Sunnyside city manager's resignation surprises

SUNNYSIDE -- Mark Gervasi resigned as city manager Monday night, an unexpected move marking the latest chapter in Sunnyside's turnover-plagued City Hall.

"It's time for me to retire," said Gervasi, 63. He declined to discuss it further. Gervasi, who came from Tillamook, Ore., 15 months ago, announced his retirement at the tail end of a City Council workshop Monday night.

The move surprised almost everybody, said Mayor Mike Farmer, who received an email from Gervasi announcing the resignation Monday afternoon.

"This wasn't in my plans," Farmer said.

City staff did not hear about the announcement until Monday's council meeting, Farmer said.

Gervasi received a favorable annual review in December, Farmer said. The review process did not include numeric scores, but all the comments were favorable, he said.

"He's been doing a lot of good things for us," Farmer said.

Gervasi is the fifth new head administrator for this Lower Valley city of 15,000 residents since 1998, and the third to serve less than two years.

He replaced Eric Swansen, who was fired by the City Council in June 2009 after 11 months on the job. Longtime City Attorney Mark Kunkler and City Councilman Bill Gant resigned in protest of his firing.

Gervasi said he and his wife would most likely move back to the Oregon coast, where he worked for 13 years. He is a former teacher who grew up in Miami.

Gervasi's contract requires a 60-day notice for resignation, making April 6 his last day. He was paid $98,000 per year.

During his tenure, Gervasi oversaw the development of the city's first two-year budget and growth in the police force. He helped steer the first steps of a downtown revitalization plan and oversaw elimination of three city positions, including that of the public works director, to save money.

* Ross Courtney can be reached at 509-930-8798 or rcourtney@yakimaherald.com.