Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Promotional Material: Geoff Bradley left his job with the city redevelopment agency, where he focused on the city's downtown, to take a top spot in the community development department.
Redevelopment official moves to planning job
Geoff Bradley taking Sharon Fierro's former post as senior planner
By Steven Raphael
City Redevelopment Coordinator Geoff Bradley was promoted to Senior Planner on Oct. 2, giving up the No. 2 spot in the Redevelopment Agency to take the job formerly occupied by Community Development Director Sharon Fierro.
Bradley, 31, who had held the redevelopment coordinator post since 1997, was selected by Fierro and City Manager Bernie Strojny from a pool of many highly qualified applicants. Fierro said Bradley's talents helped him to rise above the competition.
"He has a good understanding of the city of Campbell, he's an excellent writer, he has very good communication skills, he works well with people, and he's a nice guy," Fierro said. "It's just so nice to have Geoff's skills available to us."
According to Fierro, planners need to know "a little bit about everything." Fierro said a planner must be good at architecture, law, public relations, statistics and writing.
The senior planner, whose salary ranges from $72,288 to $87,852 per year, oversees the city's planning process. In addition to managing the day-to-day planning, Bradley will be involved in more advanced long-term planning.
Fierro said Bradley's background makes him ideal for the job. He earned his bachelor's degree in architecture and is now working toward a master's degree, also in architecture. Before becoming redevelopment coordinator, he worked as a planner for the city of Sunnyvale and for a private planning firm.
"It's a real key position for the city," Fierro said. "And he's a can-do kind of guy."
Bradley said he's looking forward to the challenge of his new position.
"My education and my background is in city planning, I live in Campbell and have lots of friends here," he said. "I'd like to stay in the city. This is an opportunity to have more responsibility and more challenges without having to go to a different city. I think it's going to be fun."
But, Fierro warned Bradley that being senior planner isn't all fun and games. "I told him this is a job that's going to take a lot of work," she said.
She should know: Fierro was the city's senior planner for three years.
She gave up the job in May when she was promoted to the community development director position.
That post, which pays between $86,724 and $116,016 per year, was vacated in December by Steve Piasecki, who accepted the community development director job at the city of Cupertino.
The city also hired a new entry-level planner, Kristi Bascom, who started work at the city on Oct. 9.
Bascom has a master's degree in planning and has already spent a year as a planner for the city of Hayward. Bascom has experience with illustration, design and architecture.
The changes leave the city with one important staff job to fill: the redevelopment coordinator. The city is beginning recruitment efforts for candidates with redevelopment or planning experience who could fill the position.
Campbell, California
