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Gilroy announces new city administrator and hires economic development director to jump‑start strategy
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Summary
Mayor Vozas announced Matt Morley will begin as Gilroy’s city administrator and introduced Raisa De La Rosa as the city’s new economic development director; the hires aim to update a five‑year strategy, pursue grants and streamline permits.
Mayor Vozas announced that Matt Morley will begin work as Gilroy’s city administrator on Monday and invited the public to a welcome reception before the council’s regular meeting. He also introduced Raisa De La Rosa as the city’s newly hired economic development director.
The hires mark a council decision to create a dedicated economic development office intended to bolster the city’s tax base, retain and attract businesses and address workforce and housing ties to economic growth. The mayor said the council funded the director position and expects the new office to coordinate with other city departments and local partners.
De La Rosa, who most recently worked in Santa Rosa and has roughly two decades of economic development experience, told the briefing she was “thrilled to be here” and said she is reviewing the city’s 2019 strategy and updated data to identify “low‑hanging fruit” such as permit streamlining for special events and food trucks. “I’m hitting the ground running,” she said.
Councilors and residents asked about staffing and resources for the new office. Officials said the director will have at least one direct staff member and that the position will leverage partnerships with community organizations and council members’ networks. The city administrator’s office will provide interim funding until the next budget cycle clarifies long‑term support.
The new director will also evaluate economic development priorities and may propose a refreshed strategic plan and community engagement process. Topics mentioned during the briefing included opportunities tied to data centers and questions about their infrastructure impacts; a participant also raised concerns about diesel backup generators at such facilities and referenced proposed state legislation addressing that issue.
The council directed staff to provide fact sheets and follow up on specific questions raised at the briefing; staff said materials, including the recreation assessment and related RFPs, will be made available online.
