City Manager Axed in Selma Hired in Palm Springs

Former Selma City Manager named Assistant City Manager in Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS — Teresa Gallavan, who was removed from her position at city manager in Selma in May 2021,  has scored a position as assistant city manager in Palm Springs. She will earn $215,652 annually, according to Communications Director Amy Blaisdell.

Gallavan had served as city manager in Selma since October 2018.

The Selma City Council voted 3-2 to terminate Gallavan, according to The Sun, the Selma newspaper.

Gallavan submitted her resignation to the council and will receive a five month payout on her contract worth over $148,000, which breaks down to $75,000 in salary, $7,000 in health care and $66,000 in leave balances, according to the newspaper. 

According to the newspaper, Selma has experienced great tumult at its top executive position in the past five years. As a Council-Manager form of government, the City Manager holds considerable control over the day-to-day operations of the city.

City Manager Justin Clifton told Uken Report, “The city fully vetted Teresa and feels good about this hire.”

Selma is an agricultural community of fewer than 25,000 residents.

Prior to Selma, Gallavan served as Interim City Manager of Lompoc, California from January 2018 to July 2018 and October 2013 to January 2014. In Lompoc, Gallavan also served as Economic Development Director/Assistant City Manager from 2011 to 2018.

Prior to Lompoc, Gallavan worked for the County of Riverside Economic Development Agency for 15 years, the last seven years as the Agency’s Marketing & Cultural Services Manager, overseeing marketing, the County of Riverside Library System and the Edward-Dean Museum and Gardens.

Gallavan holds a Masters of Business Administration from California State University, San Bernardino and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of California, Irvine.

She will begin her new position in Palm Springs in mid-November.

“I am thrilled to be bringing Teresa on to join our team. This is an important position that plays a key role in leading the organization and working on some of the most important policy issues,” Clifton said in a news release. “I am grateful we have found a thoughtful, experienced leader who I am confident will hit the ground running.”

In a prepared statement, Gallavan said, “Over the past several years, Palm Springs has experienced a tremendous renaissance and I am thrilled to join the team and help Palm Springs continue to prosper post-COVID. With a background in economic development, I look forward to promoting the iconic Palm Springs brand and destination and I am incredibly excited to work with the city manager, council and staff moving forward.”