City Manager's Office

The City Manager's role is to ensure that the policy direction set by the City Commission is implemented and that the City’s delivery of public services is provided in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Among the manager’s duties:

• Carrying out Commission policies and goals
• Ensuring effective and efficient delivery of City services
• Preparing and monitoring the annual budget
• Directing day-to-day operations of the City
• Attending City Commission meetings
• Recommending policies/programs to the City Commission
• Hiring and firing personnel
• Keeping the City Commission fully advised of the financial and other conditions of the City
• Supplying the City Commission with information to aid decision-making
• Serving as the City representative in various arenas

Daniela Rivas has been Newton's City Manager since January 2024. She previously served as the assistant city administrator/finance director in McPherson, as city administrator in Columbus, and as finance director in Park City and in Winfield.

She has a master’s degree in public administration from the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs at Wichita State University and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the W. Frank Barton School of Business at WSU. She is a 2017 graduate of the Certified Public Manager program at the University of Kansas and is a Credential Manager by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).