The Livermore City Council has identified its top candidate to be the next city manager, Marianna Marysheva, a high-ranking administrator from Irvine who also has prior career and education ties to the Bay Area.

City officials revealed Marysheva as the finalist to succeed retiring City Manager Marc Roberts as part of the public release of the agenda for Monday evening's regular council meeting, at which the council are scheduled to vote on her employment contract.

Marysheva had been employed by the Irvine city government since July 2018, primarily as assistant city manager -- her most recent job title -- although she served as Irvine's interim city manager from September 2020 until last December, when she went back to assistant city manager, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She also worked as assistant city manager of Riverside, town manager of Mammoth Lakes and two stints with the city of Oakland (budget director from 2001 to 2005 and assistant city administrator from 2008 to 2011). She earned a bachelor's degree in urban studies from San Francisco State University and a master's in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Marysheva climbed to the top of the Livermore council's search that began soon after Roberts announced in December his upcoming retirement from public employment after 10 years as city manager.

The council, supported by consultant firm Bob Murray and Associates, conducted a nationwide search that yielded 27 applicants, 13 of whom were deemed to be qualified candidates, according to the staff report from human resource manager Nancy Dias.

Livermore officials narrowed the list down to six top candidates before selecting Marysheva as their finalist and offering her the position. She was also shortlisted in the new city manager search in Fort Collins, Colo., earlier this spring, according to that city's website.

The proposed employment contract with Marysheva stipulates an initial term of five years, with an annual base salary in the first year of $305,000. She would receive health and retirement benefits in line with other city department heads, as well as a monthly car allowance of $550.

Marysheva's start date in Livermore would be May 16, but her first two weeks would be a transition period working alongside Roberts. She would obtain all formal city manager powers upon Roberts' departure on June 3.

The city would pay up to $15,000 for her moving expenses to relocate from Irvine to Livermore, provided she chooses a home within the city limits. Marysheva will also be entitled to up to six months ($25,000 maximum) for temporary accommodations until she finds a permanent home, as well as a maximum of $5,000 to cover two house hunting trips for herself and her two children.

Marysheva would accrue 192.4 hours of vacation annually, as well as receive 80 hours of vacation upon her hiring date. The city would also cover all relevant costs for her membership in professional organizations.

She would be subject to annual performance evaluations by the council each October.

The Livermore City Council's open-session meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Monday (April 25), held in hybrid fashion -- both in-person and livestreamed.

In other business

* The council will consider introducing an ordinance adding requirements for safe gun storage, and associated monetary penalties for violations, to the Livermore Municipal Code.

"The intent of the amendment is to prevent access to firearms by children and other persons who may be at risk of harming themselves or others by prohibiting a person from keeping a firearm in any residence unless the firearm is stored in a locked container or the firearm's trigger lock is engage," Police Chief Jeramy Young wrote in his staff report.

* Council members will confirm their goals and priorities and equity and inclusion work plan for the next two years, as well as approve the city's state and federal legislative platform for 2022.

* They will also host presentations for May as Drinking Water Awareness Month, this year's Livermore Water Conservation Art Contest award winners, the annual report of the Livermore Area Youth Advisory Commission and a proclamation declaring May as Affordable Housing Month.