Morro Bay approves new city manager contract

August 28, 2014
David Buckingham

David Buckingham

The Morro Bay City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve a contract for a controversial former Army Colonel hired as the new city manager.

In total compensation, the city council voted to pay David Buckingham $199,000 for his first year. The council also agreed to pay $15,000 for Buckingham to move his family from Virginia.

Councilwoman Nancy Johnson was the lone vote against the contract. Shortly after information surfaced that the retiring Army colonel had an employment dispute with the city of Bishop, Johnson became skeptical of him.

In addition to Buckingham’s employment dispute with Bishop, the Army colonel is also recently removed from a job in the military. Following a July 4, 2013 incident in Vicenza, Italy, in which Buckingham verbally quarreled with a military policeman, Army brass removed him from his position of base commander.


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Why doesn’t anyone besides Kevin Rice use their real names in these forums?


I just noticed a couple of other folks who use their real names when posting here, that’s

refreshing to see! You would think that people who have such strong opinions on these subjects would be willing to stand behind those opinions by signing their real names to them.


I’m not surprised to see a couple of “thumbs down” on my first posts on this forum, I was hoping to see some comments as to why people don’t use their real names here.


It would be interesting to know who the people are behind the monikers that are used on this forum.


I’m wondering if the posters here include people I bump into in Morro Bay, perhaps a former Mayor of Morro Bay, former city council members, members of one or more of Morro Bay Advisory boards, journalists from the local print media?


I used to follow the forums on the Tribune website, those forums are now quiet, due to the Tribune now requiring posters to use their real names.


Hey Jack, stick to cruising around on your skateboard, your claim to fame. Most admirable for a grown man.


And you are? I skateboard for fun and exercise, why does that bother you?


Perhaps you should ask your landlord Mr. Smith.


Simply amazing that this council could hire this man,with the problems brought out in the open as to what has been going on with him you would think that a sane council would run away from this problem. And it seems we are paying him much more than our previous manager,I see no saving of money here,along with the consoladation of our city dispatch services,this also is going to be a problem,I see in the KSBY news feed that the dispatch for Oceano was nothing but a cluster that took a lot longer than it should have for a response,this isn’t going to help us either.

We are going to be in for one heck of a ride here in the near future,someone had better start up the recall petition again and see about getting rid of this loon we have for a mayor.


Political bullshit at its finest. Graduates of the Paso school of cronyism.


This guy lost his commission in the military and is forced out. He has no municipal experience and the City of Morro Bay hires him? What idiots are running the City? I see huge pay raises for top level staff at this City. What a joke? Irons wants someone who will take orders and do the dirty work and that is what they hired.


Exactly, and that’s why he’ll fit in just perfectly!