The search for a new city manager in Morro Bay is apparently over, as the City Council reached out to New Mexico to find its new chief executive.
On Dec. 10, Rachael Hendricks the City’s Human Resources Manager, announced they had hired John Craig to be the new full time City Manager, replacing interim C.M. Andrea Lueker.
Craig has more than 25 years “of leadership experience in city and county government,” Hendricks said in a news release, “including roles in financial management, infrastructure planning and organizational leadership.”
Craig is slated to start with the City Jan. 13, after the City Council publicly votes to approve his contract.
Craig earned a master’s degree in public policy administration from Columbia University. He has worked as city manager of Barre, Vt.; county manager of Talbot County, Md.; deputy city manager of Rio Rancho, N.M.; assistant county administrator of Mono County, Calif.; and deputy director of general services in Albuquerque, N.M.
Most recently he’s been the deputy county manager for Los Alamos County, New Mexico. Hendricks said in Los Alamos County “he oversaw finance, IT, broadband, and community services and played a central role in delivering a $35 million countywide broadband expansion that reached every home in the community.”
The mayor welcomed Craig. “We are happy to welcome John Craig as the new City Manager of Morro Bay,” Mayor Carla Wixom said. “With John’s extensive experience and commitment to community engagement, I am confident that he will lead our city with integrity and vision. Together, we will work to enhance the quality of life for our residents and honor the unique spirit of Morro Bay.”
Craig said he was drawn to Morro Bay by its natural beauty, strong sense of identity, and the clear passion residents and staff have for their community, according to Hendricks. He said his experience with long financial range planning, infrastructure projects, and “collaborative problem-solving aligns closely with Morro Bay’s current priorities and ongoing initiatives,” Hendricks said.
“I am honored to join Morro Bay and grateful for the trust the City Council and community have placed in me,” Craig said. “My goal is to listen first, learn quickly and work together to support the Council’s goals and maintain the high-quality services that reflect Morro Bay’s values.”
Craig added that he feels most at home in places “that value nature, history, and a strong sense of place,” which Hendricks said he sees throughout Morro Bay. When he’s not behind a desk, Craig reportedly enjoys hiking nature trails and visiting natural areas, and “expanding his rock-tumbling collection.” He’ll find plenty of those places in the Estero Bay Area.
Craig is a fan of the Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball Team and jokes that it “requires equal parts optimism and patience.”
Craig is married to wife Jennifer and has a daughter, Harper, 19, who attends the University of Oregon, and Sabine, a junior in high school.
Craig becomes the full-time replacement for former City Manager, Yvonne Kimball, who was fired by the City Council earlier this year. Lueker, who was the Morro Bay City Manager and was fired in 2013 by a former City Council, came out of retirement to fill in while the search was conducted for a new permanent manager.
The City Council had hired a search firm, Peckham & McKenney, to lead the hunt for a new city manager.
Hendricks said, “The search drew candidates from across the nation. The City Council considered several highly qualified individuals and incorporated the results of the Community Survey into their decision-making process.”
Craig came out on top of the applicant pool, Hendricks said, “based on his extensive experience, leadership approach, and alignment with Morro Bay’s priorities.”
As for pay, Hendricks told Estero Bay News that he is being hired at the bottom level of the salary range (Step 1) for the job. “John Craig will start at Step 1 of the 5-step salary range, which is $240,777 annually.”
The City Council before it started the search for a new city manager, increased the salary range by $20,000, “for a more competitive recruitment.”
She added that further details on his compensation package including benefits would become public with the Council’s Jan. 13 meeting, when his contract will be included in the agenda packet.
