“I am excited to welcome John to Fairfield,” said City Manager David Gassaway in a press release announcing Furtado’s hiring. “He brings a wide variety of experience in both the private and public sectors, and his depth of knowledge will be a great fit for our ongoing mission of organizational excellence. He has managed many complex budget projects throughout his career and has demonstrated a strong commitment to financial transparency and open government. John will be a great addition to our senior leadership team.”

“I am excited for the opportunity to support the city manager and the organization in implementing city council’s goals and priorities while maintaining a responsive and efficient Finance Department,” Furtado said of his new job. 

Los Altos City Manager Gabriel Engeland noted there was nothing in Furtado’s June 24 resignation letter to suggest he left for any other reason than a career move.

The loss of Furtado is the latest example of Los Altos’ difficulties in retaining management talent. The city has been hampered by employee turnover across several departments.

“John won’t be easy to replace,” Engeland said. “In the three prior budget years, ending in the 2020-2021 budget, we have lost 73% of the executives in the city, and 50% of the management class. It’s hard to build a sustainable and high-performing organization with that type of turnover.”

While with Los Altos, Furtado drafted citywide financial policies and implemented a plan for funding and maintaining the city’s new and aging assets.

Engeland said the city has hired a search firm to find Furtado’s replacement. 

“We hope to have candidates ready for interviews in the next three months,” he said.