Santa Barbara City Administrator Rebecca Bjork will retire at the end of the year after 35 years on staff, the city announced Thursday.

Bjork has headed City Hall staff since September 2021, and previously spent many years as public works director.

She was acting city administrator after predecessor Paul Casey left in 2021, and was officially appointed to the position in February 2022.

Bjork said in a statement Thursday that she is proud of her accomplishments at the city and has enjoyed working there.

“I will sincerely miss the amazing staff I work with every day,” she said.

At Public Works, Bjork facilitated restricted-income housing projects, helped negotiate a water sales agreement with the Montecito Water District, and helped businesses return to Coast Village Road after the Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flows, City Hall staff said in a statement announcing her retirement.

Mayor Randy Rowse said in a statement he was “sad to see her go.”

He added: “My confidence in Ms. Bjork’s leadership and decision making is unwavering. Her management policies within the organization have ensured that the cupboard is not bare, and that our departments have solid continuing structures.”

City Hall has been struggling with staff recruitment and retention – as most other governmental agencies are – and morale, as shown in a 2022 employee survey.

Budget concerns led the city to drop its economic development manager and use reserve funds to make up deficits in the 2023-24 budget.

Bjork will leave in December, at the end of the calendar year.

The City Council will talk about recruiting a new City Administrator at a future meeting.

Santa Maria and Carpinteria are also losing their city managers this year.

Jason Stilwell is leaving Santa Maria in September after six years in the position, and Dave Durflinger is ending his long career at Carpinteria at the end of the year.

Durflinger is the county’s longest-serving city manager at 24 years.