GRASS VALLEY, Calif. – September 18, 2026 After a several-month-long search for a City Manager, the City of Grass Valley’s posted public agenda for Tuesday’s upcoming meeting reveals that the City Council has offered a contract to fill the role of City Manager. The City Council met over a series of meetings in 2026 to establish the recruitment, discuss and revise the recruitment process and brochure, conduct interviews with potential candidates, and finally negotiate a draft contract with the selected candidate, Grass Valley’s Chief of Police and Interim City Manager, Alex Gammelgard.
Gammelgard
Alex, a longtime Nevada County resident, attended local schools from kindergarten through high school before attending Gonzaga University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration, with concentrations in finance and law and public policy. Additionally, he earned a minor in criminal justice. While attending Gonzaga, he served as a reserve police officer for the Spokane Police Department and as a campus police officer for the Eastern Washington University Police Department. Finding a passion for policing during his college years, he returned to his hometown to pursue a career in policing, ultimately becoming the City of Grass Valley’s sixth police chief since the department’s inception in 1938. He has served as the City’s police chief for over 10 years, gaining tremendous knowledge of not only the police department, but also citywide operations and budget management.
The City Manager is an essential leadership role for city operations and has a direct impact on the quality of life for residents. While Grass Valley has a mayor as an elected official, the City Manager is appointed by the City Council and oversees day-to-day municipal operations, executes local policies, directs city departments, manages staff, oversees public services and safety, and guides municipal budgeting, financial planning, and resource allocation. Alex’s love for the community and the City of Grass Valley, in addition to his more than 25 years of public and private sector experience, were driving factors in his selection for the City Manager role.
“Our City Council members are five individuals with differing priorities and political views, and we were all very much in agreement about what kind of leader we wanted for Grass Valley. We know how important the City Manager role is for the health and future of our city,” notes Mayor Hilary Hodge. “We were looking for someone committed to our community, someone who would build transparent partnerships with local residents, regional stakeholders, and local businesses while preserving the area’s historic character and continuing to foster community spirit.”
The Grass Valley City Manager search assembled a team of community stakeholders from multiple sectors with representatives from Nevada County, Nevada City, the Town of Truckee, as well as small businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, the Contractors’ Association, public safety, the arts, and the nonprofit sector. The City Council also consulted staff and department heads through a survey to assemble a robust cross-section of needs identified internally.
“I have gone through this process several times, but having community members and staff participate in the interview process ensured we made the best choice for Grass Valley,” notes Councilmember Jan Arbuckle. “I have complete confidence in Alex and his ability to lead the city through the next decade.” Arbuckle has served on Grass Valley’s City Council since 2007, including two terms as Mayor.
The City contracted with an expert consulting firm whose data-driven recruitment search yielded 73 qualified applicants. The Council met in several sessions to review resumes and cover letters, ultimately offering interviews to seven finalists. The in-person interview process included three final applicants participating in panel interviews with the full Council and various community leaders. After an extensive executive leadership search, the decision to offer the position to Alex Gammelgard was unanimous.
“The community and I wanted Grass Valley’s City Manager to represent and serve the entire city as a whole,” noted former Grass Valley Mayor and small business owner Jason Fouyer, who served on one of the panels. “We agreed that Grass Valley deserves a leader who will lead the city with a broad spectrum of stakeholders in mind. After an extensive process, there is no doubt that Alex is the most qualified person for this role.”
Alex is no stranger to public service, having grown up in a home of educators—a profession chosen by his parents, brothers and in-laws as well. Alex and his wife, Erica, have chosen to raise their family here in their hometown.
When asked about the transition from police chief to City Manager, his wife acknowledged a shift in professional focus, saying, “While we see this as a big change for our family and his career in public service, it also feels like a fit because leading at a higher level in the City requires that someone loves and cherishes the place they invest in. In this case, the place both our families call home.”
When not working for the City, Alex enjoys coaching Little League, serving on nonprofit boards, and skiing, fishing, and enjoying the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities our area has to offer.
If approved by the City Council on Tuesday, September 22nd, Alex Gammelgard’s appointment as Grass Valley’s next City Manager will mark the beginning of a new chapter for the City, one shaped by both continuity and opportunity. After an extensive search that drew qualified candidates from multiple sectors, the Council’s decision reflects its confidence in a leader who understands Grass Valley not simply as a place to live and work, but as a hometown and a city where residents choose to build a life, foster community, and give back. As the City looks toward the future, Alex’s decades of leadership experience, deep knowledge of municipal operations, and personal investment in the people and character of Grass Valley position him to help guide the community through its next chapter while honoring the history, relationships, and sense of community that make Grass Valley home.