Fountain Valley city manager is moving on

Fountain Valley City Manager Bob Hall will be leaving in March for a new role as manager of the Rancho Santa Fe Assn.

In his new position, Hall will oversee a community of 1,900 properties and a staff of 150.

In Fountain Valley, he has overseen a staff of 220 and a $90-million budget. He received a compensation package worth $267,000. As a private entity, Santa Fe does not have to reveal Hall’s new salary.

According to its website, the Rancho Santa Fe Assn. manages the community of Rancho Santa Fe, in north San Diego County. Although technically a homeowners association, the structure is similar to that of a small city, with building, planning and parks and recreation departments, as well as 24-hour-a-day security services.

Hall joined Fountain Valley in 2013, replacing the retiring Ray Kromer, who had a long tenure with the city. Hall helped lead Fountain Valley’s major fiscal sustainability plan, which resulted in the passage in November of Measure HH, a 1% increase in the local sales tax to 9% from 8%.

The increased sales tax is expected to bring to the financially struggling city more than $11.5 million a year after it takes effect in April.

“I’m extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish in my time in Fountain Valley,” Hall said in a prepared statement.

Previously, he served as the assistant city manager in Huntington Beach. Hall joined Fountain Valley government in August 2013. At the time, Fountain Valley Councilman Steve Nagel said about Hall:

“He has a good understanding of development and the budget, and that’s something that we take a strong pride in. He’s worked with fire and police. When he first was with Huntington Beach, one of his first tasks was labor negotiations. We felt like that was being thrown into the fire and he was able to handle that.”

Nagel said he and other council members were particularly impressed with Hall’s experience with the city of Riverside — where he served as general services director — having worked his way up from the bottom.

“I’ve had a great eight years in Huntington Beach,” Hall said at the time.

Hall said the Fountain Valley City Council is likely to publicly address how to fill his job at its Feb. 21 meeting.　

Times Community News staff writer Anthony Clark Carpio contributed to this report.

Priscella Vega is a contributor to Times Community News.