By Robert Haugh
City Manager Jovan Grogan started in May and six months later he’s made two major hires who started earlier this month.
Janine De la Vega was named the City’s new Public Information Officer.
She previously worked at HCA Healthcare as the Market Director of Public Relations and Communications for two local hospitals.
De la Vega has experience in local government with the City of Palo Alto’s Police Department as their Public Affairs Manager and Public Information Officer.
She’s also worked as a local television news reporter for KTVU Fox 2 and ABC 7.
De la Vega’s base salary, not including benefits, is $227,000.
Chuck Baker is Santa Clara’s new Assistant City Manager with responsibility for the Stadium Authority and Convention Center.
Baker was previously a Microsoft Business Development Director.
He has no local government experience.
According to the City Manager’s office, Baker is the Chairman of the Board of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, is a Board Trustee for the Home Builders Institute, and is a Commissioner for the Oakland – Alameda Coliseum JPA Commission.
Baker’s base salary is $350,000, not including benefits.
Both employees started on December 11, 2023.
[…] was one of Grogan’s first major hires. SCNO reported in December 2023 that he was brought in as Assistant City Manager with responsibility for the Stadium Authority and […]
[…] of Santa Clara City Manager Jovan Grogan’s first major hires was Assistant City Manager Chuck […]
They’ll be better hires than Santana’s overpaid lackeys.
The city doesn’t need a PIO, there’s nothing that interesting coming out of City Hall every day. With benefits, she’s being paid about $700/day/365 to post comments on Nixle and X.
You clearly have no clue what you’re trying to say.
Hey folks, not to worry. I am sure both have been vetted by jed york.
Funny, not funny… 🥲
Whoa! So the CM hired a new ACM to do TWO of the jobs that the “fired for no cause” former CM Deanna Santana did? So let’s add the new CM and ACM salaries together! It’s taking TWO people to do the job of the fired for no cause CM. What’s the new CM doing in his spare time?
Exactly! He did seem flustered at the last city council meeting. Does the city council approve these hires? In the not too distant past, I worked extra hours for free to get the job done…
Boo. Hiss. More obscene salaries.