The City of Arroyo Grande has announced the selection of a new city manager.
If approved at next week’s city council meeting, Matthew J. Downing’s first day as Arroyo Grande City Manager will be January 8, 2024.
Downing has been working as the Community Development Director for the City of Pismo Beach. He previously worked for the City of Arroyo Grande as a Planning Manager.
“I am incredibly humbled and honored to return to Arroyo Grande and serve as its City Manager,” Downing said in a statement released by the City of Arroyo Grande. “From the moment I began working for the City in 2010, I felt a deep connection to this community. Arroyo Grande holds a special place in my heart, and I am committed to dedicating my unwavering effort to achieving the City Council’s goals and advancing the community’s well-being.”
According to the city, Downing earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Science and a Master of City and Regional Planning from Cal Poly. He is also a member of the League of California Cities, the Municipal Management Association of Southern California, the American Institute of Certified Planners, and the Shell Beach Elementary School Site Council.
Bill Robeson, Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director, has been serving as Arroyo Grande’s Interim City Manager since August, following the departure of Whitney McDonald who took a job as Assistant City Manager for the City of San Luis Obispo.
