The City of Maricopa has chosen Benjamin Bitter, its deputy town manager and chief product officer, to take over the city manager role July 1 as current manager Rick Horst transitions to a new role within the City..
Bitter said, “Following on the heels of such a great leader and mentor is a daunting task. Nonetheless, as we have worked together closely over the last 2½ years, I have seen Rick manage many difficult challenges, and I know that my capacity to do the same has been strengthened.” Horst will become the City’s first chief strategy officer.
Bitter was first hired by the City as capital improvement plan and engineering director in 2021 after nearly four years serving the Town of Florence as assistant to the city manager and director of intergovernmental relations and communications. Prior to that job he was city manager for Ashland, Kentucky, and senior management analyst for the City of Casa Grande.
Bitter has secured millions of dollars in outside funding for Maricopa projects and supervised many city departments. As chief product officer he’s in charge of delivering “products” or services, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He signed a three-year contract for the city manager position in December 2023 with an initial base salary of $242,000, to be increased by the same percentage as the other full-time executive managers receive.
“We are excited to welcome Ben as our new city manager,” Mayor Nancy Smith said. “His proven track record and passion for Maricopa’s development align perfectly with our vision for the city’s future.”
