Turlock hires city manager despite ‘red flags.’ What are his goals for the city?
Turlock has chosen its 11th different city manager in the past decade, despite concerns over lawsuits that cost the appointee’s former municipality nearly $7.5 million.
John J. Murphy, a 55-year-old military veteran and Pennsylvania native, took office Monday, with his golden retriever Raider at his post. He is the city’s first permanent manager since Reagan Wilson, who served between 2022 and 2025.
The City Council unanimously voted on June 23 to give Murphy a five-year contract with an annual base salary of $269,100 plus benefits. The city manager is tasked with overseeing day-to-day municipal operations, implementing council policy, leading city departments and advancing community initiatives.
“It feels amazing to get a 5-0 vote,” Murphy said. “I felt wanted, and I look forward to proving, building a trust in the community, working incredibly hard and delivering.”
This was Murphy’s second time applying for the position of Turlock city manager. He was a finalist in 2017. Although he’s been around the country, his family fell in love with California while he was stationed in Santa Barbara and hoped to return.
“I’ve long had my eye on Turlock,” Murphy said. “I think it’s a great community, and I think with the staff and the challenges they have, I have experiences in those.”
Turlock has long struggled with administrative instability, with a revolving door of interim and acting managers often serving for less than a year. Murphy said he wants to break that cycle and grow roots.
Prior to Murphy’s arrival, Municipal Services Director Christopher Fisher served as acting city manager. He stepped in for Interim City Manager Gary Hampton, who experienced a significant health issue and made the decision to step away from his role in May to “focus on his treatment, recovery, and overall well-being,” according to the city.
That was Hampton’s fourth time as Turlock city manager.
“Gary Hampton was engaged to assist the city during a period of leadership transition, and we are grateful for the experience, professionalism, and stability he provided throughout his service,” Fisher said in a statement to The Bee. “Gary brought a steady hand and a wealth of experience to the organization at a time when it was greatly needed. I am grateful for his leadership and the example he set, and all of us at the city wish him strength and a successful recovery in the months ahead as he focuses on his health and well-being.”
Visions for Turlock
Public safety, affordable housing, economic development and quality-of-life are issues in Turlock that Murphy wants to prioritize. He particularly wants to help give young adults things to do in the city and connect with Stanislaus State’s student population, given his background working in college towns.
While manager of Palmdale, the city was named the Most Business Friendly City with a population greater than 60,000 at the 26th annual Eddy Awards hosted by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.
Murphy said he wants to turn Turlock into a business-friendly city, too, and work with the economic development team.
He also worked with a nonprofit to help build single-family homes for military veterans in Palmdale. He said he plans to fight for federal dollars and look at every way to address the issues facing the region.
His appointment follows a months-long recruitment process. According to the city press release, Murphy holds a doctorate in public administration and boasts more than two decades of executive leadership in county and municipal governments.
Murphy said his military background and education helped develop his leadership skills. He said his love for local government began while interning at a city clerk’s office in Pennsylvania.
Baggage draws concerns
Murphy’s tenure as city manager of Palmdale in Southern California ended in dismissal in 2022 following complaints filed by three high-ranking city employees. The employees accused Murphy of harassment, discrimination and retaliation.
The lawsuit also alleged Murphy brought a gun to work and was recorded receiving oral sex from a married woman in a salon. Murphy denied all allegations at the time and said the mayor was behind city hall’s hostile work environment.
According to the lawsuit, workplace friction escalated to the point that an elected official wore a bulletproof vest to a council meeting. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies and a helicopter were also reportedly sent to a meeting, out of fear that Murphy could potentially harm someone if he was fired. Murphy’s attorney argued that it was his client who feared for his life that day.
Around that time, a video circulated purportedly showing Murphy receiving oral sex at a hair salon and spa. The lawsuit alleged Murphy used public funds to hush the woman’s husband and quell efforts to look into it.
In a separate lawsuit, Murphy accused an elected official of distributing the video to harm him.
Murphy’s attorney argued that the deposed city manager never threatened or showed the gun to any of the employees but that he legally carried it after receiving threats from a community member. The three employees also testified in depositions that they had not seen the gun personally, according to Murphy’s attorney. They also did not see the alleged video, which did not involve any employees or take place during work hours.
Palmdale ended up paying $5.25 million to the employees involved to settle the lawsuit.
The city also paid $2.23 million to Murphy to resolve a separate wrongful-termination claim in which he argued he was a victim of retaliation for refusing to cut corners to benefit council members’ donors.
“I’ll take accountability in Palmdale in that I had a bad hire,” Murphy said, referring to an employee who filed an ethics complaint and lawsuit against him that got dismissed. “I’m looking forward.”
He said there are still elected officials and employees in Palmdale who would give him a positive evaluation.
The appointment drew sharp criticism from residents during last Tuesday’s council meeting. Several public commenters urged the council to delay the hiring until after the November election, when the mayoral seat and two council positions will be on the ballot. The length of Murphy’s contract was also called into question.
Turlock resident Scott Siegel, former superintendent of the Ceres Unified School District, told the council he was deeply troubled by the pick, “who comes with an abundance of red flags.” He said the city’s revolving door of city managers doesn’t attract good candidates.
Public commenter Mary Jackson echoed those concerns. “Sadly, [Murphy] is being brought forward with enough red flags to take out an entire World Cup soccer team.”
City staff assured that thorough background checks were conducted on Murphy.
Councilmember Rebecka Monez said she personally reached out to Murphy’s former colleagues, who spoke highly of him and reassured that the Palmdale lawsuits were not an issue.
“We don’t do our background checks on Google,” Monez said.
Councilmember Cassandra Abram said that it was fair to bring up the controversies and that she has her reservations. But she said the level of oversight built into the contract should protect the city’s interests.
Before coming to Turlock, Murphy was manager for Roxbury Township in New Jersey for six months. He said he left for personal reasons. He was also city manager in Hobbs, New Mexico, from 2012 to 2018 before moving on to Palmdale in 2018. Murphy was city administrator from 2004 to 2010 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
A self-proclaimed lifelong learner, Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Kings College in Pennsylvania, and a master’s in public administration with a concentration in criminal justice from Marywood University in Scranton. He recently received a doctorate from Liberty University in Virginia.
Murphy will have a performance review after six months on the job.
