Larry McLaughlin, Sebastopol's long-serving city attorney, was named city manager Tuesday.
McLaughlin has been serving as interim city manager since May, when Jack Griffin left the post to take over the job as top administrator in San Marcos in San Diego County.
"He knows a lot about how the city works; he has been here a long time; he knows city staff; he is easy to work with and to talk to," Mayor Michael Kyes said. "He is competent, and he is frugal."
Kyes said McLaughlin was chosen unanimously during a closed City Council session Tuesday.
"The whole council is happy with how he is working out as interim city manager," Kyes said.
McLaughlin, 66, a Sebastopol resident, will continue serving as city attorney, a post he has held for 25 years.
"I have a lot of institutional knowledge; I have been with the city a long time," McLaughlin said. "It is helpful to have the experience."
He was receiving a salary of $110,000 a year as city attorney. A new salary and benefits package will be worked out over the next month, McLaughlin said.
Griffin, who was hired as city manager in 2009, had been paid $140,000 a year.
The City Council decided to appoint McLaughlin to the post rather than conduct an outside search, which could be costly and time-consuming, Kyes said.
"Certainly, some people were expecting us to go in a more conventional route of advertising for a city manager and trying to recruit one, but that is a pretty expensive process and you never know what you get for sure," Kyes said. "I don't believe we could have gotten any better."
You can reach Staff Writer Bob Norberg at 521-5206 or bob.norberg@pressdemocrat.com.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: