Vallejo loses economic development director

by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | February 12, 2025

VALLEJO – City Manager Andrew Murray has another important vacancy to fill in his administration following the departure of Economic Development Director Michael Nimon in January.

Nimon accepted a similar position with the city of Walnut Creek, according to his LinkedIn profile. Nimon was originally hired in August 2022 as special advisor to the city manager for economic development replacing Paul Kelly, who served in the position from May 2020 to June 2022.

The special advisor position was originally created for former FUSE Executive Fellow and city of Vallejo consultant Slater Matzke in early 2020. As the executive fellow, Matzke’s tasks included improving the city’s image and also bringing investment opportunities to Vallejo.

Following the conclusion of the year fellowship in 2017, then-City Manager Daniel Keen retained Matzke as an economic development consultant for several years until then-City Manager Greg Nyhoff, with approval from the Vallejo City Council, created the special advisor position for Matzke in January 2020.

Matzke wouldn’t remain in the special position for long, as he was fired by Nyhoff in April 2020. Matzke’s termination came the same day that Nyhoff also fired Assistant to the City Manager for Economic Development Will Morat and Joanna Altman, who served as assistant to the city manager for communications and special projects.  

Before their terminations, Morat and Matzke were Nyhoff’s point men for economic development. Morat was lead on the city’s goal of redeveloping the Blue Rock Springs Golf Course located in East Vallejo.

Altman began with the city in 2012, serving as an analyst in the City Manager’s Office before being promoted to assistant to the city manager for communications & special projects. During her time with the city, Altman served in various roles, including as as Vallejo’s public information officer. She also managed the city’s cannabis program, and oversaw Vallejo’s Participatory Budgeting and parking programs.

The three went on to file a lawsuit in 2021, alleging they were subjected to retaliation, defamation, wrongful termination, and harassment. Altman settled in with the city for $1 million in March 2024 while Morat and Matzke settled their claims last October with the pair receiving a total of $1.85 million.

Matzke is married to Vallejo Mayor Andrea Sorce.

Eventually, the special advisor position was eliminated and Nimon assumed the economic development director position. His departure comes weeks after Murray filled one of the more important city positions, naming Jason Ta to be the city’s permanent police chief. Originally hired as deputy police chief, Ta was elevated to interim police chief in November 2022 following the sudden resignation of Chief Shawny Williams.

Murray is also looking to fill other top positions in his administration, including fire chief, the second assistant city manager position, and communications and public information officer.

The fire chief position has been staffed with at least three interim picks for more than 10 months following the sudden removal of Kyle Long by then-City Manager Mike Malone in April 2024. Murray, who started with the city in mid-May 2024, agreed to a separation agreement with Long in June 2024. Long received three months severance equal to more than $63,000.

While as interim police chief, Jason Ta breifly served as interim fire chief before Murray tapped Frank Drayton, who served as Vacaville’s fire chief from 2012 to 2015, as Vallejo’s interim fire chief earlier. Last month, Murray appointed interim Deputy Fire Chief Arthur Gonzales to serve as Vallejo’s new interim fire chief, replacing Drayton who was limited to the number of hours he could work as a retiree under California law.

Other notable departures included former Assistant City Manager Terrance Davis, who left Vallejo to become the public works director for the city of Berkeley in April 2024. Davis was originally hired as Vallejo’s public works director in 2017 before being tapped to serve as assistant city manager in 2021.

Vallejo also lost its public information officer, Christina Lee in June 2024. Lee was appointed as Director of Marketing and Communications and Public Information for Solano Community College.