The Gilroy City Council has selected Saratoga City Manager Matt Morley to be Gilroy’s new City Administrator. Morley’s appointment is scheduled for a formal vote by the council at the Jan. 5 meeting, which starts at 6pm at Council Chambers, 7351 Rosanna St.
Morley—a longtime Gilroy resident—has served as Saratoga’s city manager since June 2024, following a lengthy career in municipal public service. According to a City of Gilroy staff report, Morley has more than 29 years of local government experience, including as Assistant City Manager and Public Works Director for the City of Cupertino; Public Works Director of Los Gatos; and employment with the City of San Jose.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and German; and a master’s degree in business administration.
Upon the council’s Jan. 5 vote, Morley’s salary at Gilroy City Hall will include base pay of $339,000 annually, says the city staff report. His appointment will be effective Feb. 9.
“Matt is a high-energy, results-oriented leader with strong depth in local government operations,” says the staff report prepared by Mayor Greg Bozzo. “He has a demonstrated ability to deliver programs with a focus on customer service. Further, his style is to create an optimized work environment that is aligned with the council’s policies and goals.”
Bozzo’s statement added that Morley has shown a focus on “stakeholder engagement,” economic development, public safety services and fiscal sustainability.
“Matt is someone who will pursue innovative ideas and take calculated, well-thought-out risks when appropriate,” Bozzo added.
Gilroy’s city administrator position became vacant at the end of July 2025, when former City Administrator Jimmy Forbis announced his retirement after about five years in that position. The council appointed Brad Kilger—a former city manager for a number of cities in the region—as interim city administrator.
During the recruitment for a new permanent city administrator, the council hired executive search firm Ralph Anderson & Associates to conduct the search.
Morley’s proposed compensation package includes medical and dental benefits; $500 per month vehicle allowance; 44 hours of personal leave per year; and severance pay and benefits. The city’s total compensation costs for the City of Gilroy are about $459,000 annually.
“Being raised in Gilroy, having attended Gilroy schools, later raising his own family in Gilroy, and residing in Gilroy for several decades makes serving the Gilroy community and leading the Gilroy organization very special,” says Bozzo’s staff report. “He views the Gilroy City Administrator job as a ‘dream job’ and an ‘opportunity of a lifetime.’”
