The San Diego City Council today unanimously approved Bethany Bezak as the city's new chief operating officer, ending a 20- month period of Mayor Todd Gloria assuming responsibility for the roll.
Members of the public, along with bureaucrats who have worked with Bezak during her seven-year stint with the city, described her as hard working, no-nonsense and thoughtful.
"I selected Bethany to be the city's new chief operating officer because she is a proven leader who understands this organization, respects the employees who keep our city running and has the experience and judgment to turn priorities into results," Gloria said. "I'm grateful for the City Council's unanimous vote of confidence in her leadership as well, and the thoughtful consideration they gave this appointment.
"We still have work ahead — to build more homes, keep neighborhoods safe, repair our infrastructure, maintain fiscal discipline, and make city government more responsive to the people it serves. I look forward to doing that alongside Bethany and the City Council."
She will be paid $460,000, and her benefits package increases the total to $541,000 paid by the city. The council voted 8-0 to approve Bezak, with Councilman Stephen Whitburn absent.
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.
Some of those speaking at Monday's meeting said the appointment of a new COO was overdue.
Councilman Henry Foster III, one of Gloria's biggest critics in recent months, asked Bezak about her plans for equity, fairness and transparency before backing her. He also used his time to sharply criticize the mayor.
"This administration continues to have challenges," he said, describing Gloria's office as making misstep after misstep.
Foster 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. He then reiterated those claims following last month's trash fee debacle, where more than 87,000 city residents were incorrectly billed for solid waste services.
"Hiring a COO now does not undo the trash fee disaster, it just means that someone else has to clean up after the mayor," Foster said. "I want to thank the mayor for considering and admitting this change was needed.
Bezak's career began in San Diego's city government 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 the role she served in as of Monday — 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."
Bezak 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," City Council President Joe LaCava said. "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."
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."
