By Robert Haugh
Assistant City Manager Chuck Baker, the high-salary City Hall exec hired to oversee Levi’s Stadium and the Convention Center, is leaving the City of Santa Clara.
He’ll depart just weeks before Super Bowl LX and months before 2026 FIFA World Cup matches come to town.
City staff confirmed that “Chuck Baker is still employed with the City of Santa Clara. He will be leaving by the end of the year to pursue other opportunities.”
That means Baker will be gone before the Feb. 8, 2026 Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium and well before the 2026 World Cup games scheduled for June and July.
City Manager Jovan Grogan sent Santa Clara News Online the following statement about Baker’s departure:
“The separation is mutual and amicable. Chuck leaves the City in good standing and with appreciation for the opportunity to serve the community. He made meaningful contributions during his tenure, and we wish him continued success in his future endeavors.”
Baker 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 Convention Center, at a base salary of $350,000, not including benefits.
In February 2024, SCNO published an investigative report raising conflict-of-interest concerns about Baker’s outside roles. At the time he was hired, the City Manager’s office said Baker served as:
- Chairman of the Board of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area
- Board Trustee for the Home Builders Institute
- Commissioner for the Oakland–Alameda Coliseum JPA Commission
After SCNO began asking questions, Baker resigned from the Coliseum Commission in mid-December 2023.
Baker then stepped down as Board Chair of 100 Black Men of the Bay Area in mid-January 2024, though he stayed on that group’s Executive Board and on the Home Builders Institute board.
SCNO also reported that the San Francisco 49ers were the largest single funder of 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, contributing $100,000 — over 11 percent of the nonprofit’s annual budget — while Baker was board chair.
That prompted ethics concerns because Baker’s City Hall job put him in charge of operations at the publicly owned stadium leased to the 49ers and of preparations for Super Bowl LX and the World Cup.
“Given that the new Assistant City Manager will oversee operations of a stadium leased to the 49ers, it would not be wise for that individual to have any outside relationships with the 49ers organization,” said John Pelissero, Director of Government Ethics at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, in SCNO’s earlier report.
Pelissero warned that Baker’s continuing nonprofit ties funded by the team “may appear to some to be a conflict of interest.”
Now, as Santa Clara faces massive, expensive international events at Levi’s Stadium, the City Manager’s office won’t have its top administrative person.
Considering that no elite or even semi elite footballing nation was brought to Levi’s for the World Cup, maybe we’re better off without him!
What?? Santa Clara’s version of the Enquirer wrote Santa Clara drew Argentina!
https://www.svvoice.com/santa-clara-draws-argentina-usa-canada-groups-for-fifa-world-cup/
This facts in this article are incorrect. The City of Santa Clara Communications Department requested that you correct the article and you refused. Here are the correct facts posted on the City’s official website. Mr. Baker is now employed at the City of Oakland.
https://www.santaclaraca.gov/i-want-to/stay-informed/city-news-and-publications/for-the-media/for-the-record-media-corrections/requested-correction-assistant-city-manager-responsible-for-stadium
Requested Corrections
Correction 1
Your article states, “In mid-December, days after Santa Clara News Online (SCNO) asked for additional information about Baker’s background, he resigned from the Coliseum Commission. In mid-January, after SCNO asked if Baker’s role in the other two nonprofits created a potential conflict of interest, Baker suddenly stepped down as Board Chair of 100 Black Men of the Bay Area.”
This implies that as a result of your inquiry, Assistant City Manager (ACM) Baker stepped down from his positions. This is factually incorrect. ACM Baker stepped down from all his positions (Oakland Alameda Coliseum JPA Commission and 100 Black Men of the Bay Area) prior to your inquiries. In fact, ACM Baker made the decision to not run for an additional one-year term after he received his City of Santa Clara offer letter in November 2023 to focus his efforts on his new upcoming role as an Assistant City Manager for Santa Clara. On November 28, 2023, he announced to the Board Officers of the 100 Black of the Bay Area that he intended to step down as Chairman. As such, Mr. Baker termed out as the Board Chairman of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area on January 28, 2024, a position in which he served in for three years.
In regard to Mr. Baker’s prior role as a Commissioner on the Coliseum Authority for the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex, Mr. Baker informed the Authority’s Chairman (and Oakland City Council Member) Rebecca Kaplan on December 14, 2023 that he would step down effective December 19, 2023, in order to avoid any perception of a conflict with his new role as an Assistant City Manager for Santa Clara.
Correction 2
Your article states “But neither Baker nor City Manager Grogan would comment about any potential conflict with 100 Black Men of the Bay Area.”
You emailed me asking me on 1/26/24 “Is he still the Chairman of the Board of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area and a Board Trustee for the Home Builders Institute? If so, does he believe any of these positions are a potential conflict?”
I answered the questions saying he stepped down as Chair of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area but remains a trustee for the Home Builders Institute. I also stated “The City Manager is aware of this ongoing relationship and has determined it is not an incompatible activity. If a situation were to arise where this affiliation presents a conflict, Mr. Baker would recuse himself and not participate in that matter.” This holds true for the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area. This information comes from City Manager Grogan and ACM Baker so to imply that they would not comment is misleading. I, as the Public Information Officer, did provide you with an answer.
Correction 3
In your article, it states “After numerous requests, they provided no comment on when or why Baker stepped down as Chair but is still on the Executive Board of the organization.”
In reviewing emails, on 1/24/24, your question in an email was “Is he still the Chairman of the Board of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area and a Board Trustee for the Home Builders Institute?”
I provided you with an answer on 1/26/24 stating “Mr. Baker resigned as Chair to focus his full attention on his new role as Assistant City Manager.” In your email, you did not ask about Mr. Baker being on the Executive Board of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area.
Additional Information
In your prior emails to me, you did not inquire on any relationship that Mr. Baker had with the 49ers during his role as the Chairman for the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area. Your article states “SCNO has discovered that the 49ers are the largest single funder of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area.”
Mr. Baker states this is incorrect for two reasons; one, there are several funders that contribute significantly more than the 49ers and two, the 49ers have not provided funding to the organization since 2021. He mentioned that the organization’s website contains information on its mission and a list of the more than 80 corporations, public agencies, non-profit, and religious organizations that have supported their scholarship programs, mentoring and empowerment of Black youth. Mr. Baker also wanted to provide you with contact information for the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area’s current Chairman Danny Williams (contact information redacted), if you have any additional questions on the organization.
Lastly, the City Manager has stated it was his assessment that the Assistant City Manager role that primarily supports the Stadium and Convention Center did not require government experience as a prerequisite. As such, prior government experience was not listed as a requirement in the job announcement and several potential candidates had never worked for local, state or federal government.
Best,
Janine
JANINE DE LA VEGA | Public Information Officer | Director of Communications
Janine:
I stand by the facts and my reporting. I could provide back-and-forth, but I’ll stick by my reporting and the facts. In fact, you didn’t respond to my response where I stated that I stand by my reporting and believe everything I stated is factual and correct.
You do not show the rest of the email
Correspondence on this matter, and selectively cite only one of several communications on this matter.
I originally asked for direct comments from Baker and Grogan – I was given only a blanket statement by you — nothing that was attributed to either; which you did do regarding the most recent article published.
You and any reader can imply or infer anything from the reporting, I did not state that my reporting caused the resignations. I merely mentioned the resignations happened after my reporting.
Thank you for taking the time to comment and read.
lol – PIO cannot get basic email date straight – was it 1/24 or 1/26 when Robert emailed you? This is your own official correction after all! Endemic of the carelessness from SC mangers’ office staff.
The real question is when he will start work for the 49ers?
And won’t we be surprised?
Not!
This is their way of telling who will be blamed when the house of cards falls down and the city is deep in debt. IMEO, the 49er 5 have let the team steam roll us and let them leave the city holding the bag.
Isn’t super bowl in san francisco?
Real shady…
So when does our City start to get better for the residents again?
Just curious, and I think that is a fair question.
Just The Facts Ma’am
Robert, thanks for providing some background that some, myself included, might not remember.
It took 2 years to make a decision? What dodgy decisions have been made in the meantime? He needs to take his buddy Jovan with him.
Just so shady.