George Wentz Hired as Permanent City Manager

The Menifee City Council on Tuesday appointed interim City Manager George Wentz as the permanent City Manager. Here's the press release...

The Menifee City Council voted Tuesday to appoint George Wentz as the City's first permanent City Manager. Mr. Wentz has served as Menifee's interim City Manager since the City's incorporation in 2008.

Mr. Wentz brings to the City three decades of experience in municipal services, including the last couple as a consultant for Winzler & Kelly, an engineering consulting firm. He has extensive experience in City government and has served as an Interim City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Engineer and in numerous other leadership positions for several other municipalities.

Mayor Wallace Edgerton said the City of Menifee is pleased to have a City Manager of such caliber.

"We are fortunate to be able to retain the services of an experienced Manager such as Mr. Wentz who already has served the community and Council well," Mayor Edgerton said. "We look forward to his stellar management and service to the people of Menifee in the years to come as our new City grows."

Mayor Edgerton and Councilman Scott Mann negotiated the agreement with Mr. Wentz, which takes effect July 1. Mr. Wentz currently is a resident of San Clemente, but his new contract provides assistance to "stimulate" a move to Menifee.
Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone praised the City's decision to hire Mr. Wentz as its first City Manager.

"The City of Menifee has made an excellent selection of a well-respected and seasoned executive in George Wentz," Supervisor Stone said. "George has decades of business and municipal government experience that will serve the citizens of Menifee well for years to come. Menifee is poised to become an economic force in the County, and the City is off to a great start with George Wentz in the chief executive’s chair."

Mr. Wentz, 59, has worked closely with the City Council since Menifee's incorporation on October 1, 2008 and assisted with key tasks such as the creation of a planning commission and focus on stimulating development. He will work closely with the City Council to implement strategic planning goals that have been developed over the past several months and to build the City’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Mr. Wentz has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Michigan State University and a master's degree in public administration. He and his wife of 41 years, Kristine, have two adult children and two grandchildren.