Tran.

Gallardo is expected to assume his new role this week. As a recently retired employee under the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS), Gallardo must receive approval from the retirement system before working for another Cal Pers agency.

Current Acting City Manager Tanya Romo, who’s only been in that role for two weeks, will return to the role of Deputy City Manager.

“I am honored and excited to take on the role of Interim City Manager,” said Gallardo. “I will work diligently to become a valuable resource for the Mayor, City Council and staff and, just as importantly, maintain crucial relationships between City Hall, the community, and agency partners during this time of transition as we search for a permanent city manager.”

Bill Gallardo retired in December 2024 after a 35-year career with the City of Brea, including serving as City Manager since 2015. Gallardo also held the positions of Assistant City Manager/Administrative Services Director, Finance Manager, and Revenue Manager for the Orange County city.

He holds a degree in business from Cal Poly Pomona.

The San Bernardino Mayor and City Council have also announced that they have retained the executive search firm Ralph Anderson to assist them in the recruitment process for their next City Manager.