Paso Robles council to hire new city manager

November 16, 2015

The Paso Robles City Council is expected to hire the city manager of Pacific Grove as the replacement for Jim App, who is retiring from his role as the city’s chief executive at the end of the year. [Tribune]

Thomas Frutchey, 65, has served as city manager of the coastal Monterey County city for the last six years. He emerged from a field of 48 candidates for the Paso Robles position, and the city council is slated to formally hire Frutchey during its meeting Tuesday evening.

Frutchey has previously held city manager jobs in Oxnard, Campbell and Los Altos Hills. He has also worked as the vice president of the Center for Policy Studies in Camarillo, vice president of Underground Technology Inc. in Ventura and president of Borla Performance Industries in Oxnard.

Of the 48 applicants, seven were interviewed by panels consisting of city council members, professionals, community members and Mayor Steve Martin. The city council re-interviewed the top three candidates.

If the council hires Frutchey on Tuesday, he will take over as Paso Robles city manager on Jan. 17. Assistant City Manager Meg Williamson will serve as acting city manager when App retires on Dec. 30.

City officials have yet to disclose the proposed terms of Frutchey’s contract.

App’s current salary is $194,000. The salary range for the Paso Robles city manager position is $150,000 to $225,000.

App is retiring after having spent 25 years as an employee of Paso Robles and 18 year as its city manager.

In 2012, App guided the city through a sex scandal that led to the ousting of police chief Lisa Solomon, who he once referred to in an email as “Lovely Lisa Meter Maid.” App survived calls for his firing during public protest of the city’s handling of the Solomon affair.

App said Frutchey has the right mix of public and private sector experience the city council was looking for. The main challenges Frutchey will face are the city’s slow recovery from the recession and potential groundwater litigation, App said.

Frutchey said App has set a really high standard and that he is eager to get to work.