Expectations high for new city manager

New Orland City Manager Peter Carr made his first public appearance on Monday night at the City Council meeting.

Carr starts work Thursday and indicated he is looking forward to getting started.

He has managed Biggs for the past five years, and has 16 years in the private sector managing manufacturing plants in Chico and other locations.

"We have high expectations for you, based on what you've already done," Mayor Wade Elliott told Carr.

Carr said, "I appreciate your confidence in me and am looking forward to working with you."

His wife, Julie, also attended the meeting following a day teaching kindergarten in Corning.

The couple has been married 30 years, Carr said, and they are excited about starting a new chapter in their lives now their children are grown.

A reception for Carr is planned June 4 between the Orland Economic Development Commission meeting and the City Council meeting, Elliott said.

That will provide the public an opportunity to meet him and discuss issues in a social setting, the Mayor added.

Monday also was the last meeting for Interim City Manager Gail Wingard who has served Orland since November while it looked for a permanent manager.

Wingard took over from Paul Poczobut Jr., whose contract was not renewed last fall.

While here, Wingard suggested the City Council lease the old Purity Market building at Fourth and Mill streets since the city could not afford to turn it into a police facility.

He successfully negotiated a three-year lease with a discount canned goods store - bringing in income from the building and sales taxes, city officials said.

Wingard also helped establish a downtown business improvement district for Fourth and Fifth streets between Walker and Colusa streets.

This district is to allow city matching funding for property and business owners to paint and clean up the facades of store fronts and companies in those blocks to encourage shoppers to visit, he said.

Elliott said this was Wingard's "second tour of duty" working for Orland as he served as an interim city manager 10 years ago.

"He had one task," Elliott said. "To help us find the right individual to be our permanent manager. He helped us come together."

During the course of the meeting, Elliott added he "felt particularly safe tonight" in the Carnegie Center.

That was because of the presence of so many law enforcement representatives there to support Interim police Chief J.C. Tolle.

Monday night the council also announced Tolle's appointment a permanent Orland police Chief effective May 16.

Tolle has been acting chief since September following the resignation of Chief Paula Carr.

"Orland is known for a lot of things," Elliott said. "One is excellent law enforcement."

He said when the city found itself without a police chief, it was able to find someone from within the department to step up and do the job.

Tolle was that man, Elliott said.

Monday night City Clerk Angie Crook administered the oath of office to Tolle while his father and law enforcement representatives from around Glenn County observed.

Sheriff Larry Jones attended the ceremony along with Willows police Chief Bill Spears, District Attorney Robert Maloney and plenty of Orland police officers and staff along with a California Highway Patrol commander.

The 18-year Orland Police Department veteran said a former OPD Officer predicted he would join the force early in his career, Tolle said.

Tolle added he did not expect it to happen back in 1989, but years later it did.

"I want to thank every body for their support, the city staff, the council, the department," Tolle said. "I look forward to getting OPD back in the right direction and working with the other law enforcement agencies in the county."

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com.