California City Manager Change Again | Bakersfield News

California City braces for another leadership shuffle as interim City Manager Sean Grayson prepares to step down August 31st for personal reasons — not due to any council or staff issues. Grayson, the tenth city manager since mid-2021 and only in the role since January 2026, joins a revolving door of short-term leaders that’s slowed since Mayor Marquette Hawkins took office in late 2024. City Clerk John Maier will serve as interim until a permanent replacement is found. The mayor is confident they’ll land the right candidate, prioritizing stability and success. To speed up the search, the council is eyeing a contract with executive search firm Bob Murray & Associates — with backup plans if that falls through. Essential services remain on track during the transition. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/dbb67b3c67ebbd87