SLO County beach town gets a new city manager. What are his goals?
The Morro Bay City Council voted unanimously to hire John Craig as the new city manager Tuesday.
Craig starts as an “at will” employee on Wednesday, earning a salary of $240,777 per year, the staff report said.
With 25 years of experience in local government, he dedicated his life to public service — and he said he looks forward to supporting Morro Bay in achieving its goals.
“It was a place that I felt that I could really make a difference,” he told The Tribune.
Most recently, Craig served as the deputy county manager of Los Alamos in New Mexico, where he oversaw the management of a $377 million budget and $96 million general fund, the staff report said.
“I’ve been in the field for quite a long time, so getting to know a new community is always — not really a challenge — but it’s something that’s exciting,” he said. “I can bring my experience and my education to the topics that are going on there.”
After reviewing 70 applications, the city interviewed five candidates and selected Craig, the staff report said.
During his first year on the job, Craig plans to spend time meeting with city residents, staff and department heads to learn about the city’s priorities.
He’s looking forward to supporting the city’s efforts with Morro Elementary School, navigating the future of the Morro Bay Power Plant property and advocating for the city’s needs when it comes to the proposed offshore wind farm, he said.
He’d also like to support tourism while ensuring that long-term residents feel taken care of by the city, he said.
“I need to learn the Morro Bay way,” he said.
In addition to his salary, Craig will receive health, vision and dental benefits; a $50,000 life insurance policy; a car allowance of $500 per month; 20 vacation days; 12 sick days; 10 days of administrative leave and enrollment in CalPERs retirement benefits, the staff report said.
If the city terminates Craig’s employment without cause, he will leave with six months of his salary, the staff report said.
Craig moved to Morro Bay on Jan. 6, and has been shadowing interim city manager Andrea Leuker ever since.
Leuker jumped in as the interim city manager in July after the City Council abruptly dismissed former city manager Yvonne Kimball on June 24 without explanation. Leuker passed the torch to Craig at the meeting on Tuesday.
Craig has two children; the oldest is a sophomore at the University of Oregon, and the youngest is a junior in high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he said.
During the past week, he’s enjoyed walking to the ocean to watch the otters and seals swim, he said.
“How can you not be excited about being here?” he said.
