Lompoc city manager leaving for job in Northern California

LOMPOC, Calif. – Lompoc is looking for a new city manager.

On Tuesday night, Jim Throop, the city's current city manager announced he's resigning at the start of the year to take another job in Northern California.

Throop has served as Lompoc’s city manager since July 2018.

He says he is most proud of the work he and other leaders have done in the last three years to turn the city around — including balancing the budget — and adding a new 300-home project.

“I think I had gotten to the point where we had really turned that ship around here, put it on a better course," Throop said. "We have so many things laid out for it that I thought it was time for me to take that next step and go help another city.”

Throop says he will help the city find either a permanent or temporary replacement while making an outline of the projects in place to make the transition as smooth as possible.

One of the biggest challenges he sees for the city is finding and hiring enough staff to run recreational activities.