Thorsen has been the assistant city manager of Agoura Hills since 2004. This is his first job as a city manager.
By Jonathan Friedman / Assistant Editor
By a unanimous vote, the City Council on Monday hired Agoura Hills Assistant City Manager Jim Thorsen as Malibu’s new city manager. Thorsen will begin work on May 1.
“Malibu has many exciting things going on,” said Thorsen on Tuesday when asked why he applied for the job. “It is one of the preeminent beach cities in the country.”
Thorsen was promoted to assistant city manager of Agoura Hills in 2004 after previously serving as public works director. He has worked in Agoura Hills since 1997. Prior to that, Thorsen worked in public works and engineering for the city of Simi Valley for 10 years. He had a similar job before coming to Simi Valley for the city of Denver, his first position after college.
Thorsen graduated from Colorado State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He grew up in Montana, and attended high school in Colorado where his family moved.
Although Thorsen has never been a city manager before, he said he is ready for the challenge.
“My 20-plus years of experience have educated me for city management,” Thorsen said.
Mayor Pro Tem Ken Kearsley said on Tuesday that it is a plus that Thorsen has never been a city manager.
“The problem is when you have a former city manager on the street looking for a job, there’s a reason for that,” Kearsley said. “We want somebody on the way up, somebody who is eager to take the job and not to bring the old prejudices.”
Kearsley said Thorsen was one of three finalists selected among more than 40 applicants for the job. He said he favored Thorsen because of his engineering background, since Malibu over the next several years will be dedicated to creating a water management program involving the recently acquired Chili Cook-Off site.
“His experience matched exactly what we wanted,” Kearsley said.
Thorsen’s contract lasts through May 1, 2008, but can be terminated by the City Council with a majority vote or by Thorsen. He will be paid $156,000 per year.
Thorsen is the permanent replacement for Katie Lichtig, who left Malibu in January to take a job as assistant city manager in Beverly Hills. Former Santa Monica City Manager John Jalili has run the city on an interim basis since Lichtig’s departure.
Thorsen lives with his wife and two children in Moorpark. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf and softball.