Folsom recruits city attorney while voters may decide role’s future
Folsom is hiring a new city attorney to replace Steve Wang, who departed the role earlier this year. However, the hiring process comes amid a potential change to the city attorney position.
City Council members are considering a ballot measure that would ask voters to amend the city charter so the city attorney reports directly to the council rather than the city manager. If that proposal comes to fruition, City Manager Bryan Whitemyer said the hiring process could look a little different, with the City Council playing a more active role.
The 2026 Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee brought forth the proposal. In April, charter review committee members discussed how the current structure gives the city manager “significant control over the position.”
Candidate interviews are expected to take place in the coming weeks, according to the job posting, and a finalist will likely be identified next month.
If the council places the charter amendment on the November ballot and voters approve it, the shift likely wouldn’t come until after a new city attorney is named.
City Council members have expressed initial support for the city attorney reporting directly to them, which Whitemyer said he’s keeping in mind as the recruitment process progresses. The current hiring process is led by the city manager.
“Let’s just treat it as if it were changing, and so we’re going to treat it much like a city manager interview,” Whitemyer said. “Maybe (with) some nuances that the city manager is probably more heavily involved in this one than would be in future ones.”
Preliminary interviews would likely involve two panels, Whitemyer said. One would be a community panel consisting of two community members and two councilmembers, while the other would include outside attorneys and members of Folsom’s executive management team.
“Since we’ll have experts in the field, they will be able to determine if this individual is truly knowledgeable in the field of law and municipal law, but then since we’ll have members of the community, they will be able to share their experience of what they would like to see,” Whitemyer said.
Finalists were expected to be interviewed by Whitemyer and the City Council in a closed session, Whitemyer said. However, the council would approve the hiring agreement in open session.
While the city hopes to identify a candidate by the end of July, he said, the finalist might not start right away, depending on who gets the position.
When looking at candidates, Whitemyer said he wants someone who values community service and can help the city navigate potential risks.
“We want a city attorney that will help us be in media reports because of positive aspects not because of things we failed to do,” Whitemyer said.
He said the next city attorney, who would help oversee the department’s $1.4 million budget, could accomplish that by assisting with daily operations, personnel decisions, future development and roadway projects.
“If we operate under the rules, it helps build community trust,” Whitemyer said.
Applications for the position closed in late May, according to the job posting. It requires candidates to have a juris doctorate, five years of public law experience in California and active membership in the State Bar of California. The position offers a salary range of about $252,000 to nearly $307,000, with monthly auto and technology allowances of $400 and $100, respectively.
Wang was paid $291,841 last year, according to previous Bee reporting.
A final public hearing for proposed charter amendments is expected June 23, according to a May presentation, followed by a final vote July 14 on which, if any, amendments the council will place on the ballot for voter approval.
Two other amendments — one to increase individual campaign contribution limits to $500 and another to allow the City Council to delegate authority to boards and commissions — are also being considered.
