The Folsom City Council has officially dropped the “interim” label from Sari Dierking’s title, tapping the longtime city attorney’s office insider as the city’s permanent legal chief and successor to former City Attorney Steve Wang, who left earlier this year.
The council gave its final approval Tuesday night, according to the Sacramento Bee. The outlet reports that Dierking holds a juris doctor from the UC College of the Law, San Francisco, along with a bachelor’s degree in political science from California Polytechnic State University, and that she spent roughly a decade working for Folsom before stepping into the interim role. In a statement, Dierking said she looks forward to offering legal counsel that “protects the city’s interests and supports good governance.”
Charter review sets the context
Dierking’s appointment lands as Folsom rethinks who the city attorney should ultimately answer to. The 2026 Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee has recommended shifting the position so that the city attorney reports directly to the City Council instead of the city manager, according to the City of Folsom.
Council action and the interview process
The council has approved placing that proposed charter amendment on the November ballot, setting voters up to decide whether to change the oversight structure, the Sacramento Bee reported. In written comments, City Manager Bryan Whitemyer said Dierking “demonstrated exceptional leadership” while serving in the interim role and noted that her hiring process included two interview panels: one composed of community members and another made up of outside attorneys and executive staff.
Background and next steps
City information pages list Dierking as the primary legal contact at City Hall and show her as part of Folsom’s executive management team, according to the City of Folsom. Archived meeting materials and staff reports identify her as interim counsel in recent filings, including a Sacramento staff packet that names her directly, according to official records.
