Garden Grove hires from within, names Matt West as next city manager

Following in the footsteps of a trailblazing public official, Garden Grove City Council hired Matt West as its next city manager.

The unanimous vote during Tuesday’s council meeting followed current City Manager Lisa Kim’s public retirement announcement earlier this month. Kim, the first woman and Asian American to hold the post in the city’s history, will retire on Nov. 2.

At an Aug. 31 special meeting, councilmembers discussed the future vacancy in closed session and decided to offer the position to West, who has served as assistant city manager since 2024.

“You bring a wealth of expertise and knowledge to our city,” Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein told West on Tuesday. “Garden Grove is my hometown. It matters to me. One thing I saw is your willingness to roll up your sleeves and really accept Garden Grove as your home, too.”

The contract approved by council will pay West roughly $365,000 per year — a salary city officials described as commensurate with other city managers in the county.

“I am honored to take on this responsibility and build on the progress achieved under Lisa’s leadership,” West said after Tuesday’s meeting. “Garden Grove has tremendous momentum, with major projects and priorities on the horizon, and I look forward to working with the City Council and our employees to deliver results for the community.”

West arrived in Garden Grove from Tustin, a city that accounts for most of his 26 years of experience in public service.

He rose through the ranks to serve as Tustin’s city manager from 2019 to 2023. West also helped guide Tustin Legacy, a sprawling 1,600 acre redevelopment project on the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station, and steered the city through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both sides reached a separation agreement in 2023 before the end of West’s contract with scant details on the reason for his departure at that time.

The contract approved by Garden Grove City Council on Tuesday is for an initial three-year term. It details a severance agreement that equals West’s monthly pay multiplied by up to 12 months left on the contractual term in the event council ends his tenure without cause.

Councilmembers heaped praise on West and expected him to serve beyond the initial three-year term, which automatically renews for two more two-year terms.

“I have every single ounce of faith that you are going to do an excellent job in leading the city,” Councilmember Ariana Arestegui told West. “You are a consummate professional, and you have an excellent rapport with each and every single one of us on this dais, and I think that that is just a sign of your professionalism and a sign of also your commitment to the city.”

Councilmembers also took time on Tuesday to commend Kim’s leadership since she first took the city manager’s post in 2023. Her departure caps a decade-long stay with Garden Grove and more than 30 years of public service.

“You’ve made some big things happen for us in the city,” Arestegui told Kim. “You broke glass ceilings and barriers.”

At the end of the meeting, Kim thanked her colleagues and expressed confidence in West.

“My 10 years with Garden Grove has been absolutely extraordinary,” Kim said. “I wouldn’t change a thing. One of the best professional decisions that I ever made was to join this most extraordinary organization and be able to touch the lives of our community members and really transform the city to where it is today. I’m excited that Matt has taken the helm as part of our succession plan.”

West will officially take the helm on Nov. 3, the day after Kim’s retirement.

As Garden Grove’s next city manager, he will oversee the city’s more than 770 employees and $400 million annual budget.