Lompoc City Manager Jim Throop has announced plans to leave his job after more than three years.
Throop is headed to a new job as city manager for Cupertino in Silicon Valley, where his first day on the job will be Jan. 3, according to a Cupertino press release.
“Jim came into a lot of issues when he arrived as Lompoc city manager, including staff shortages and financial difficulties, but he has set us on a path to success,” Mayor Jenelle Osborne said. “I only regret that Jim will not stay with the city longer to enjoy the fruits of his labor. I am thankful for Jim’s service to our city, and Lompoc is better for his time spent here.”
The announcement Tuesday occurred after the Lompoc City Council voted to hold an emergency closed session regarding a personnel matter at the recommendation of City Attorney Jeff Malawy.
He said the item should be titled, “public employment for the position of city manager.”
The City Council is scheduled to meet Dec. 7 to possibly appoint an interim city manager and to discuss how to fill the vacancy on a permanent basis.
Throop arrived with decades of municipal finance experience and is credited with bolstering the city’s financial health.
“I am more than proud of what our city team and community members have been able to accomplish working together, and the wonderful city that Lompoc is,” Throop said. “Although there have been challenges during my time in Lompoc, I would not trade this experience for anything and will always reflect fondly on my time here. Lompoc is in good hands thanks to the city’s hardworking and dedicated staff, and the fantastic community that advocates for what they believe in. I look forward to what’s ahead for Lompoc.”
Throop had missed a large chunk of Tuesday night’s meeting because of what officials called a conflict before taking his normal seat.
“The Cupertino City Council cast a nationwide net in order to bring forth an excellent city manager with the experience, temperament and commitment to serve the entire community well,” Cupertino Mayor Darcy Paul said. “Council worked long hours and had impassioned discussions reflective of how much each of us cares deeply about our collective future. In the upcoming weeks and months, as we continue to do the hard work of having an honest and open conversation, with results borne of intelligence and integrity, I know that we will have a good partner in Jim Throop.”
Throop arrived in Lompoc in 2018 after serving as chief financial officer for the City of Oxnard.
He was hired to replace Patrick Wiemiller, who left in early 2018 after four years for the No. 2 job with the City of Santa Maria following months of contention with some Lompoc council members. Wieimiller was the first city manager hired from outside Lompoc in nearly 50 years when he joined the staff, and was selected after a five-month search.
Throop, who was born in Orange County, has family roots on the Central Coast, and served as director of administrative services for the City of Paso Robles from 2007 to 2016, when he joined the Oxnard staff.
He also worked for government agencies in Arizona.
In all, Throop has accumulated more than three decades of financial management experience in the public and private sectors.
Throop has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in business administration from Chapman University.
“I want to thank the Cupertino City Council for this honor,” Throop said. “I look to this new adventure as the pinnacle of my career, and I look forward to working with the council, staff and the community.”
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.