Laguna Beach City Council appoints former resident Dave Kiff as city manager

Laguna Beach will have a new city manager come May 6, as the City Council unanimously approved an initial three-year agreement with Dave Kiff to fill the position on Tuesday night.

The contract comes with an annual base salary of $315,000 and includes two options for one-year extensions.

“Hopefully, this will be the most you’ll ever hear me talking at one point, because the city manager should listen a lot,” Kiff said in his opening remarks. “I think I am a good listener. I’m really honored to be here tonight and to receive your support for the contract.”

Kiff worked for the city of Newport Beach from 1998 to 2018, the last nine years as the city manager. Thereafter, he was the director of the homelessness services division for Sonoma County.

“I lived in Laguna probably 22 years and drove up the road and worked, and every night I came home here,” Kiff continued. “And there’s a reason for that, because it’s a very special place. It’s a place that I always felt embraced and comfortable and part of the community.”

Council members commented on Kiff’s experience in leadership and his local ties in welcoming him to the community.

“In Dave, what we have is somebody that has lived here for quite some time and was integrated into the community and participatory with the community,” Councilman Mark Orgill said. “He understands our values, and then with the added benefit of running a complex city such as Newport Beach, I just don’t see how it could get any better than that.”

Mayor Pro Tem Alex Rounaghi noted Kiff’s role in overseeing capital projects like building the Civic Center in Newport Beach, adding that he felt that experience would serve the city well as it moves forward with its facilities master plan.

“I think we’ve just experienced the last six months what it’s like to have a highly trained and skilled city manager with Sean Joyce, who’s left recently,” said Councilman George Weiss, reflecting on the term of the interim city manager. “Now, I think we have a reputed master of coastal city management with David Kiff. I’m happy for the Laguna Beach community.”

Joyce took on the temporary job as a retired annuitant after Laguna Beach parted ways with former city manager Shohreh Dupuis via a separation agreement. As part of that agreement, Dupuis retired on Sept. 1.

Kiff earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from CSU Sacramento. He went on to add a master’s degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to his time in Newport Beach, Kiff has also served as the interim city manager for Huntington Beach, Healdsburg and Sonoma.