From the Mayor’s Desk: Changing Leaders, Keeping Our Soul

Typically, city leadership transitions happen one at a time. A police chief retires. A department head moves on. A new city manager is hired. It’s natural, and often healthy. But in Carmel-by-the-Sea, 2025 will be a year of unique opportunity.

In one year, our Public Works Director, Police Chief, Library and Community Activities Director, Fire Chief, Planning Director, and City Administrator will retire or will move into a new role. In the last two years, we also welcomed a new Assistant City Administrator. This May, we may appoint nine new community volunteers to boards and commissions. That is seven key leadership roles changing in a village of only 3,000 people! That sounds like a lot but change does not necessarily mean instability. It can also mean renewal. The strength of a city is measured by how it carries on when people move forward in their lives, and how it welcomes new leaders who bring energy, experience, and ideas.

What Holds Us Together

Carmel is not held together by one person. Our council–manager form of government distributes responsibility among elected officials, professional staff, boards, commissions, and community volunteers. It does not always seem fast or tidy, but it works, and it endures.

That endurance comes from something deeper than job titles. It lives in a shared civic culture and a belief that beauty, character, and kindness matter. You see it in crews clearing storm drains before sunrise, librarians greeting patrons by name, commissioners studying 300-page packets on a Tuesday night, and volunteers rehearsing in the cold at the Forest Theater because tradition matters.

You also see it in the organizations across town: the Library Foundation, arts and music groups, the Heritage Society, garden clubs, parade organizers, service clubs, school supporters, church circles, neighborhood associations, and residents who step up when needed. These are not competing kingdoms. They are strong threads in our civic fabric.

Why This Moment Matters

With many leadership changes at once, some may wonder if we could lose our way. I see it differently. This is a moment to ask who we are, welcome fresh perspectives, and choose—intentionally—who we want to be next.

Because while names change, our challenges do not pause. Wildfire risk. Aging infrastructure. Water scarcity. Local workforce housing. State mandates. Visitor impacts. Technology reshaping how government works. These cannot be solved by one office or one administrator. They require all of us—staff, council, commissions, volunteers, and residents—pulling together.

A Strong Soul Endures

The soul of Carmel is not stuck in 1916 and it is not fragile. It adapts when needed but never forgets why this village exists. If we protect that soul by showing up, listening, discussing things respectfully, mentoring new leaders, serving on commissions, volunteering, and offering solutions instead of blame, then we will not simply get through these transitions—we will grow because of them.

Outgoing leaders leave wisdom, policies, and well-trained teams but with new leaders some change is inevitable. It is up to the rest of us—the people who sweep sidewalks, plant flowers, walk the beach with our dogs, raise families, run shops and restaurants, and welcome visitors—to carry the heart of this village forward.

Always remember, our essence isn’t changing. We remain what we have always been: a small village that works hard to stay itself—beautiful, thoughtful, welcoming, and ready for the future together. To hear a brief video podcast generated from this column go to cli.re/leader.

Dale Byrne, Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea

dbyrne@cbts.us