Chico honors Mark Sorensen and appoints Eric Gustafson interim city manager

The Chico City Council issued a proclamation honoring Mark Sorensen for more than 21 years of public service and unanimously appointed Assistant City Manager Eric Gustafson as interim city manager, effective July 11.

Mayor Casey Reynolds read a resolution praising Sorensen’s decades of service — from planning commissioner to council member, mayor and city manager — and presented a plaque recognizing his leadership, institutional knowledge and contributions to city projects. Annabelle Grama, general manager of the Chico Area Recreation and Park District, thanked Sorensen for partnership on an aquatic center, a bike park and other local projects: “You made a partnership look easy,” Grama said.

Sorensen thanked the council and staff for four years as city manager and expressed appreciation for department heads and employees. Following Sorensen’s announcement that his retirement date is set for July 10, the council moved to designate Eric Gustafson as interim city manager beginning July 11 and continuing until the permanent city manager assumes the role. The motion passed unanimously, 7–0.

The council also confirmed the meeting schedule: it will reconvene for a July 14 closed session at 5:30 p.m., followed by a regular meeting at 6 p.m. The interim appointment ensures city operations continue while the council completes the final steps in hiring the permanent manager.

Attributions: Quotes and attributions in this article come from the official proclamation read by Mayor Casey Reynolds, a public comment by Annabelle Grama, and remarks by Mark Sorensen in the council transcript.