George Murphey, Elk Grove’s longest serving planning commissioner, stepping down after 17 years

At the conclusion of the Thursday, February 15 Elk Grove Planning Commission meeting, Commissioner George Murphey announced he is stepping down from his position on the five-person board.

Murphey, appointed by former Elk Grove mayor and city council member Gary Davis on February 28, 2007, served as the de facto rural representative on the planning commission during his entire tenure. Murphey’s tenure on the planning commission is the longest in Elk Grove’s history.

After being appointed by Davis, Murphey challenged then-District 2 Councilmember Pat Hume in 2010. Murphey finished second in the three-candidate race (see 2010 campaign video below).

Before the city shifted to a directly elected mayor in 2012, appointments were made by each of the five city council members. When Elk Grove started directly electing the mayor in 2012, vacancy appointments were made by the mayor with the consensus of the city council.

The process of planning commission appointments changed dramatically after Bobbie Singh-Allen became mayor in 2020. Singh-Allen initiated a process where all five commissioners were compelled to re-apply.

In early 2021, the process led to the purge of three planning commissioners – MacKenzie Weiser, Tony Lin, and Andrew Schuck. Murphey continued to receive support based on his institutional knowledge.

Murphey said at the behest of Singh-Allen, he will remain in the commission until a replacement is nominated and the city council confirms the appointment. In the past, mayors and city council members sought to have at least one commissioner from each of the city’s four city council districts.

Although Commissioner Juan Fernandez resides in District 2, with Murphey’s resignation from District 2, there will be no rural residents on the commission. Singh-Allen is expected to nominate a rural area applicant.