Sarah Knecht had one foot out the door.
After nearly 35 years in public law, Knecht was ready to walk into retirement.
But those around her, especially Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, had other ideas. In 2022, he asked her to not only stay, but step into the top spot as city attorney.
“My whole office asked me to take the job,” Knecht told the News-Press. “It was too great an honor to turn down.”
The decision added an extra three years to her career, but now Knecht is finally walking away and ready to travel, garden, and “delight in the freedom of time.”
The City Council honored Knecht at a recent meeting, showering her with accolades, including a resolution and a bouquet of pink roses and flowers.
Knecht never saw herself as an attorney, but a few flashpoints in her life led her on that journey.
She was inspired in high school by consumer advocate Ralph Nader and wanted to become one of “Nader’s Raiders.” Later, she loved a constitutional law class.
“Due to my significant challenges with dyslexia, however, I never had any concept that I could be a lawyer,” Knecht said.
Her father was the deputy director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and when the California Coastal Act was passed in 1976 he suggested she find a job in a coastal city. A native of Boulder, Colorado, Knecht first worked as an urban planner and cities and counties in California
But she wanted more.
“I realized that I wanted to have a deeper involvement in government which led me to law school,” Knecht said.
She graduated from McGeorge School of Law and then worked for private law firms, focusing on real estate.
In 2004, she was hired by the city of Santa Barbara.
She held multiple roles as attorney for the city, advising on real property transactions, ordinances, contracts, the Brown Act, the California Public Records Act.
She advised on important land use issues, such as the construction of the new Santa Barbara Airport terminal, re-activation of the desalination pipeline, dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency, efforts to revitalize the Paseo Nuevo Mall and many affordable housing projects.
She also worked on enforcement of short-term vacation rental laws, and enhancing tenant rights.
She had a stint as a litigator defending the city against a Santa Barbara Channelkeeper lawsuit alleging violations of the Clear Water Act.
Members of the City Council described her as an attorney with integrity.
“Before even when you were in the chair on the front lines you were quietly behind the scenes always approaching things with bravery, without fear, and leading from a heart-centered place,” said councilwoman Kristen Sneddon. “I really appreciate the leadership you showed in the City Attorney’s office, but also the City Administrator’s office.”
In 2023, Knecht replaced the retiring Rebecca Bjork as interim City Administrator, prior to the hire of Kelly McAdoo, who fills that role now.
“In that moment, you were who we could trust to lead with fairness, without an agenda of your own and to do what’s best for the city,” Sneddon said.
Knecht was promoted to City Attorney in 2022, replacing former City Attorney Ariel Calonne, whose employment was terminated by the City Council after a heated incident with an undisclosed assistant city attorney.
Knecht saw her role as that of someone who should be trusted, not necessarily liked.
“I try to be that person that each council member can go to with a question and get an answer that is not swayed by politics or personal opinion, but based solely on legal requirements, transparency, and operating within the bounds of existing city policies,” Knecht said. “I try to be that person that can say ‘no’ to political leaders and staff. Not a job likely to win friends, but it does win trust.”
She earned that trust from councilwoman Meagan Harmon.
“It’s so rare to find a lawyer with such incredible skill in the letter of the law, and with also an ability and understanding of how that law works in practice,” Harmon said. “That has been such a gift to the city.”
Harmon took it further.
“As a woman, as a woman lawyer, not only have I learned from you substantive elements of the law, but also process-wise, how the practice of law should work,” Harmon said. “As a professional in the same world, those are lessons that I will take with me and will influence my career.”
Knecht, 68, said she is retiring so that she can enjoy Santa Barbara more and she plans to get involved in various activities and activism in town. She has a daughter and stepson and is looking to travel more also.
“I travel the world with my daughter,” Knecht said. “They are the light of my life, along with my crazy dog.”
John Doimas will replace Knecht as city attorney.
“I am confident I am leaving the city attorney’s office in excellent hands,” Knecht said at the recent council meeting. She frequently turned around to smile and thank a row of attorneys who showed up to celebrate her.
“John together with Tava (Ostrenger) in her new role will lead the department into the future with solid leadership and compassion,” Knecht said.
