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BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
City Clerk Lesley Milton is leaving the city of Palo Alto after two years on the job, she said yesterday.
Milton revamped the city’s record-keeping, with a new searchable database that has all of council’s agendas, minutes, resolutions, ordinances and contracts.
Milton said she is taking a new position as assistant to the city manager in the city of St. Helena, a small town in Napa County.
Her last day in Palo Alto will be May 19.
“I hope that over my tenure I helped improve and stabilize processes, increase record access, and establish continuity in operations,” Milton said in an email.
A new job in St. Helena will allow Milton to work directly on public policy, economic development and community engagement, she said.
“I have capacity to be more impactful in my new position … this is an opportunity I did not want to pass up.”
Milton came to Palo Alto in June 2021 from Seaside, where she was the assistant city manager. She replaced Beth Minor, who worked in local government for 47 years.
A council committee will talk about how to fill the vacancy on Monday.
Milton was paid $175,000 a year, according to her contract.
The clerk is one of four council-appointed officers, in addition to the city manager, the city attorney and the city auditor.
Ms. Milton will be missed by our residents. She has increased community engagement given her recent record of increasing applicants to our various commissions. She has a Master’s degree in Public Administration as well as graduate degrees from Harvard and Yale in leadership courses. Unfortunately her role as our City Clerk did not permit her to best utilize these skills in Palo Alto, so I wish her well as she assumes greater responsibilities for the residents in St. Helena.