-June 17,2019-
Hanford City Manager: Mike Olmos to replace Darrel Pyle on interim basis
Former Visalia City Manager Mike Olmos is in line to be appointed as interim City Manger for the City of Hanford at this weeks council meeting.
Current City Manger Darrel Pyle has said he will leave the position at the end of June. Pyle has been on the job since 2012.
Due to litigation Pyle is expected to stay on as an advisor to the City in an ongoing lawsuit with Helena Enterprises. Pyle will be available to testify through July 5.
Helena Chemical filed a lawsuit against the City of Hanford in 2017 over plans for the company to move away from the big Costco project. Helena wanted to expand where they were but Hanford required them relocate to a new site in the industrial park on land they would acquire from the city on 11th Ave, where they are today. They are seeking $12 million in damages.
Olmos had a 4-year stint with the City of Visalia departing in 2017. Olmos is a graduate of Porterville High School and Fresno State University. He is trained professionally as a land use and environmental planner and has over forty years of experience as a city planner, public works professional, economic developer, local government manager, and city manager including in Reedley.
Under the terms of the employment agreement with Hanford, Olmos will serve as Interim City Manager until January 3, 2020, unless the City or Olmos elect to terminate the agreement early. Olmos will be paid a salary of twelve thousand dollars ($12,000.00) per month and will be reimbursed for business-related expenses.
The City Manager for Hanford oversees the work of some 256 full-time and 118 seasonal employees.
Smart & Final to take Hanford Orchard Supply space
Smart and Final will relocate its Hanford store in January to the former Orchard Supply building at 552.N 11th Ave . The current location is on Lacey Blvd in an industrial part of town while their new location will be in a retail shopping center.
The company will lease 34,406 square feet of the former Orchard Supply space that was closed lat year.
Smart & Final is a chain of warehouse-style food and supply stores based in Commerce, California with over 300 stores in the Western United States and 15 in northwestern Mexico. Mart and Final has carried out an aggressive expansion in recent years of their retail grocery business emphasizing less its food service business.
New restaurant in Downtown Hanford
Downton Hanford will see a new eatery, the Tap House Grill opening next to Hop Forged Brewery at 102 W 7th. This was the former location of the Rock N Roll Deli. The restaurant should help bring more people downtown says Main Street Hanford’s CEO Michell Brown. The Tap House is owned by Frank Alves. “The food complements what they are doing at Hop Forged- bringing more traffic to the the area” she adds.
New grocer opening in August in Lemoore
Speaking to the the Lemoore City Council recently David and Karen McKinney introduced themselves as the new owners of Grocery Outlet, anew grocer opening in town. They will be doing a hiring fair on July 27, 2019 for 15 full-time positions as 35 part-time positions. They will be opening on August 29, 2019.