Phoenix City Council to vote on new city manager next week

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix City Council will vote next week on whether Assistant City Manager Jeff Barton will take over for City Manager Ed Zuercher. Zuercher announced in July that he will be retiring on Oct. 8 after a 28-year career that including eight years as city manager. The council will vote on Barton’s promotion during its scheduled meeting Wednesday. Barton became assistant city manager in February. He previously served as deputy manager beginning in 2020 and was the director of the city’s budget and research department for five years before that. Phoenix’s city manager oversees the auditor, finance, communications, law and government relations departments that have nearly 15,000 employees combined who serve 1.7 million residents.