Town Manager Retires After Serving the Community of Mammoth Lakes for Over 10 Years

After serving as the Mammoth Lakes Town Manager for 10 years and 5 months, Daniel C. Holler will officially retire from public service on February 29, 2024.

Mr. Holler was officially hired by the Town Council on September 24, 2013 and began his role as Interim Town Manager on October 1, 2013. Town Council formally appointed Mr. Holler as the Town Manager on February 19, 2014.

After a career in public service spanning over 36 years, the Town wishes Mr. Holler all the very best in his retirement and new life in Wyoming with his wife Claudia.

“Dan has served the Town, our residents, visitors, and employees well. Under his leadership, engagement with the community, and positive working relationship with several Town Councils, we have seen the Town prosper,” stated Mayor Bill Sauser. “His approach to managing the Town’s budget, focusing on Council priorities, and investing in the community are hallmarks of his success in Mammoth Lakes. It was not unusual to see or hear about Dan attending and even volunteering at many community events and activities with a very unassuming manner. Not only was he a dedicated Town Manager, he also simply enjoyed being part of and contributing to the community. Along with my fellow Council members, we wish Dan all the best in his future endeavors.”

Mr. Holler’s positive impact on the Town of Mammoth Lakes is expansive and his dedication to building community and making Mammoth Lakes a great place to live, work, prosper, and play can be seen literally everywhere.

“Success in the public sector is an evolving process of making the most of opportunities, taking on challenges and implementing strategic initiatives,” said Holler. “Strategy in the public sector is about choosing to do things that make the greatest difference in people’s lives, focusing on actions that will strengthen the community, while understanding that you cannot do it all. Balancing the needs of residents, visitors, local businesses, and the Town organization while complying with legal mandates is the hardest part of being a Town Manager. The most enjoyable part is helping employees excel at their jobs, seeing the faces of people enjoying the Town’s amenities and events, and directly investing in growing families and local businesses. I am humbled and deeply satisfied that I was blessed to be a part of the growth of Mammoth Lakes.”

Some of Mr. Hollers accomplishments during his tenure as the Town Manager working with Town Council, Department Heads, employees, and community partners include the following:

• Managed an $84.6 million Town Budget, with a General Fund of $27.6 million (FY22-23) and approximately 106 full-time equivalent employees, including fully funding reserves and planned surpluses to be used for community investment. The evolution and financial management of the Town’s budget has been the key factor in the Town’s success over the past decade.
• Established a process for setting near term Council Priorities and Key Objectives to guide the Town’s work program.
• Directed strategic investments in Town personnel, equipment, and programs to enhance, improve, and expand core Town services.
• Worked closely with numerous community members and organizations to support numerous community project and programs (i.e., tourism marketing and messaging, renewed Chamber of Commerce, joint housing projects, fuels reduction work to reduce risk of wildfires, new trails, Town clean up, local events, emergency response, and community engagement).
• Assisted Council in securing “The Parcel”, a 25-acre undeveloped site in the center of Town for affordable housing. Initiated the “Plan the Parcel” process and completed the 2021 Parcel Master Plan that permits a not to exceed project total of 580 units on the site. The Town will celebrate the opening of the first face this spring/summer.
• Committed over $35 million of Town revenues to housing projects and programs with over 200 units completed, under construction or entitled.
• Implemented the Housing Now! Initiative programs.
• Invested in Parks and Recreation amenities to enhance community programming for ages 1-100 and provided leadership to invest over $1 million in deferred parks maintenance projects.
• Some of these projects include:
  • Rehabilitated the Whitmore Recreation Area ball fields, Whitmore Pool, Community Center, Community Tennis Courts, Trails End Park and the Shady Rest Park ball fields, pavilion, and bleachers.
  • Invested in the construction of the Mammoth Creek Park Inclusive Playground, new Pickleball Complex, Shady Rest DiscGolf Park, Community Dog Park, and support amenities.
• Assisted in the development, funding and partnerships supporting a new 40,000 sq ft Community Recreation Center (CRC), Home of LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes and the Mammoth Rec Zone.
• Assumed a leadership role in four disaster declarations – two for localized snow events; and State/Federal disaster declarations for COVID-19 and the 2023 Record setting winter. Actions included investing $3 million directly in community support and grants and over $1 million in emergency repair work.
• Worked with Mammoth Yosemite Airport personnel and partners to secure funding for airport capital projects, improvements, and the transition to supporting scheduled charter services to better serve the community and visitors and to maintain vital emergency air services.
• Enhanced free transit services with new bus shelters and fleet enhancements.
• New infrastructure and community amenity improvements included the new Police Station, new main street sidewalks, rehabilitation of numerous roads and the expansion and rehabilitation of multi-use paths and trails, expanded parking areas and installation of EV charging stations.
• Invested in the Town’s fleet, including new loaders and snow blowers to support the Town’s snow removal program and upgraded equipment to improve operational efficiencies.
• Enhanced childcare capacity as part of The Parcel affordable housing project and set in motion a planned new childcare project to meet the growing childcare needs of the community.
• Played a key role in the development and partner funding of a county-wide public safety communications plan currently being implemented.
• Partner in creation of regional partnerships such as the Eastern Sierra Council of Governments and the Eastern Sierra Sustainability Recreation Partnership and support for regional projects and programs.
• Led efforts working with franchised waste services provider to build a new solid waste transfer station and enhanced services meeting state mandates and improved recycling programs in the Town of Mammoth Lakes.
• Advocated for the Town to secure grant funds to support a variety of projects, programs and planning efforts, including managing certain grants, to bring in millions of dollars of investment over the past decade.

These accomplishments are reflective of Mr. Holler’s dedication, hard work, vision, and ability to roll his sleeves up with the community, Town Council, and his staff to achieve a wide diversity of accomplishments to improve the quality of life and experiences, for residents, businesses, and visitors of Mammoth Lakes.

“I am grateful for Dan’s leadership over the last seven plus years. He has been gracious with his time regarding the intricacy of municipal government,” stated recently appointed Town Manager, Mr. Rob Patterson. “He leaves a legacy of great accomplishments in his tenure with the Town, including an outstanding group of employees.” 

Mr. Holler began his government career in 1987 working for 7 years in southern California for the City of Glendora, and the City of West Covina, prior to transitioning in 1994 to Douglas County, NV as the Budget/Fiscal Officer, and County Manager. Prior to joining the Town of Mammoth Lakes, Mr. Holler served over 5 years as the City Administrator for Grass Valley in Nevada County. Working for the Town of Mammoth Lakes for over 10 years, rounds out a rewarding and impactful 36 plus year career in local government.

Happy Trails to you Dan!

– Town of Mammoth Lakes

News Staff