It appears Arroyo Grande city manager’s days are numbered

June 21, 2016
Arroyo Grande City Manager Dianne Thompson

Arroyo Grande City Manager Dianne Thompson

The Arroyo Grande City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday to immediately place its controversial General Manager Dianne Thompson on paid administrative leave.

In Aug. 2015, Thompson began working as city manager for an annual compensation of approximately $229,000, including salary and benefits. During the past 10 months, members of the public and the council have questioned Thompson’s performance.

For example, Thompson’s contract called for her to set a meeting to discuss her goals and priorities for the city within 45 days of employment. Thompson, however, never set the meeting. Thompson also failed to set performance reviews as required by her contract.

Upon her hire, Thompson touted the importance of transparency. However, under her leadership city phones often went unanswered and Thompson refused to return phone calls to many members of the press and public.

In closed session, the council voted to have Director of Public Works Geoff English serve as city manager for one week.

On June 29, the city council is slated to further discuss Thompson”s employment.

After 14 years as city manager, in Nov. 2014, the Arroyo Grande City Council voted unanimously to place Steve Adams on paid administrative leave after reviewing an investigation into an alleged sex scandal. The council then voted to terminate Adams and search for a new city manager.

 


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AGDUDE IS BACK!.. What in the Sam Hill do you expect Nothing has Changed the Clowns are still running the zoo, Like you Arlow guthrie.. and ole Brownie button, and ole Chowder head Barneich, If the people you have running your city have very little skill that’s what you get, and not to be forgotten Mayor the clown Hill..


Clean house , its not too late for the Dude to Abide!


Really folks,wake up.. What a joke this is real no one is laughing. We all need more moon beams,no we do not!


Usually search firms have a year warranty on their placement. Hold their feet to the fire.


It’s not like A.G. would be attractive after the Steve & Big Tony debacle.

I hear Big Tony is returning to town to host the AG in Bloom convention ( awkward!).”I’m the ousted mayor here to welcome you!” What kinda BS is that? and the AG council gave them $$$$ to support the cause.


Folks, AG cannot even buy a fire hose , so supporting “fluffy” causes is so ridiculous.


Good luck to the Council Tuesday.

Cut your losses and let her go

She is gonna sue anyway you write it.


There is more to this to come. The background story is that a group of Arroyo Grande citizens contacted a group of us Cotati Citizens back at Christmastime when they had gut feelings that something was up with Dianne Thompson. We told them the “real history” of Dianne Thompson, our ex-city manager.


If it happens that the city ends up in a search for a new city manger as least lets not use Peckham & McKenney this time. It is clear their screening process needs a lot of work.


I guess this answers the question as to whether Guthrie and Barneich are going to run this fall, no way they would have voted with Mayor Hill and Council member Brown on this unless they are gearing up for an election. I for one do not have that short of a memory and regardless of the recent number of their votes that are good for the city they have way too many previous votes for the status quo, Ferrara and the Old Boys Club. They need to go.


You may want to see em a message , like it’s best you folk’s do not run.. New blood needed..