Mayor Todd Gloria announced the appointment of Bethany Bezak as the city's new chief operating officer, reversing a 2025 decision to take over that role himself.
The appointment of Bezak, who serves as the city's chief performance and logistics officer, is subject to a Monday City Council vote.
"Bethany shares my administration's vision and values and has a proven ability to turn priorities into results," Gloria said Thursday. "She leads with respect for our employees, demands accountability and understands that San Diegans deserve responsive, dependable service from their city government. She is ready to build on the progress we have made and lead our organization forward."
In February 2025, Gloria cut 31 positions from the city government, intended to save around $5.3 million annually. One of those positions slashed was the city's chief operating officer, a position then held by Eric Dargan since September 2022. Gloria at the time thanked Dargan for his service.
"When I assumed direct oversight of city operations, my priority was to stabilize our finances and strengthen the organization," Gloria said. "We have made substantial progress. Bethany's appointment builds on that foundation, with a clear charge to sustain our fiscal discipline, support our employees and improve the services San Diegans rely on."
Those 2025 cuts at City Hall came "after months of careful review and consideration of potential reductions and consolidations," officials said.
In June of that year, the city agreed to a $146,000 settlement with Dargan following a discrimination suit, with Dargan saying he was not given three months of severance pay, in breach of contract. Gloria then seemed to about-face, saying Dargan was fired for cause and thus was not owed severance pay.
Councilman Henry Foster III, the council's budget committee chair, attempted to undo Gloria's office taking over the COO position in 2025. He said the mayor was in over his head on how to manage the day-to-day operations of the city. Foster reiterated those claims following last month's trash fee debacle, where more than 87,000 city residents were incorrectly billed for solid waste services.
"The mayor needs to look in the mirror and if he can't do the job, he needs to step down," Foster said in September.
If the council approves Bezak's appointment Monday, it will cap the next step in her career, which began in San Diego's city government in 2020 as part of the stormwater department. From 2020 to 2023, she served in successive leadership roles in that department, eventually serving as director. From 2023 to 2025, Bezak served as director of the transportation department before transitioning to her current role as performance and logistics officer — overseeing the city's transportation, general services, purchasing and contracting and other departments.
"Every day, thousands of city employees show up before sunrise and dedicate themselves to serving our residents," Bezak said. "As Chief Operating Officer, my commitment is to support them, remove barriers to success, and ensure we deliver the high-quality services our communities deserve. Continuing to work alongside Mayor Gloria and this leadership team will be the greatest privilege of my career."
She holds bachelor's degrees in civil engineering and architecture from Lawrence Technological University and a master's degree in biological systems engineering from Virginia Tech.
"Bethany is an expert in her field, a professional manager, and a consummate public servant," said City Council President Joe LaCava. "She leads with a steady hand, a focus on exceeding expectations, and the candor we need during challenging times. I look forward to a strong and communicative partnership with our next COO."
Councilman Stephen Whitburn also backed Bezak's appointment, calling her "impressive."
Brigette Browning, president of the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, thanked Gloria for taking on the role of COO, while welcoming Bezak's experience.
"Working families count on city services that work and on the public employees who deliver them," Browning said. "Bethany is a proven leader who has managed large public workforces with respect and delivered real improvements in neighborhoods that have waited too long for them. This is a good decision for workers in San Diego and the communities they serve."
