by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | August 5, 2026
VALLEJO – Weeks after Lance David was appointed as the city’s permanent IT director, City Manager Harry Black has his eyes set on filling another top vacancy within his administration: economic development director.
The executive search firm Bob Murray & Associates released a hiring brochure recently seeking candidates for the economic development director position which “manages the operations of the Economic Development Department, including the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities,” according to the brochure.
The brochure goes on to state that the new director “will have the unique opportunity to lead interesting upcoming development and redevelopment projects in the City of Vallejo. Upcoming development projects will involve business and housing development on the Waterfront, Downtown Vallejo, Blue Rock Springs, Connolly Corridor, Solano 360, and Costco-Fairview.”
In May, the Vallejo Sun reported that the Connolly Corridor, a proposed six-block walkable district on Mare Island has been paused as the city resolves infrastructure-related issues.
Vallejo has been without a permanent economic development director after Michael Nimon accepted a similar position with the city of Walnut Creek in early 2025. A year after Nimon left, Brad Paul was hired as interim economic development director. Paul continues to serve as interim, although as a retired annuitant he is only allowed to work 960 hours per fiscal year, per state retirement rules. Vallejo’s fiscal year run from July 1 to June 30.
The new economic development director will earn less than Paul, who earns $105 per hour, which translates to a yearly salary of $218,730, according to a conditional offer of employment presented to Paul. The new director will earn between $171,381 to $208,315, per year, the brochure states.
The search for new revenue streams through economic development has become even more critical as the Vallejo City Council approved the cutting of 54 city employee positions, which included 44 vacant positions, and 10 additional job cuts, as part of the city’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget.
Black continues to fill vacancies at city hall
Following a 10-week audition as interim city manager, Harry Black was appointed Vallejo’s permanent chief executive officer in late July. Black was first hired as interim city manager in mid-May following the sudden resignation of Andew Murray in early April.
Despite only being the city’s interim CEO, Black filled numerous vacancies including naming Lance David as the city’s permanent IT director after Vallejo’s longtime Chief Innovation Officer & IT Director Naveed Ashraf left to become the city of Fairfield’s IT director in August 2025.
Prior to that, in June, Black appointed Jonathan Goulding as the city’s permanent fire chief. Goulding’s hiring took place after the city experienced a failed recruitment to fill the position at the end of 2025. Department Spokesman Kevin Brown told JohnGlidden.com in November 2025 that the city made an employment offer to a candidate employed outside of Vallejo fire but that person “opted to stay with his current department to seek upward movement there.”
Vallejo hasn’t had a permanent fire chief since Kyle Long was relieved of his duties in April 2024, ultimately being terminated in June 2024.
Black is scheduled to lose one of his assistant city managers as longtime City Hall staffer Gillian Haen was appointed as Chico city manager. In addition to the economic development director position, city hall continues to have a vacancy within the finance department, according to the city’s website.
Vallejo’s other assistant city manager Nalungo Mwanga-Conley is serving as acting finance director following the departure of Rekha Nayar in October 2025. Nayar accepted a similar position with the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District.