Huntington Beach City Manager Al Zelinka has resigned, the latest top official to leave in the last year, and the city will turn to its police chief to run City Hall until a replacement is found.
The City Council on Tuesday night in closed session unanimously approved making Huntington Beach Police Chief Eric Parra the interim city manager. Zelinka, in a news release, said he was retiring from public service to have more time to care for his elderly mother.
“My decision to retire is based upon considerations culminating with a significant and challenging personal issue: caregiving of my elderly mother,” Zelinka said in a statement. “This is requiring more time, attention and work schedule flexibility than possible while concurrently rendering professional services to the city of Huntington Beach.”
Parra will remain the police chief as he takes on his new duties as city manager. The city manager oversees more than 1,500 employees and a $500 million budget.
Mayor Tony Strickland thanked Zelinka in a statement. Strickland also said he was thrilled Parra is willing to become the interim city manager.
“I trust he will do a great job for this city that he also calls home,” Strickland said. “The residents of Huntington Beach will greatly benefit from his direction and contributions in this new role.”
Parra has been the police chief for the last two years and has worked in law enforcement for more than three decades. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Cal State Long Beach and a law degree from Western State University College of Law.
Zelinka was not in attendance at Tuesday’s council meeting. His last day on the job will be Wednesday, Nov. 8.
Several city department heads have left their jobs this year, including the public works director and community and library services director.
Zelinka took the top job in June 2022 after previously serving as Riverside’s city manager and earned $320,000 a year. Zelinka had a background in urban planning. He previously worked in Fullerton as its community development director and before that worked for a consulting firm.
Huntington Beach’s previous city manager, Oliver Chi, left in 2021 to take the same position in Irvine.
