After nine months, Arroyo Grande is getting a permanent city manager, and his face is already a familiar one at City Hall. San Luis Obispo County Planning Commissioner and Building Director James Bergman was hired by the city council Tuesday, effective May 1. He will earn a base salary of around $179,000 plus benefits.
Bergman has worked for the city before in a variety of different planning positions, including planning manager. The city said he always longed to come back to Arroyo Grande and serve as its city manager.
Fifty people had applied for the position, which was left vacant after the termination of Dianne Thompson last year. In addition to his work for San Luis Obispo County and Arroyo Grande, Bergman has served as community development, planning and building director for the town of Windsor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Chico and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Cal Poly.
KSBY and The Tribune have more on Bergman’s appointment.