City Manager Shawn Lewis has announced his plans to retire effective Aug. 31, concluding seven years leading the City of Englewood and a 28-year career in municipal government.

Lewis joined Englewood in August 2019 after serving as assistant city manager for the City of Longmont. Since then, he has worked with the City Council, employees and community partners through a period marked by significant investment in public safety, infrastructure, neighborhood engagement and long-term planning.

"Serving the City of Englewood has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career," Lewis said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside exceptional employees, an engaged City Council and community members that are passionate about its future. Together, we've built a strong foundation that I hope and believe will benefit Englewood for years to come."

During Lewis' tenure, the city improved its bond rating to AA+, adopted its first Council-led strategic plan and established a comprehensive capital improvement program to guide future investments.

His administration also oversaw some of the largest infrastructure projects in the city's history. Those efforts included major stormwater improvements, rehabilitation of aging water infrastructure, significant street investments and voter-approved renovations to parks and recreation facilities.

Lewis championed programs designed to strengthen neighborhoods and encourage civic participation. Under his leadership, the city created its award-winning Neighborhood Resources Program, expanded public engagement through initiatives such as Elevate Englewood and Neighborhood Nights, and developed long-range communications, accessibility and community engagement plans.

Public safety was another focus. During Lewis' tenure, the city expanded its police department following voter approval of the 2022 public safety tax, implemented recommendations from Englewood's Police Reform Task Force and established a restorative justice program that has served more than 300 participants while maintaining a recidivism rate below 4 percent.

Lewis also helped shape regional efforts to address homelessness through the Tri-Cities Homelessness Initiative, bringing together neighboring communities and service providers to coordinate resources. According to the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative's Point-in-Time Survey, Englewood's unsheltered homelessness population declined by approximately 50 percent between 2023 and 2026.

Beyond city operations, Lewis renewed Englewood's sister city partnership with Belm, Germany, helping transform it into an active student exchange program. The program now gives students from both communities the opportunity to live with host families, experience another culture firsthand and build relationships that extend well beyond the exchange.

Mayor Othoniel Sierra said Lewis leaves behind an organization that is well positioned for the future.

"Shawn has led Englewood through a period of meaningful change while keeping the organization focused on long-term success," Sierra said. "We appreciate his years of service and the lasting impact he has had on our community. He will be missed and we wish him the very best in retirement."

Lewis provided the City Council with 60 days' notice to allow time for recruitment of the city's next manager and to support an orderly transition. He will remain in the role through Aug. 31.

In retirement, Lewis plans to spend more time working on his family's ranch in Texas, volunteering with Denver-area nonprofits focused on homelessness and youth empowerment and return to his lifelong passion of renovating older homes.

Information about the city manager recruitment process will be released as it becomes available.