Camarillo City Manager Dave Norman announces retirement

CAMARILLO, Calif. - Camarillo City Manager Dave Norman announced that he is retiring this year after four years as City Manager and 32 years total working for local government. Norman said his last day as manager will be April 3.

Norman will have served the City of Camarillo for over seven years by his retirement date. Before his current position, Norman served as the City’s Assistant City Manager and Director of Community Development.

Prior to joining the City of Camarillo, Norman worked for six years as the City Manager of Port Hueneme. Throughout his career, Norman has served in 12 cities, four of which he was City Manager.

“I have had a wonderfully productive and rewarding career helping cities prosper and thrive," Dave Norman said. "A lot of credit goes to my wife, Janet, who for the past 35 years has made it possible for me to dedicate myself to building this career. It is now time to focus my attention on personal and family interests.”

The Mayor of Camarillo expressed his appreciation for Norman's service to the city.

“We are very sorry to lose Dave Norman to retirement,” said Mayor Tony Trembley. “Dave has worked tirelessly to serve our City and has been an exceptional City Manager. We wish Dave the very best in his future retirement activities.”

Throughout his time serving in Camarillo, Norman oversaw the completion of the Cedar-Oak mixed use development and the start of the construction for the long-awaited Groundwater Desalter and the Mian Hotel and Conference Center.

Norman also helped the city decide to tear down the Old Town’s former Fire Station, expand the adjacent Dizdar Park, the destruction of the old Courthouse as well as new affordable housing projects.

Norman began his career as a Blind Rehabilitation Specialist with the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California, where he helped blind and partially-sighted veterans adjust to their life without sight.

During this time, Norman pursued his Master’s in Public Administration at Cal State University Hayward (now East Bay), where he met students who worked for cities. Norman said their experience intrigued him, so he began interning with cities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Soon after graduating, Norman and his wife moved to Lubbock, Texas, for his first full-time city job.

“In addition to learning many foundational skills and truths that would serve me well throughout my career, I gained 25 pounds on chicken-fried steak, learned how to do the Texas two-step, and swore never to live in 'Tornado Alley' again. It was a great experience for a young couple originally from Downey, California,” Norman said.

Norman will be meeting with City Council soon to help with the hiring of his successor.