After four months on the job, and another seven weeks “unexpectedly out,” Tigard City Manager Brent Stockwell submitted his resignation Nov. 18, which the City Council accepted effective the same day in accordance with the terms of Stockwell’s employment agreement.
“Following recent discussions about the city’s leadership direction, Mr. Stockwell informed the council of his decision to resign,” said Mayor Yi-Kang Hu. “We appreciate his service and contributions to Tigard and wish him well in his future endeavors. As we shared with the community after the resignation of the former mayor (Heidi Lueb), the council is committed to doing better – strengthening leadership, culture and accountability across our organization.”
Acting City Manager Emily Tritsch will continue to serve in the interim to ensure stability and continuity in city operations.
Stockwell started working as Tigard city manager June 2, replacing the previous city manager, Steve Rymer, who retired Feb. 8. Stockwell moved to Tigard from Scottsdale, Ariz., where he worked for two-plus decades at the City of Scottsdale, including a decade as assistant city manager.
On Oct. 1, Tritsch sent a notice to city staff stating, “Starting today, Brent will be unexpectedly out for some time. All matters for the City Manager should go to me. We will provide updates as we can and are respecting Brent’s privacy. Please reach out to HR with any questions or concerns.”
No further “updates” were ever provided until the notice of Stockwell’s resignation.
“Throughout this transition, our focus remains on supporting our employees, maintaining stability and continuing to deliver the high level of service that our community expects and deserves,” Hu said.
On Nov. 20, Stockwell posted a public message that he is moving back to Arizona and will be job hunting. The message reads, “I am leaving Tigard and returning home to Arizona. While this wasn’t the timeline I expected, I’m proud of the work we accomplished in Tigard, and grateful to all who welcomed me back to the Pacific Northwest.”
(Stockwell was raised in Lawrence, Kan., graduated from Kansas State University and earned his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington.)
“I’m open to new leadership roles where I can apply my experience in leadership development, organizational improvement and collaborative facilitation,” he added. “If you know of an opportunity that would be a good fit, I’d be glad to connect. I’m excited to explore new opportunities back in Arizona.”
The Tigard City Council has three direct employees: the city manager, the city attorney and the municipal judge. The City Council will begin the process of identifying the next steps for long-term leadership in the city manager role, and those details will be shared as council moves forward.
