The Richmond City Council on Tuesday is expected to appoint Mark Scott as interim city manager. He will succeed Shasa Curl, whose last day is Oct. 2.
The decision is on the council’s consent calendar, meaning it will be approved along with a number of other non-controversial items at the beginning of the meeting unless someone requests that it be discussed.
Scott, who most recently was the city manager of Santa Fe, New Mexico, resigned from that role in December 2025 after 11 months. His departure came after a public spat during a council meeting with the city’s incoming mayor over Santa Fe’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Scott has served as a permanent and interim city manager in a dozen cities, according to his LinkedIn.
Prior to working in Santa Fe, he was an interim city manager in the California cities of Live Oak (2024), Ojai (2023), Downey (2022-2023) and Lincoln (2021-2022). He was the city manager for Indio, San Bernardino, Burbank, Fresno, Culver City and Beverly Hills and in Spartanburg, S.C.
According to his LinkedIn and other public documents, he has an MBA from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Cal State Fresno.
In a Q&A posted by the California City Management Foundation (CCMF) he said, “I don’t think anyone loves being a city manager as much as I do…”I love the whole experience — the privilege to serve a community, being part of a dedicated team and the feeling that we are helping people enjoy their life. I even love being stopped in the grocery store with that question, ‘Aren’t you that…….uh….?’ ”
Richmond city council meeting
What: Richmond City Council meeting
When: 6 p.m. Tue., Sept. 22.
Where: 440 Civic Center Plaza
Agenda: See the agenda for information about how to attend in person or remotely.
According to Tuesday’s agenda report, during its Sept. 15 closed session the city council unanimously selected Scott for a six-month tenure that is slated to end on April 3, 2027. He is also expected to help the council find a permanent city manager.
“The City is actively recruiting for a permanent City Manager. During this period, Mr. Scott will oversee daily operations and ensure continuity of leadership until the recruitment process concludes and a permanent appointment is made,” the agenda report reads. “Mr. Scott brings significant experience and expertise essential to fulfilling the responsibilities of Interim City Manager.”
According to sources close to Scott’s recruitment process, city officials noted his history of dealing with pension obligation issues, of which the city has said are significant in Richmond, and helping cities in “bad financial situations.”
At Tuesday’s meeting, city financial staff, outgoing city manager Curl and council members clashed over staff’s warnings that the city is overspending and has a poor financial outlook and may have to spend a large portion of its $550 million Chevron settlement making up the difference.
In his CCMF profile interview, he said he was proud his work guiding Fresno through an economic downturn.
“People expected us to follow Stockton into bankruptcy, but we made very painful cuts and stayed solvent,” Scott said.
Curl’s last meeting as city manager will be Tuesday. According to the meeting agenda, she plans to highlight some of her accomplishments.
Also, on Tuesday’s agenda: The council is scheduled to address switching from Flock to Axon for a license plate reader network, CCTV cameras and a drone program; an update on the Richmond Children and Youth Fund evaluation; and the city’s financial outlook.
