Mayor Swearengin said, "We certainly wish him well ... but he's made it known that he's not going to be in the search for the permanent position that I'll be hiring in the next month or two. He's really served the city well but I think he's ready to move on and try something different."
"I have tremendous respect for Mayor Swearengin, and Mayor Autry, and even Patterson before that. It's been a good run, but now I think it's time now to look at other career opportunities and things that hold out there in the future," said Souza.
Souza's resignation will take effect in January. He has been a Fresno city employee for 24 years. Meanwhile, Swearengin says she plans to name his replacement within the next 30 to 45 days.
