DOS PALOS – Dos Palos City Council is on the hunt for a new City Manager as Dewayne Jones prepares for his retirement.
During its Jan. 20 meeting, the city council finalized the job description for city manager and the qualifications it wants to see in the person it hires.
Jones told the council he has already accepted another position, and urged the council to move forward with the hiring process. He originally intended to retire on Dec. 31, but extended the date to give the council more time to find a replacement.
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) authorizes a retiree to fill the city manager’s job on an interim basis, but only if the city is actively recruiting a replacement. And the city is required to show it is moving forward with the process.
“Time is of the essence for me,” Jones said. “The sooner we can get it done, the better.”
Hiring Jones’ replacement took on added importance after Assistant City Manager Manuela Sousa reminded the council that she, too, will be retiring soon.
“We will be retiring soon, so you won’t have the knowledge of 38 years of experience, and you won’t have the knowledge of 37 years of experience,” Sousa said. “You are going to have to find someone who has some type of knowledge.”
The council will accept applications for city manager from Feb. 2 through March 15 with hopes of filling the position by May 1.
While the council emphasized hiring someone who is familiar with the Dos Palos community, it also recognizes its limitations on how much the city can pay.
The Dos Palos city manager’s salary range is $115,018 to $145,534, of which Jones is currently at the top of the range.
For comparison, Gustine, a nearby city with a similar population to Dos Palos, recently adopted an annual salary of $155,000 to $164,440 for their city manager on Dec. 16, 2025.
Jones said Dos Palos offers one of the lowest salaries in Merced County, and the council needs to be up front with applicants about pay and benefits.
Mayor Katy Reed agreed, saying it would be unfair not to include the salary range in the job description.
“People might come in expecting a lot higher than it is, and we waste their time coming in for an interview,” said Reed.
As the council discussed its wish list for a new city manager, Jones brought them back to reality.
“Be very careful about adding things to this agenda because adding duties equals adding dollars,” he said. “And if you’re not going to pay for those duties, then you are going to have a position that goes unfilled.”
For instance, the council originally wanted a city manager who could speak and write in both English and Spanish. But the council dropped that requirement, saying only that being bilingual was desired—not required.
The council also wanted to have someone who lives in Dos Palos, but such a requirement is not allowed.
The next Dos Palos city manager will need a bachelor’s degree in public administration or a related field and at least five years of experience in government, or alternatively, an associate’s degree in public administration or a related field and seven years of experience.
The council indicated that equivalent work experience can be substituted for the educational requirements. Applicants must also be able to deal effectively with the public, government officials, staff and the media and have a working knowledge of state and local laws.
The council indicated it would consider a range of factors in the interview process, looking for a candidate that is well qualified but also a good fit for the community.
