Arroyo Grande appoints new city manager
ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. -- The Arroyo Grande City Council has appointed Whitney McDonald as new City Manager.
The council made the appointment official at its meeting on Tuesday night.
“I am deeply honored by the opportunity to serve this wonderful community as its City Manager, and am grateful for the support of the City Council, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director Bill Robeson, and our entire team of dedicated staff” says McDonald in a statement. “It has been my true pleasure to serve in my roles as Community Development Director and Acting Deputy City Manager, and I am excited to build upon the work that we and my predecessors have begun and to lead our organization into the future together.”
McDonald served as Arroyo Grande's Community Development Director since February, and also as the City’s Acting Deputy City Manager after the departure of former City Manager Jim Bergman in April.
She has a long history of local government service, including prior positions with the Nipomo Community Services District, City of San Luis Obispo, and County of San Luis Obispo.
McDonald is the fourth city manager for Arroyo Grande since 2014, following Bergman, Dianne Thompson and Steve Adams, who each left under controversial circumstances.
According to the salary schedule on the City's webpage, the City Manager position has an annual salary of $189,948.
Also announced at Tuesday's meeting, the City Council created the position of Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director and appointed the City’s current Public Works Director, Bill Robeson.
Robeson served as Acting City Manager following the departure of Bergamn in April.
A City statement said the Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director will support the City Council and City Manager in high priority/profile project management, organizational leadership, oversight of city departments and ensuring efficient and effective program, policy and problem solving implementation.
McDonald’s and Robeson’s positions are effective immediately.
Recruitment for a new Community Development Director will begin in the near future.
