In Watsonville, Tamara Vides takes reins of a city government she’s spent a career supporting

Twenty years ago, Tamara Vides spent her time helping Watsonville’s youth finding their ideal career paths, fine-tuning resumés and helping secure, for many, their first jobs. Now, when Vides walks into a bank or a real estate office, she sees the lasting impact of her work in that early role as a youth employment specialist with the city. 

“Those memories, I just really need to see, because I know how much fun and how much good that was for those individuals that this job training touched,” said Vides. 

It was the first step in a long career of public service. Now Vides has reached a new milestone: becoming the city manager of Watsonville. Her appointment marks the first time a woman has held the position. 

The Watsonville City Council voted 4-1 to elevate Vides from interim to permanent city manager in August, with Councilmembers Casey Clark and Kristin Salicido absent from the vote. Mayor Vanessa Quiroz-Carter was the lone vote opposing giving Vides the job. She declined to comment for this story. 

Vides has held numerous roles in her more than 25 years working for the City of Watsonville, including assistant city manager, a budget analyst for the parks department and risk manager. 

Vides said she understands the significance of her appointment and is excited for what this means for women in public service. 

She’s part of a broader trend of women stepping into key public leadership roles in Watsonville, said District 1 Councilmember Eduardo Montesino. Four of the seven city council seats are held by women, including the mayor and mayor pro tempore. 

“An immigrant, Latina woman for the first time is leading the city. It is also a testament of who our city is, and who makes up our community, and the fact that we embrace who we are,” said Vides.

Prior to considering a career in public service, Vides studied dentistry in Venezuela. But she realized that career path would not give her as much fulfillment as the one she has now, she said. 

Vides’ predecessors, René Mendez and Matt Huffaker, resigned from their positions after taking city manager roles in other jurisdictions. Both times, Vides stepped in as interim city manager, and each experience gave her the confidence to believe that she could step into the role on a permanent basis. 

There’s a big difference between Vides and her predecessors, said Montesino. While Mendez and Huffaker were driving into the city, Vides had planted roots in Watsonville, he said. She lives and breathes Watsonville. 

“I have been here for 27 years, so I don’t have a plan to leave,” Vides said. 

It’s easier to get things done because there’s no need to explain: She already understands the needs of the community, said Montesino. Having someone local, like Vides, as city manager just made sense. 

“We know she loves the community,” said Montesino. “She’s a hard worker, and when she has a project that she’s working on she’ll achieve it because in her heart, she’s doing something for the community.”

Without a doubt, the city must continue to build on the work it’s been doing on housing affordability and homelessness, said Vides. The city holds a critical position as a convener and a partner to bring resources that enhances the lives of the unhoused or creates opportunities for more housing, she said. 

Vides helped organize a series of community workshops where city officials turned to residents for ideas to address the homelessness. Once Watsonville develops a vision for how it wants to tackle the issue, the city can find funding, said Vides. 

Potential solutions, including the development of a 34-bed “tiny village” shelter, can be controversial. Despite concerns raised by the city council and neighbors, the city’s planning department approved a zoning application for the project being jointly proposed by Santa Cruz and Monterey counties in September. A neighbor is appealing that decision.

City zoning officials said they were required to approve the project because it meets a criteria for creation of affordable housing that allows developers to supersede local control. 

Watsonville serves only as a processing agency, from a land-use perspective, said Vides, and must process the applications submitted by Monterey and Santa Cruz counties if they meet the right criteria. 

“Should that be our only role? That’s a question for the city council,” said Vides. “I think the council needs to continue to have that conversation with the community.”  

Vides hears the concerns residents have about the “tiny village.” The project doesn’t exist physically yet, she said, and if residents are currently facing other issues regarding crime and safety related to homelessness, it’s up to the city to hear their concerns and figure out how to address them. 

The City of Watsonville is in a challenging position because it can’t deny or put conditions on the look and feel of a project that creates affordable housing in accordance with the state’s goals, said Vides. 

She said the city is doing its best to bring Monterey and Santa Cruz counties on board to ensure that the community ends up with a well-managed project that doesn’t impact neighbors. 

Expanding youth development programs will also be a priority for Vides. It’s a key component of what’s in her heart, and calls back to her first job serving the community, she said. 

Vides plans to continue supporting the expansion of green spaces in Watsonville and revitalizing city parks. In addition, she wants to work on economic development alongside the city council, and highlight the existing business opportunities and resources Watsonville offers. 

Vides has a long road ahead and has to fill in some gaps on her team, said Montesino. Since she moved up to city manager, the assistant city manager position is vacant. Once she gets her own team in place, Montesino believes Vides will have a lot of success, especially on the development side. 

“I embrace service wholeheartedly, and I want to keep an open door for anyone that needs the city in any way that we can be of service,” said Vides. “It’s really what drives me, and I want to continue to do that.”

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