Pleasanton administrator resigns post

Becky Hegwald, right, is sworn in as Pleasanton city clerk by former adminstrator Teresa Whitaker. Hegwald was promoted to city administrator when Whitaker resigned, however following a split city council vote to not reappoint her to the post, Hegwald quit her job on Monday, May 11. (Journal file photo)

By Roger Sims, Journal staff

linncountyjournal@icloud.com

PLEASANTON – Pleasanton City Administrator Becky Hegwald has resigned her post a week after the city council failed to confirm her reappointment to the post at the May 4 meeting. Her resignation is the latest fallout from that meeting.

City Clerk Candy Houtman confirmed on Tuesday, May 12, that Hegwald’s last day was Monday. Houtman said that Hegwald wanted to finish payroll before she left her post and after the last check was cut, she was gone.

Houtman said that the council may be looking at not hiring a replacement for the administrator’s position.

Mayor Mathew Young reappointed several posts at the May 4 meeting, and while most of them were ratified by the council, the appointments of Hegwald and Police Chief Tristan Snyder were not approved on a split vote. Councilmembers John Bowley and Alex Wills voted to approve the reappointments and Rochell Schreckhise, Sandy Haynes and Kenny Stark voted against the measure.

Young’s appointment of City Attorney Jacklyn Paletta drew a motion by Bowley to reappoint, but the motion died for lack of a second. Paletta tendered her resignation effective immediately by the end of the May 4 meeting.

The council must approve a resolution stating that Snyder is unfit or unqualified to hold the police chief’s position by June 19, or the mayor’s appointment automatically goes into effect. Snyder has been with the city for more than a decade.

Hegwald was hired as city clerk September 2022 after being the long-time city clerk at Yates Center. She was promoted to a combined city administrator-city clerk post when former administrator Teresa Whitaker retired two years ago.

In a conversation last month following the appointment of a financial advisor for the city, Hegwald expressed disappointment in the council’s decision. She said it was unnecessary because the city was not in the middle of trying to pass a bond or taking other financial actions that would necessitate hiring a financial advisor.

Hegwald’s quiet but firm demeanor earned her respect from many of the city’s residents, however, a hike in the city’s mill levy for 2026 and passage of 1% sales tax to effect an overhaul of the city’s streets may have affected her relationship with the council, all of whom except Schreckhise have been appointed or elected over the past six months.

Last month, Hegwald announced to the council that she planned to retire in August. Timing for that announcement came days before her husband, Randy Hegwald, unexpectedly resigned his post as Linn County fire chief and emergency management director.