Phoenix City Council Considers Rehiring Former Manager Ed Zuercher

As the leadership baton prepares to change hands in Phoenix, the city council looks to a familiar face to guide its future. Ed Zuercher, who dedicated over three decades to Phoenix’s municipal service, is poised to return as city manager.

In a recent update to the council’s agenda, an agreement has surfaced to bring Zuercher back, a decision that highlights his extensive tenure with the city—most notably, nearly ten years in the city manager’s seat. For more details about his previous tenure, visit this link.

Following Zuercher’s departure, Jeff Barton took over the role of city manager in 2021. With Barton’s impending retirement in November, the council seems prepared to turn once more to Zuercher, especially in light of his commendable management of the city’s finances after the Great Recession. For more insights on Barton’s departure, click here.

For the past two years, Zuercher has been at the helm of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), a regional planning body focusing on transportation, homelessness, and air quality issues. More on his recent work with MAG can be found here.