The city of Tempe welcomed its new city manager, Rosa Inchausti, who has dedicated 30 years of service to the city and is the city’s first woman to fill this position, despite community concern for her selection.
Since former City Manager Andrew Ching’s departure for the Town of Paradise Valley on June 16, Inchausti has been working as the city’s interim city manager. Tempe City Council at a June 27 special meeting officially appointed her to the position.
Starting her public service career in Tempe in 1993, Inchausti has worked in a number of city departments in such positions as the city’s first diversity director and most recently as chief deputy city manager.
At the meeting, all 15 public commenters spoke in support of Inchausti’s appointment as city manager.
Speakers included Constable Karyn Lathan, President of the Professional Firefighters of Arizona Don Jongewaard, President of the United Arizona Employee Association Billy Vickers, Jennifer Leone of the Tempe Supervisors Association, Roy Tatem of the Tempe Black Employee Alliance along with a number of Tempe residents.
In their comments, many of the speakers commended Inchausti for her continued dedication to improving Tempe, specifically in the areas of diversity and inclusion for residents regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.
Jose Rojas, a 15-year Tempe resident, spoke of his experiences with Inchausti through the city’s Diversity Dialogue program, which is a series of meetings meant to foster conversations with community members about diversity, cultural tolerance and inclusion issues.
“I really think that she’s a good person for the job because she likes to work and she gets involved and she has a positive influence on our younger generation as well us older ones,” Rojas said at the meeting.
Rojas explained that through Diversity Dialogue and his talks with Inchausti, he was able to gain a deeper understanding of police and how to tackle the negative experiences minorities have with them. He also highlighted that Inchausti makes a point to attend the city’s cultural community events such as the Juneteenth and Ramadan celebrations.
He was not alone in commending the new city manager for her passion for diversity and inclusion, specifically with her work in Tempe.
Concerns for new role
In considering Inchausti as city manager, some members of the community felt she was not the right choice prior to her appointment, given negative reports of her workplace behavior, a controversial salary increase and critiques of her lacking experience as a city manager.
Another longtime Tempe resident and Tempe’s first Community Relations Manager Linda Arters shared more positive words about Inchausti’s work, recognizing the milestone accomplishment of her becoming the first female city manager in Tempe.
She addressed some of the pushback Inchausti received regarding creating a toxic workplace, bringing up the city’s “horrible run of harassment” against its female employees and her own experience leaving her role because of it.
“My generation of baby boomers, we have fought since the ’70s for equality and for the ability for women to show their skill sets,” Arters said. “I have had the pleasure of working personally now with Rosa for two and a half to three years on the aging issues… and I can’t find enough words to reference her outstanding credentials.”
Arters worked as Tempe’s community relations manager starting in 1988 before leaving the city in 1996.
Rosa Inchausti speaks at the June 27 meeting where she was appointed as city manager.
Courtesy Tempe 11
Courtesy Tempe 11
However, critics also raised concerns about Inchausti’s starting salary of $315,000, which is over $30,000 more than her predecessor’s, meaning the city will have to pull additional funds to support her role given the salary limit for the position is set at $282,000.
Mayor Corey Woods said at the meeting Inchausti will also receive an annual merit step increase in salary of 5% “based on satisfactory performance of Inchausti’s duties as determined by the city council” and will take effect July 1, 2024.
Constable Karyn Lathan touched on the starting salary in her comment, saying, “It’s about time that we bring our salaries up to par and to give it to a female.”
Other speakers also supported the salary increase, noting that it would have cost the city additional dollars to conduct a nationwide search to fill the position and that it is a competitive offer given Inchausti’s extensive government expertise and work in the city manager’s office as the chief deputy city manager.
“I am frustrated with the drama, with the attempt to create issues that do not exist, trying to tear down a woman whose salary is in line with the men in the same position and who clearly has worked her way up and been repeatedly promoted from within,” said resident Janet Hamlin.
Despite reports of former and current city staff criticizing Inchausti’s leadership and collaboration skills and critiques of her salary, city council voted to approve her appointment to city manager, with Council Member Randy Keating voting against.
“I commit to all of you whether you are in support of me and whether folks who are still skeptical whether I should be in this seat, I’m working for everyone,” Inchausti said following public and council comments.
The City Manager’s Office is responsible for organizational support to implement council’s programs and policies and managing other day-to-day operations for the city. More information can be found at www.tempe.gov/government/city-manager-s-office.
Reporter Caroline Yu can be reached at cyu@iniusa.org
To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Caroline Caroline Yu joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2020 as a summer intern covering Scottsdale. As an intern, she continued her coverage of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Tempe. After graduating in 2022, Caroline became a full-time reporter for Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. She is currently reporting for the Tempe market.
Community: She is a supporter of the environment and tries to get involved with related community events.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, with a minor in French.
Random Fact: She used to be a ballet dancer for 10 years.
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