The Turlock City Council voted in a closed session meeting on January 15, 2009 to appoint Turlock Police Chief Gary Hampton as the Interim City Manager. The council voted to fire Tim Kerr as the Turlock City Manager in a closed session after the regular Turlock City Council Meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 2009.
Chief Hampton is only filling in until a new city manager is hired. Hampton stated that the recruiting and hiring process may take 4-6 months. Gary Hampton will remain as the Turlock Police Chief and fulfill his duties as such. The police chief will be delegating more duties to his two captains so he can take on the additional duties as Interim City Manager.
Though Chief Hampton spoke of taking on the additional duties with such fervor, he stated that it was just temporary and as if it was his honorable duty to serve the City of Turlock and his community. Hampton said “I have no desire to be a city manager.”
Our Turlock police chief is really “helping” out as he will still be getting paid only his Chief of Police salary while assuming the extra duties and responsibilities.
The City of Turlock may have had to pay around $11,000 to $15,000 a month to bring in an acting city manager while also paying former manager Tim Kerr as part of his contract and severance package.