OB Rag Staff Report
San Diego’s 22-year experiment with a “strong mayor” has been hobbled by a string of financial crises.
Is it time to consider restoring the position of City Manager?
Jack McGrory, the last person to hold the job, will share his thoughts at a town hall forum on “Why We Need a City Manager and Other Insights” on Saturday, June 20, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway.
Sponsored by the San Diego Community Coalition (SDCC) and Neighbors for a Better San Diego (NFABSD), the forum is the fifth in a series of question-and-answer sessions on important civic issues.
These events are free and open to the public, but seating is limited.
Previous speakers in the series were San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo, who addressed the politics of land use; Union-Tribune City Hall Reporter David Garrick, who discussed media coverage of local government; and land-use attorney Everett Delano, who explained how communities can use the legal system to stop predatory development.
McGrory served as City Manager from March 1991 through August 1997. He is currently CEO of La Jolla MJ Management, LLC, and he is an active philanthropist.
In March, McGrory joined the nonprofit Association for the City of La Jolla as chief negotiator and strategic adviser to help guide the community’s bid to becoming an independent city.
Both SDCC and NFABSD work to promote responsible land use and transit policies and to challenge elected officials to be more responsive to the public.
NFABSD was launched in 2021 and has emerged as one of the most influential grassroots organizations in San Diego. SDCC just celebrated its one-year anniversary and now encompasses 95 community leaders from 30 neighborhoods across the city.
Article is incorrect. The last City Manager was Lamont Ewell in 2004-2005
Ray, sorry, you are incorrect, as according to the San Diego History center and other sources:
San Diego’s last official city manager was Jack McGrory, who served in the role from 1991 to 1997.
San Diego phased out the formal “city manager” position when voters transitioned the government to a “strong-mayor” system on January 1, 2006. Since that time, the responsibilities previously held by the city manager were transitioned to an appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO).
The last appointed COO was Eric Dargan, who served until February 2025, when Mayor Todd Gloria dismissed him and permanently assumed the managerial duties himself.