ITHACA, N.Y. (RNS) — City Manager Deborah Mohlenhoff has stepped down after the Common Council requested her resignation, Mayor Robert Cantelmo announced Wednesday. Mohlenhoff, Ithaca’s first city manager, had served since 2024 and was under contract through 2026. The council said it sought “fresh leadership before the new year” and did not allege wrongdoing.
Her departure follows a turbulent budget season in which officials discovered a $2.1 million deficit caused by a software error. The shortfall prompted closed‑door executive sessions and heightened tensions between Mohlenhoff and council members. Sources told The Ithaca Voice the council had considered terminating her before reaching the resignation agreement.
Cantelmo praised Mohlenhoff’s tenure, noting she stabilized city operations during a period of transition. Mohlenhoff, a former council member and chief of staff to ex‑Mayor Laura Lewis, said in a statement it was a “genuine privilege” to serve and expressed confidence in the systems she helped establish. Deputy City Manager Dominick Recckio will serve as acting city manager beginning Jan. 1, 2026.
