The new city managers for Grass Valley and Nevada City were in the spotlight for this month’s Community Forum, sponsored by the Sierra College-Nevada County campus Foundation, that was held Friday. Alex Gammelgard talked about his transition from Grass Valley’s longtime Police Chief to being the town’s top administrator this year. Both were asked about what they see as their top financial challenges for the next year or so. And Gammelgard mentioned how to keep up with rising costs and expenses, in light of stagnant revenue. He also noted how to pair resources with the new City Council’s strategic vision and policies…

Nevada City City Manager Carrie Wright is also new to the job, officially taking over in March. She is also looking toward developing a new strategic plan with the Council, starting in January, in order to improve economic development revenue…

And, in light of the frequent turnover of city managers in Nevada City, Wright also said she hopes to stay longterm on the job and until retirement. Meanwhile, Gammelgard also indicated that a decision on his successor as Police Chief is likely coming soon, with a closed session with the Council scheduled before the first Council meeting in November. He did mention that Steve Johnson is the interim Chief.