Patrick Wiemiller, Lompoc’s at times embattled city manager, will take his services a few miles north, about 28 to be exact.
In roughly three months, he will join Santa Maria as its new assistant city manager. Both cities made the announcement a little after 3 p.m. on Nov. 9.
Lompoc’s public information officer, Samantha Scroggin, wrote in an email that afternoon that Wiemiller had given 90-day notice of his intent to resign. His move follows months of budget deadlock between Lompoc’s City Council, during which council members reviewed Wiemiller’s performance on three separate occasions.
At each of those reviews, the council found Wiemiller to be performing his job satisfactorily and up to par with his contract.
Scroggin said in the email that details regarding the city manager’s resignation were ongoing, including his final day of employment and who will serve as his replacement in the interim and permanently. She ended the message praising Wiemiller.
“During Wiemiller’s four years in the role of city manager for the city of Lompoc, retail growth in the city has consistently outpaced the state of California as a whole, and the city police and fire departments have made strides in improving service and community outreach,” Scroggin wrote.
Wiemiller previously worked for Fresno as its director of Public Works and Public Utilities. He also spent several years working for Tracy as Public Works director, and for the Fresno Irrigation District as chief administrative officer. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance at California State University, Fresno, and later earned a master’s degree in business administration from the same university.
He was the first city manager hired from outside Lompoc in more than 40 years.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served a wonderful community in a city which I am blessed to not only have worked in, but also call my home,” Wiemiller said in a statement. “My wife, Cindy, and I have made many friends here in Lompoc, and we will continue to be a part of, and invest in, the Lompoc community.”
According to a Santa Maria city press release, Wiemiller’s new position serves primarily as operations officer for the city’s manager. He will deal with administrative assignments, operational issues, and oversee the city’s budget process.
“I am looking forward with excitement to serving the city of Santa Maria and its people,” Wiemiller said in the release. “In addition, it’s a great opportunity to partner with [Deputy City Manager] Jason Stilwell and the Santa Maria City Council to further the quality of life in the community.”
Wiemiller is expected to join the city in early 2018.
His appointment comes as current Santa Maria City Manager Rick Haydon is set to retire on Dec. 5. Stillwell will succeed him.
“The city conducted a recruitment for the assistant city manager position and was able to interview candidates from various parts of the state that applied,” Haydon said in a statement. “We were impressed by the caliber of candidates that were interviewed, and at the end of the day, chose a local candidate that is familiar with the issues facing the Central Coast.
“Patrick [Wiemiller] has a vast and extensive background in municipal services, is very well respected by his peers, and will be an excellent addition to the city’s executive management team,” he added.
This article appears in Nov 16-23, 2017.