City Clerk to Leave Davis for Job with City of Menlo Park

During Friday’s traditional early morning August 1 City Council Meeting very little of substance occurred for the largely ceremonial meeting. By law, the city council must meet at least once each month. Normally they meet at least two and often more than three or even four times. However, during the month of August, the council takes its summer recess. So ceremonially they hold an early morning meeting on August 1, usually with an abbreviated calendar, although the last two years they had controversial discussions (West Nile Spraying in 2006 and a discussion on Land Deal with Steve Gidarro in 2007). This year the meeting consisted of two consent items. It was wrapped up in less than thirty minutes and the council is adjourned until mid-September.

The big announcement came from City Manager Bill Emlen who informed the council and the public that City Clerk Margaret Roberts was leaving the City of Davis to become City Clerk at the City of Menlo Park.

I am often critical of city staff. In fact, I would be hard pressed to think of anyone else I would write this for. However Margaret Roberts was an exception to the rule. In a city where getting information often feels like a battle and half the time I feel games are being played both with myself and with the public, Margaret Roberts was the consummate professional. She always did her job, she was always courteous, respectful, honest, and yes, professional. I am very sad to see her leave.

She was the access point to information about the city. All public records request, of which I have made dozens in the last two years, go through her. Only once did I ever have a problem receiving public records, and that was not the fault of Ms. Roberts.

Fortunately, not only was Margaret Roberts an excellent city clerk, she has an excellent support staff. The city is left in the very capable hands of Deputy City Clerk, Zoe Mirabile. However, I think I speak for many, Margaret Roberts will be sorely missed.

—Doug Paul Davis reporting

About The Author

David Greenwald is the founder, editor, and executive director of the Davis Vanguard. He founded the Vanguard in 2006. David Greenwald moved to Davis in 1996 to attend Graduate School at UC Davis in Political Science. He lives in South Davis with his wife Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald and three children.

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12 Comments

  1. Differing View

    Sorry, DPD, but I will have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. My personal experiences w Ms. Roberts have been less than stellar. I don’t care to get too personal w embarrassing specifics, because it would serve no useful purpose.

    Let us just say that Ms. Roberts formed part of the “circle your wagons” mentality of the Parks and Rec city staff, that backs the Council majority at all costs. I found much of Ms. Roberts’ behavior to be less than professional, to put it mildly.

    I suspect as a newby on city staff, she was led down the garden path by the uglier elements of Bill Emlen’s department. However, that is only by way of an explanation, not an excuse for what I will kindly call “poor judgment”. I hope she does not take with her what she learned while on staff in this city.

  2. Differing View

    Sorry, DPD, but I will have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. My personal experiences w Ms. Roberts have been less than stellar. I don’t care to get too personal w embarrassing specifics, because it would serve no useful purpose.

    Let us just say that Ms. Roberts formed part of the “circle your wagons” mentality of the Parks and Rec city staff, that backs the Council majority at all costs. I found much of Ms. Roberts’ behavior to be less than professional, to put it mildly.

    I suspect as a newby on city staff, she was led down the garden path by the uglier elements of Bill Emlen’s department. However, that is only by way of an explanation, not an excuse for what I will kindly call “poor judgment”. I hope she does not take with her what she learned while on staff in this city.

  3. Differing View

    Sorry, DPD, but I will have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. My personal experiences w Ms. Roberts have been less than stellar. I don’t care to get too personal w embarrassing specifics, because it would serve no useful purpose.

    Let us just say that Ms. Roberts formed part of the “circle your wagons” mentality of the Parks and Rec city staff, that backs the Council majority at all costs. I found much of Ms. Roberts’ behavior to be less than professional, to put it mildly.

    I suspect as a newby on city staff, she was led down the garden path by the uglier elements of Bill Emlen’s department. However, that is only by way of an explanation, not an excuse for what I will kindly call “poor judgment”. I hope she does not take with her what she learned while on staff in this city.

  4. Differing View

    Sorry, DPD, but I will have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. My personal experiences w Ms. Roberts have been less than stellar. I don’t care to get too personal w embarrassing specifics, because it would serve no useful purpose.

    Let us just say that Ms. Roberts formed part of the “circle your wagons” mentality of the Parks and Rec city staff, that backs the Council majority at all costs. I found much of Ms. Roberts’ behavior to be less than professional, to put it mildly.

    I suspect as a newby on city staff, she was led down the garden path by the uglier elements of Bill Emlen’s department. However, that is only by way of an explanation, not an excuse for what I will kindly call “poor judgment”. I hope she does not take with her what she learned while on staff in this city.

  5. Respecfully disagree

    I respectfully disagree as well and thus agree with “Differing View.” Won’t go into details but she made it very clear where she and the city stood on issues and as a result made it very difficult to obtain information on local measures.

  6. Respecfully disagree

    I respectfully disagree as well and thus agree with “Differing View.” Won’t go into details but she made it very clear where she and the city stood on issues and as a result made it very difficult to obtain information on local measures.

  7. Respecfully disagree

    I respectfully disagree as well and thus agree with “Differing View.” Won’t go into details but she made it very clear where she and the city stood on issues and as a result made it very difficult to obtain information on local measures.

  8. Respecfully disagree

    I respectfully disagree as well and thus agree with “Differing View.” Won’t go into details but she made it very clear where she and the city stood on issues and as a result made it very difficult to obtain information on local measures.

  9. Anonymous

    I would have to disagree with differing view and respectfully disagree when it comes to Ms. Roberts. Even though she did not provide any information regarding initiatives and referrendums, it was done so at the direction of the city attorney. She did however point me in the direction of the correct elections code to obtain the necessary information.

    In terms of the garden path by the uglier elements of Bill Emlen’s department, it must be difficult not to agree with him as he can hire and fire her at will. Being part of the city managers department is the wrong place for the city clerk. To be able to be completely neutral the city clerk should be a department of their own, as it is with the majority of California cities. I have noticed more and more cities moving in that direction and I can’t help but wonder if being able to remain neutral without fear of reprisal as part of the reason.

  10. Anonymous

    I would have to disagree with differing view and respectfully disagree when it comes to Ms. Roberts. Even though she did not provide any information regarding initiatives and referrendums, it was done so at the direction of the city attorney. She did however point me in the direction of the correct elections code to obtain the necessary information.

    In terms of the garden path by the uglier elements of Bill Emlen’s department, it must be difficult not to agree with him as he can hire and fire her at will. Being part of the city managers department is the wrong place for the city clerk. To be able to be completely neutral the city clerk should be a department of their own, as it is with the majority of California cities. I have noticed more and more cities moving in that direction and I can’t help but wonder if being able to remain neutral without fear of reprisal as part of the reason.

  11. Anonymous

    I would have to disagree with differing view and respectfully disagree when it comes to Ms. Roberts. Even though she did not provide any information regarding initiatives and referrendums, it was done so at the direction of the city attorney. She did however point me in the direction of the correct elections code to obtain the necessary information.

    In terms of the garden path by the uglier elements of Bill Emlen’s department, it must be difficult not to agree with him as he can hire and fire her at will. Being part of the city managers department is the wrong place for the city clerk. To be able to be completely neutral the city clerk should be a department of their own, as it is with the majority of California cities. I have noticed more and more cities moving in that direction and I can’t help but wonder if being able to remain neutral without fear of reprisal as part of the reason.

  12. Anonymous

    I would have to disagree with differing view and respectfully disagree when it comes to Ms. Roberts. Even though she did not provide any information regarding initiatives and referrendums, it was done so at the direction of the city attorney. She did however point me in the direction of the correct elections code to obtain the necessary information.

    In terms of the garden path by the uglier elements of Bill Emlen’s department, it must be difficult not to agree with him as he can hire and fire her at will. Being part of the city managers department is the wrong place for the city clerk. To be able to be completely neutral the city clerk should be a department of their own, as it is with the majority of California cities. I have noticed more and more cities moving in that direction and I can’t help but wonder if being able to remain neutral without fear of reprisal as part of the reason.

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