A longtime city official, Charles B. Strome III, who has served as New Rochelle City Manager for the past two decades, will retire at the end of this year

NEW ROCHELLE—A longtime city official, Charles B. Strome III, who has served as New Rochelle City Manager for the past two decades, will retire at the end of this year, the city announced on March 9.

Strome announced his retirement to the City Council at its March 8 meeting and will remain with the city until Dec. 31. His length of service to the city spans 33 years when he first joined city government in 1989 as Director of Emergency Services. In 1992 he became Assistant City Manager/City Coordinator and was appointed Deputy City Manager in 1995, Acting City Manager in April 2002 and then City Manager in November 2002. Prior to joining city government, Strome held positions at Hudson Westchester Radio where he was News Director, Vice President and Program Director.

“It has been my honor to serve the City of New Rochelle for the past 33 years, including 20 years as City Manager,” said Strome. “I would like to thank all the hard-working city staff I have worked with and the various elected officials who have served with me. New Rochelle has always been a great place to live, work and raise a family. I am confident that the city government is in great shape and the current staff is more than ready to lead the city into the future.”

City Manager Strome’s achievements during his tenure as the chief administrative officer for the city include presenting annual budget estimates to City Council, many of which were prepared in the face of distressing economic challenges including a recurring state tax cap, the financial collapse of 2008 and most recently, the global pandemic.

City officials noted that despite these adverse circumstances, the city was able to maintain secure financial footing and even more, prosperity with a strong fund balance and most recently, an upgraded bond rating. Over the years, he worked to build and maintain city staff by attracting a professional leadership team, advocating for the retention and expansion of essential service personnel, and ensure workforce stabilization by negotiating multi-year contracts with the city’s seven unions.

While economic factors prohibited substantive growth in the first decades of 2000, downtown revitalization and development efforts marked Strome’s latest years, with the passage of a Downtown Overlay Zone that attracted more than $2.2 billion of new investment. The city’s infrastructure also received much-needed improvements, with expanded paving programs, stormwater enhancements, equipment upgrades, master plans for a number of city parks, and new maintenance facilities for Parks and Public Works crews. Strome worked with officials, staff and community partners to coordinate the city’s response to local disasters including Nor’easters, hurricanes and tropical storms; and most recently to the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering critical services to residents and those most needy through programs like Nourishall and NewRoStrong. Throughout the years, he built strong relationships with municipal leaders from neighboring communities and worked collaboratively with elected representatives at all levels of government to address common concerns, city officials noted.

“Across decades of public service, Chuck has shaped and led a City Administration characterized by integrity, civility, and kindness, while also tackling some of the most consequential challenges and intense crises in our city’s history,” said New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson. “He will leave office with an unparalleled record of accomplishment and with a legacy of achievement sure to endure for many years, as well as the respect and affection of countless colleagues, and the bipartisan trust of multiple City Councils. I know I speak for all of us in saying It has been a personal privilege to work at Chuck’s side, to observe firsthand his deep commitment to the welfare of our community, and to benefit from his wide-ranging experience, straightforward candor, and calm demeanor. I am proud to call Chuck a friend and wish him success and joy in the next chapter of his life.”

Strome serves as Chair of the New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency, the Chair of the New Rochelle Corporation for Local Development, a member of the Executive Committee of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association, and the Co-Chair of the City School District’s District Wide Health and Safety Committee and Save Committee. Professionally, Strome is a member of the International City Managers’ Association, and former president of the New York State City / County Managers Association. He is also past President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Municipal Administrators Association of Metropolitan New York.

Strome’s accomplishments been recognized by the Chamber of Commerce, the Calabria Society, Boys’ and Girls’ Club of New Rochelle, New Rochelle Youth Bureau and New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence. He has been a proud resident of New Rochelle for 27 years. The city announced that a national search is planned for Strome’s replacement.