HAYWARD >> A city manager placed on leave by the Hayward City Council has resigned from her position.

Ana Alvarez’s resignation on June 24 capped a brief tenure at Hayward City Hall. Less than six months after she was hired, the City Council put Alvarez on paid administrative leave without any public explanation after a closed-session meeting on May 20.

The decision followed a series of performance evaluations of Alvarez. As part of her mysterious exit, the city will give her five months of severance pay, or $171,148. Had Alvarez been fired it would have been cheaper for the city, as she would have only been entitled to 90 days of severance pay and benefits.

“This parting of ways was amicable and without cause,” Acting City Attorney Mike Viglia said at the council’s June 24 meeting. “Dr. Alvarez is wished well.”

Alvarez’s total compensation was $505,391, including a $385,000 salary, according to the city.

The City Council named Library Services Director Jayanti Addleman as the new interim city manager.

The shakeup comes as Hayward faces a $12 million budget deficit and as Dustin Claussen, the assistant city manager, left for a job at the city of San Leandro.