Jason Simpson has been appointed to city manager, effective March 1. Photo provided by the City of Lake Elsinore.The Lake Elsinore City Council on Tuesday appointed Assistant City Manager Jason Simpson as its next city manager, effective March 1. The appointment comes on the heels of current City Manager Grant Yates announcing he would retire at the end of February.
“Under Mr. Yates’ leadership, we have built an incredibly competent, high performing organization that is committed to making a difference in our community each and every day,” said Mayor Bob Magee.
“Mr. Simpson has earned this opportunity and we are confident in his abilities to ensure a smooth, seamless transition that will allow us to build on our past success, keep our team united, and get things done.”
Simpson has worked for the City of Lake Elsinore since February 2014 and was appointed assistant city manager in 2015. Simpson has had nearly 30 years of municipal experience serving in various management positions for the cities of Temecula, San Bernardino, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, Costa Mesa, and Vallejo.
“I am truly honored to have the overwhelming support of the city council to lead this extraordinary organization and serve such an engaged community,” Simpson said. “I look forward to working with the city council, staff, and our citizens to fulfill our vision to become the ultimate lake destination.”
As assistant city manager, Simpson has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Finance, Engineering, Public Works, Human Resources, Risk Management, and Information Systems Departments.
During his time at the city, Simpson has lead key catalyst projects that have resulted in new amenities for the community and encouraged investment including Rosetta Canyon Sports Park, Launch Pointe, Dream Extreme Neighborhood Center, Camino Del Norte Extension, and many other notable projects.
Simpson has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Biola University. He is an active member of the California City Management Foundation, Government Finance Officers Association, California Municipal Finance Officers Association, and the California Municipal Treasurers Association.
