GUADALUPE, Calif. - With a new mayor, public safety director, and now city administrator the city of Guadalupe has seen some big changes in its top city positions.
Former San Luis Obispo city council member Andrew Carter stepped into his new position this week as Guadalupe's city administrator. Just a few days in, Carter already has his hands full. He says mission number one is to balance the city's budget, which ran at a deficit last year. But that's just one of the many things on his radar. Carter says one of his main focuses is bringing more life to the downtown area, a part of the city that has seen far too many empty storefronts.
"Every empty storefront that there might be on Guadalupe street, which is our Route 1, is like a hole in the heart of a community," says Carter. "And you want to fill that up."
After almost 30 years with San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department, Gary Hoving is now essentially both the police chief and fire chief of Guadalupe. The move has cut costs and Hoving says dealing with two departments hasn't created problems.
"The system itself is working really well," says Hoving. "The staff I have on both sides of the shop are working together."
Carter also pointed to the DJ Farms residential project that is still in the planning phase as another reason for optimism.
Finding ways to increase revenues for the city will be a challenge, but Carter says they are moving in the right direction.
"I feel like we have a lot of positive change going on," says Carter.
