Bill Skinner, City Manager

Bill Skinner, City Manager

Mr. Skinner has a broad background in project management and development in both the public and private sectors.  Mr. Skinner’s experience in the infrastructure side of development and the facility planning field has been well utilized by public and private development in the San Joaquin Valley.  This experience, combined with overall planning skills and an awareness of political reality, has assisted many projects toward approval and eventual construction.

Prior to assuming the duties of City Manager, Mr. Skinner served as the project manager for several on-going projects in multiple jurisdictions on a concurrent basis.  Additionally, Mr. Skinner applies his considerable expertise in fiscal analysis, grant preparation and administration of municipal governmental operations.

Furthermore, Mr. Skinner has considerable experience in the oversight and management of all aspects of municipal governmental activities including, but not necessarily limited to, public works project management, engineering project (roads, utilities, water, wastewater, and storm water), City budget preparation, and municipal transit systems operation, Police Department, Fire Department and City operated correctional institution management.

Mr. Skinner's skills include economic and community development, infrastructure plans, fiscal impact analysis and financial assessments. With his intimate knowledge of city operations, he has also served as contract community development director for cities of Chowchilla, Coalinga, Mendota, and Firebaugh.

Mr. Skinner is experienced in environmental analysis and processing for the public and private sectors. These environmental analysis include Environmental Impact Reports, Initial Studies, Mitigation Monitoring Programs, Findings of Fact, Project Opportunities and Constraints, and Land Use Feasibility Studies, as well as, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance documents for various Federal Agencies (HUD, FHWA, FAA & USDA). Mr. Skinner has been responsible for the preparation and management of environmental documentation for a wide range of projects encompassing large-scale specific plans, commercial and office complexes, residential development, mixed use projects, roadway improvements, public parks and recreational facilities, and public service improvements. These environmental documents have involved general plan amendments, pre-zonings and re-zonings, planned unit developments, tract maps, major use permits, annexations, sphere-of-influence boundary changes, and the formation of assessment districts.

In addition, Mr. Skinner is experienced in a wide range of current and long range municipal planning disciplines, as well as, the preparation of environmental assessments (CEQA and NEPA). These disciplines include, processing of Conditional Use Permits, development site plans, Variances, annexations, Tentative Subdivision Maps and General Plan Amendments.

Since assuming the City Manager position in April of 2008, Mr. Skinner has completed the following major projects:

  • Completion and adoption of a balanced budget for 2008/2009 and 2009/2010.
  • Recruitment and hiring of a City Police Chief
  • 2025 General Plan Update
  • Wastewater Treatment Plant relocation and expansion
  • 13 public works projects, road repair, storm water line repair, beautification projects, signalizations of two intersections
  • 8 Redevelopment Agency projects
  • Adoption of State Enterprise Zone for Coalinga inclusion in Fresno County economic development program
  • Water system improvements, including a new reservoir
  • Approval of 8 residential subdivisions for a total of 3,000 home sites
  • Approval of a 100 acre regional shopping center (1 million square feet of commercial space)
  • Commercial projects (Walgreen’s, Save Mart, 80 room hotel);
  • 164 unit multiple family State of California Tax Credit project for workforce housing
  • State and Federal Grants
    • Recycling Grant – California Integrated Waste Management Board
    • Safe Drinking Water – Department of Public Health
    • Urban Drought Management – Department of Water Resources
    • Parks Construction – Department of Conservation
    • Urban Forestry – Department of Forestry
    • Safe Routes to School – Federal Highway Administration
    • Urban Signage – California Community Development Block Grant
    • Highway Signalization – California Department of Transportation
    • Fire Department – Homeland Security
    • Police Department – Department of Justice and Office of Traffic Safety
    • Airport improvements – Federal Aviation Administration