Andy Hall Appointed New City Manager

Members of the Imperial Beach City Council took less than 10 minutes to vote unanimously Wednesday to allow Mayor Jim Janney to enter into a contract with George Andrew "Andy" Hall to be IB's new City Manager.

After 10 years in Imperial Beach Gary Brown will retire Aug. 2. Hall may take over Aug. 5.

Hall is the current City Manager in the city of Cathedral City, CA and was chosen from more than 60 applicants. The city agreed to pay Teri Black & Company $18,000 in March to recruit candidates and perform background checks.

Interviews with top candidates were conducted June 24 at City Hall. No members of the public spoke in favor or against Hall being appointed by City Council. 

"People don't trust government, and neither do I," Hall said speaking to a citizen outside City Hall before the meeting who asked him about his political points of view. Hall describes himself as an Independent whose experiences in life shape his opinions of the world but essentially is a fiscal conservative and social liberal.

The city is willing to provide a lot of documents and information about city business, and concerned citizens are free to contact the City Manager's Office to talk, he said.

Hall will be paid an annual salary of $175,000 compared to Brown's pay of $166,000. Cathedral City paid Hall a base salary of $182,000, according to mydesert.com.

When Brown announced plans to retire in March Mayor Jim Janney said he "would be hard pressed" to pay any candidate more than Brown. On Wednesday he said the city is fortunate to attract someone like Hall.

"What we were lucky on was he saw what this city has to offer, what the potential is here, what the challenges are here and he wanted to be here," Janney said. "So I think that we are very lucky to get in the compensation range for an individual like Mr. Hall."

Hall told IB Patch he grew up in Wyoming, said he didn't come to IB for a pay raise and most appreciates working in a small town where the most difference can be made.

"I don't think I could work in anything but local government," he said.

Hall attended college in Utah and Arizona and has spent most of his professional career in Utah and Nevada. In 2009 Hall became the city of Cathedral City's Community Development Director and in December 2012 became Cathedral City's City Manager. 

He holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Utah and bachelor's degree in Geography-Urban Studies from the University of Arizona, according to the city.

If Hall is unable to start as City Manager after Brown's departure in August, City Council also voted to grant Janney power to appoint an Interim City Manager until Hall is available.