The city of Morro Bay is looking for a new city manager. David Buckingham, who’s been the city's top administrator for the past three years, announced his last day will be June 26.
In a statement, Morro Bay’s mayor and city council thanked Buckingham for his service and listed a number of accomplishments during his tenure, such as the first rewrite of the city’s general plan and local coastal program in almost three decades and securing a $7 million grant to dredge the harbor.
But city officials also point out that Buckingham has been actively looking for another job over the past six months and that fact was discussed in a recent employee evaluation.
The city’s finance director, Craig Schmollinger, is serving as acting city manager until a new person is hired.
Buckingham is now on paid administrative leave until the end of June. The city says it will continue to pay him for the next six months as part of a severance package; his annual salary is $160,000.