City Council candidate John Gurney promises ‘return on investment’ to Sonoma

With stints as police chief and director of the Sonoma Community Center on his resume, John Gurney always saw the Sonoma City Council as a possible destination – but unfortunately for him, it’s a job reserved for townies.

“I had always known going back to my law enforcement days it is not unusual for police chiefs to move into the city council arena,” said Gurney. “And in the back of my mind thought I would run if I lived in town.”

But Gurney and his late wife Phyllis resided outside the city limits, rendering him ineligible for city elected office.

When Phyllis died this past January following a brief bout with cancer, Gurney found some solace in relocating into the city limits. And, months later, when it became clear multiple seats on the Sonoma City Council would be undefended by incumbents in the Nov. 8 election, Gurney, 67, thought he might be able to honor his and Phyllis’s longtime commitment to the community by throwing his hat in the ring.

As Gurney puts it: “Watching the issues that come up in the community, I thought - perhaps I can contribute to help make Sonoma a better place.”

He’s now among five candidates vying for the three open seats on the council.

If elected, Gurney would prioritize hiring a permanent city manager. City Hall as had a revolving door of interim and temporary city managers since Cathy Capriola retired at the end of 2020. Longtime Assistant City Manager Sue Casey is currently serving as Acting City Manager.

He said having a permanent city manager in place is “critical” to city operations.

“The role (of city manager) is to execute the policy of the council,” said Gurney. “It just has been very unclear for a long time as to where is the progress in the city - there’s just no real clear accomplishments being made.” Gurney credits Casey with the work she has done as an interim, but stresses the importance of establishing someone permanent.

Another area of interest to Gurney is city finances. “In my mind there are two things needed (on the council): leadership to move things forward and the financial wherewith all.”

He said whether it’s as simple as purchasing new trash receptacles for the parks or establishing a long-term master plan for the Plaza, “things require substantial dollars.”

“We need to understand where and how we’re spending money and if it is effectively being spent,” Gurney said, describing himself as “a bit of a budget wonk.” “At the Community Center I was asked to bring them back into a financially stable position and we did that.”

He said he hopes his stints leading the local police department and Community Center – and years in the private sector working for Bank of America and in the oil industry – impress upon voters his qualifications to serve on the council.

One thing he learned to appreciate in the private industry is the concept of return on investment and return to the shareholder. “I look at government as a kind of private industry with every voter a shareholder,” said Gurney. “I want to make sure we’re meeting the expectations and needs of the shareholders.”

Email Jason at Jason.walsh@sonomanews.com.