Saratoga City Manager Matt Morley is departing from his role to take a position in his hometown of Gilroy, marking a significant career transition. Morley, who has held the city manager position since spring 2024, will assume the role of city administrator in Gilroy starting on February 9, 2024. His decision to return home is motivated by a desire to be closer to family, as he and his wife, along with their parents, reside in Gilroy.
During his tenure in Saratoga, Morley made notable contributions, including the organization of the city’s first “Safe Routes to School” event in years, alongside former mayor Belal Aftab. He also led city staff through over 20 builder’s remedy applications for housing developments, achieving significant outcomes such as reaching an agreement with developers on a project at Chester and Allendale avenues. Additionally, he played a key role in launching an AI-based search engine to enhance user navigation on the city’s website.
Saratoga Mayor Chuck Page expressed gratitude for Morley’s service, wishing him success in his new position. “We wish Matt the best of luck in his new position,” Page stated, acknowledging the impact Morley had during his time in office. Morley’s relatively short tenure contrasts with the previous city managers, James Lindsay and Dave Anderson, who each served for over a decade.
Morley conveyed a sense of longing to continue his career in Saratoga but recognized the unique opportunity to serve his hometown. “It’s really that sense of home that drew me to Gilroy,” he noted, emphasizing his commitment to making a meaningful impact in the community where he grew up.
Gilroy Mayor Greg Bozzo revealed that Morley was selected through a recruitment process following the retirement of Jimmy Forbis, who served as the city’s administrator for nine years. Bozzo expressed confidence in Morley’s ability to carry out the city’s vision and goals, particularly in areas such as economic development and addressing homelessness.
Morley acknowledged the need for collaboration between cities and nonprofit organizations, recognizing that tackling homelessness may require ongoing solutions rather than complete eradication. He aims to revitalize downtown Gilroy and its outlet mall, transforming them into vibrant destinations for residents and visitors alike.
In addition, Morley is enthusiastic about the prospect of working within a full-service city. Unlike Saratoga, which relies on Santa Clara County for sheriff and fire services, Gilroy has its own police and fire departments. “I’ll actually have them in-house, working for me,” Morley remarked, highlighting the professional growth opportunities this presents.
With over 29 years of experience in local government, Morley’s career began with the City of San Jose. He later served as parks and public works director in Los Gatos before moving to Cupertino as public works director and assistant city manager.
“We are very excited that we have an opportunity to hire somebody that has the experience that Matt does,” Bozzo commented, stressing the significance of Morley’s return to his roots. The Gilroy city council looks forward to working with him as they address community needs.
Meanwhile, Saratoga’s assistant city manager, Leslie Arroyo, has been unanimously appointed as interim city manager by the city council. The council is set to begin the recruitment process for a new city manager shortly.
