The city of Ceres is scrambling to find a new Community Development Director now that Christopher Hoem has been terminated.

Hoem was placed on administrative leave and dismissed on Friday, the Courier has learned. Calls to the city manager and human resources director for comment went unanswered.

The city’s website posted a flyer on Monday advertising for applicants for Hoem’s replacement. The position pays $12,237 to $14,875 per month depending on experience and education.

Hoem was sharply criticized by Tamra Spade who was fired last September as the city’s Economic Development manager. Spade believed that her criticisms of Hoem, her boss, led to her dismissal.

Shortly after her dismissal, Spade described Hoem’s department as “toxic.” She told the Courier that Hoem was a “nice person who doesn’t have a mean bone in his body” but also stated “he is not a leader and he’s not a manager and he doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

She also stated that Hoem was getting back to developers who needed information.

The Community Development Department saw an exodus of employees since Hoem was hired in August 2021. They included Senior Planner James Michaels who resigned in November 2022 for Lathrop after serving 15 years, Jordan Jones who left for a different department and Planning consultant Marjorie Blom.

Others who have left the city included Finance Director Leticia Dias, and City Engineer Kevin Waugh.

Before coming to Ceres, Hoem was a land use advisor and planner in Santa Clara County, director of Development Services in Gem County, in Emmett, Idaho, and a city planner in Naples, Utah.