City manager gets his toes wet in Tracy

TRACY -- It was a whirlwind tour, if such a thing is possible in Tracy.

Recently hired Tracy City Manager Leon Churchill started Thursday with a question-and-answer session at the Grand Theater with city employees, and followed that up by meeting individually with each member of the

City Council.

In a brief interview Thursday, Churchill said he wanted to understand the individual needs of the council and at some point would like to talk with the "major stakeholders" in the community to understand their wants and needs.

Until he gets up to speed, Churchill said, he will rely on city staff and the council, while learning to understand the community.

"All that will take time," Churchill said. "The first thing I want to do is make sure I understand the community very well before I run off and do something foolish."

Churchill, 46, has more than 20 years of municipal experience, according to city documents, and was officially hired by the council by a unanimous vote Tuesday night.

He earned a master's degree in public administration from the University of Kansas and holds a bachelor's degree in city planning from the University of Virginia.

Over the past four years, Churchill has been the managing director in Reading, Penn. He's also served as town manager of Windsor, Conn., and assistant city manager in Charlottesville, Va. Churchill was in town with his wife, Marni, and children Gabrielle, 15, and Gwyneth, 2, looking over homes and schools in the area before they head back east to begin packing.

He said they were familiar with Northern California through family.

"This is the first time we've had some real geographic flexibility," Churchill said. "My wife said, 'We're going to find some place, be happy as a family, and you have to come home in a reasonable state of mind.' We would go anywhere to find that place, and I think, from what we know and are still convinced of, Tracy is that place."

The new city manager earns a base salary of $199,078.32, making him the highest-paid city employee in Tracy.

The council authorized

$7,200 in relocation fees, in addition to moving expenses. Churchill will also be given

$1,500 a month in housing assistance for the first year, and under the contract, he must establish residency inside the Tracy city limits within the next six months.

The contract is for four years, and Churchill is expected to begin working May 5.

Mike Martinez can be reached at 209-832-3947.

or at mike.martinez@bayareanewsgroup.com.

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