Council to launch nationwide search to replace city manager
By Matt Shaw
Published in News on June 23, 2004 1:59 PM
Goldsboro council members want to launch a national search for the next city manager, whom they hope to hire by November.
Council members hope to find someone with a master's degree, at least five years experience, and with vision. It'd be nice, if impractical, to want a new manager with outgoing City Manager Richard Slozak's tenacity, officials said.
"It's rare to keep a manager as long as Richard has been here," Councilman Jimmy Bryan said.
"It's unheard of," Mayor Al King replied.
Slozak announced his retirement plans June 7. He has worked for the city for 33 years, the last 17 as manager. His last day is set to be Dec. 29.
Prior to their meeting Monday night, the council members talked about how to find his replacement.
They intend to meet Thursday, July 1, with Gene Dillman, director of member services for the N.C. League of Municipalities, for his advice. The vacancy will be advertised in the league's publications, through the National League of Cities and, most likely, in major newspapers, as well as locally.
The council members would prefer applicants with master's degrees in public administration and at least five years experience in city administration. That would include managers of similarly sized municipalities and assistant managers in larger cities.
But they also said they'd be flexible for the right candidates.
"To me, experience is number one," Bryan said.
Councilman Bob Waller added that he wants the new manager to have a knack for long-range planning.
King believes the city will have plenty of applicants. As opposed to other places, Goldsboro has shown it treats its managers well, he said. "Loyalty is a selling point."
If the city begins advertising next month, the council could review applications by early fall and interview finalists by October, King said. "We could have someone by November."
Some council members would like to have the new manager work with Slozak for a month to ease the transition.