The Arroyo Grande City Council unanimously voted to terminate City Manager Diane Thompson during a closed session meeting on Tuesday.
The Council also voted unanimously to appoint Public Works Director, Geoff English, as the Acting City Manager.
As with most personnel issues, the city is not legally allowed to say too much on the subject.
Thompson’s started with a base salary of $179,000 annually. Her contract states she is an “at will” employee and can be terminated at anytime “as determined by the affirmative votes of a majority of the members of the city council at a regular meeting of the city council.”
The agreement further states that the city will pay a lump sum of six months of the base salary and a lump sum equal to six months of health benefits at the value of the city’s contribution.
Should Thomson voluntarily leave her position, there is no obligation for the city to offer a severance package. City manager, Thompson started the city in August of 2015, when she was hired to replaced Steve Adams who had left the job after a controversial incident involving him and a subordinate found in City Hall after hours. Several investigations indicated no inappropriate behavior had occurred.
Before coming to Arroyo Grande, Thompson was the interim city manager in the Marin County town of Ross for several months. Prior to that she served as city manager for Cotati in Sonoma County for almost nine years. She also served as the city architect for the City of Santa Rosa.
At that time, Thompson told Coast News, “I am thrilled to be here, and my job is to move the community forward. I feel that staff and the council is ready to move forward. There is a lot of great energy. It is a good time and a good group.”
Hill also had positive things to say about the new relationship. “I’m very please with how things are going. I am very excited to have Dianne join us as the city manager on a permanent basis. I am looking forward to her leading the city going forward.”
