The City of Solvang has appointed its administrative services director to serve as acting city manager following the resignation of David Gassaway at the beginning of the week.
City officials on Thursday announced the appointment of Xenia Bradford, who holds multiple degrees from Santa Barbara-area colleges and was formerly the finance director for the City of San Luis Obispo.
The position was first offered to Public Works Director Matt van der Linden, but he reportedly declined to focus on other goals and projects for the city.
"I am honored and excited to assume the Acting City Manager position," Bradford said in a press release. "I look forward to working closely with the City Council to deliver on Council goals. It has been a pleasure working for the City of Solvang as a consultant since May 2018 and as Administrative Services Director since April of this year."
She will take on this new position while also still serving in her previous role.
The move comes after a "mutual agreement on separation" was reached between the City and then City Manager Gassaway. His resignation became effective on Monday. He was hired in February and began work with the city in April.
Reasons behind the resignation have not been disclosed but Mayor Ryan Toussaint says it "had nothing to do with performance."
The City Council has started the process of hiring a new city manager.
