Camarillo City Manager Dave Norman to Retire

Camarillo, California – Camarillo City Manager Dave Norman has announced his retirement, capping a 32-year career in local government, with the last four of those years as Camarillo’s City Manager.  Mr. Norman’s last day will be April 3, 2020. 

Mr. Norman, 58, will have served the City of Camarillo for over seven years upon his retirement, having previously served as the City’s Assistant City Manager and Director of Community Development. Prior to joining the City of Camarillo, he served nearly six years as the City Manager of Port Hueneme.  Throughout his career Mr. Norman has served a total of 12 cities in various capacities, including four as City Manager.  

“I have had a wonderfully productive and rewarding career helping cities prosper and thrive. A lot of credit goes to my wife, Janet, who for the past 35 years has made it possible for me to dedicate myself to building this career.  It is now time to focus my attention on personal and family interests.”  

“We are very sorry to lose Dave Norman to retirement,” said Tony Trembley, Mayor of Camarillo.  “Dave has worked tirelessly to serve our City and has been an exceptional City Manager.  We wish Dave the very best in his future retirement activities.”

Mr. Norman began his public sector career as a Blind Rehabilitation Specialist with the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California.  While helping blind and partially-sighted veterans adjust to their life without sight, Norman attended the Master’s in Public Administration program at Cal State University Hayward (now East Bay), where he met students who worked for cities.  Their experience intrigued him, and he began interning with cities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Right after graduation, Norman and his wife moved to Lubbock, Texas, for his first full-time city job. “In addition to learning many foundational skills and truths that would serve me well throughout my career, I gained 25 pounds on chicken-fried steak, learned how to do the Texas two-step, and swore never to live in ‘Tornado Alley” again.  It was a great experience for a young couple originally from Downey, California.”

During his time with the City of Camarillo, Mr. Norman has overseen the completion of Old Town’s newest addition, the Cedar-Oak mixed use development, and the start of construction of the long-awaited Groundwater Desalter and the Mian Hotel and Conference Center.  He helped the City Council decide to demolish Old Town’s former Fire Station and expand the adjacent Dizdar Park, as well as to demolish the former Courthouse for more parking and a new pocket park for Old Town.  In addition, several new affordable housing projects came to life under his watch.

“I have always been an advocate for affordable housing, and I’m glad to have helped the City of Camarillo up its game in this area,” said Norman. “The City’s purchase of the former Stock Lumber site for a 100% affordable housing community for low, very-low, and extremely-low income people is a major step forward for Camarillo.” 

Mr. Norman will soon meet with the City Council to assist with the Council’s hiring of his successor.  “The next City Manager will inherit a thoughtful, hard-working and focused City Council and a highly-experienced and dedicated executive team and staff. The City’s budget and reserves are envied throughout the County, and several career-defining projects are well on their way toward completion.  The City Council is in a great position to attract a premier candidate who can carry Camarillo into the next decade.”

The City of Camarillo serves the municipal service needs of over 69,000 residents, with a total budget of $179.7 million.  The City’s General Fund budget is $43 million, with combined assigned and unassigned General Fund reserves of 67.9 million.  The City has maintained AAA bond rating since 2012.