Cambria begins negotiations to separate from its GM 

The Cambria community is divided over an Aug. 30 closed session meeting discussing the disciplining of the Cambria Community Services District's General Manager.

Although the meeting's agenda did not identify who the public employee was, before public comment commenced, district board President Amanda Rice confirmed that the employee in question was General Manager Jerry Gruber.

Rice told New Times via email that the board unanimously voted to negotiate a separation agreement with the general manager's attorney on terms reviewed with the board in closed session.

During public comment, many residents called for Gruber's resignation, but there were also Cambrians who called the meeting a character assassination.

Resident Richard Morris said he opposed the board's decision to discuss Gruber's future employment during a closed session meeting.

"I question the motives of the board, and I question the way in which this is being handled. It's backwards in my judgment, and it should be confidential," Morris said.

New Times reached out to Gruber for comment, but he did not respond before press time.

Gruber first joined the district as the utilities manager in 2010. A year later, he took the general manager position on an interim basis after the district fired former manger Tammy Rudock in 2011.

If the district dismisses Gruber, he has the option to receive his usual pay during a nine-month severance period and continue to manage the district. If he decides to leave voluntarily, he's entitled to state retirement from the California Public Employee's Retirement System.

According to the state Controller's PublicPay website, Gruber's total wages are $203,991 and retirement and health contributions total $50,882. Δ