Lakewood Mayor Don Anderson said Tuesday that John Caulfield has accepted terms to become the new city manager of Pierce County’s second-largest city.
Caulfield, the 48-year-old city manager of Mountlake Terrace, will begin his new job Sept. 3. Caulfield is required to give 60 days of notice to his current employer.
The contract still needs to be drawn up and approved by the full council, and it’s unclear at this time when that would occur. Anderson declined to reveal Caulfield’s base salary because the contract is pending. The council was unanimous in voting to begin contract negotiations with Caulfield.
“I’m excited to have him on board,” Anderson said.
Caulfield and Anderson came to the verbal agreement during a lunch meeting in Tukwila on Tuesday. The council had met for about a half-hour behind closed doors Monday night to discuss contract negotiations.
Caulfield wasn’t immediately available for comment.
Caulfield is a former University Place deputy city manager who started his local government career in Federal Way. He’s an ex-Ranger who was stationed at Fort Lewis in the mid-1980s.
Caulfield was one of six finalists invited to interview for the job. Four of the finalists withdrew, including Deputy Pierce County Executive Kevin Phelps, which left Caulfield as the lone finalist.
Council members had praised Caulfield’s knowledge of economic development, budgets and military relations.
He will succeed former city manager Andrew Neiditz, who left the job in February to become the new head of South Sound 911.
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