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City commissioners want to see the next city manager focused on managing city growth, tax relief for residents and community engagement.
Commissioners and the mayor outlined to The Eudora Times what they are looking for as another manager search begins this fall. This story comes after we recently asked residents what they would like to see in a manager. Read that story here.
Roberta Lehmann said she is looking for someone with the city’s vision of keeping organic growth in mind. She said since the city needs new business to help with tax revenue, she’s looking for someone invested in the city and who believes in its goals.
Lehmann said since some of the ongoing projects have seemed to slightly lag, she wants to make sure they’re moving forward with Nottingham. The city is being methodical about what it chooses to put there, though, she said. They’re avoiding bringing stores that are repetitive to what the city already has, she said.
“We’re being selective because we want to make sure that what comes in is a good fit and so we could’ve sold some of those lots already, but they just didn’t really fit in with Eudora’s growth,” she said.
The city has a lot of large budget items already in the works, like plans for a new water treatment facility and the electrical substation, she said. So the commission needs guidance to get through all the projects and make them happen, she said.
Lehmann would like to see a manager with open ears while also having opinions they can come back with, she said. A big priority is having someone who comes with alternative options if what the commission is asking for doesn’t make the most sense, she said.
As Zack Daniel continues to serve in the interim city manager role, Lehmann said she is confident in his abilities and that he is doing a great job so far.
Tim Bruce wants a manager who is like-minded and understands what the city’s goals are while also feeling like they are capable of supporting them, he said.
With many large projects coming down the line, there has to be an ability to shift gears to keep plans moving forward, he said.
Someone who understands they may not always have the answers to questions but is willing to lean on other consultants and professionals is the kind of manager he would like to see, he said.
Bruce said he wants to continue to see economic development prioritized, while also making sure to take care of aging infrastructure. Part of taking care of the city is making sure it also brings in additional revenue to make that happen, though, he said.
Jolene Cullen said she is looking for transparency from whoever they hire, but also said the transparency has been good from various department heads.
Cullen wants to see a manager keep an ethical mind, look for liabilities to the city, and keep effective and direct communication with the commission, she said.
She does not want to see someone sugarcoat things to appease people, but rather someone who is going to be direct, she said.
Having a vision is important, but being able to put the pieces together to make it happen is another story, she said.
Cullen said she has been liking the vision for the STAR bond development south of K-10 and doesn’t think it will take away from the small-town feel.
She doesn’t expect the manager to have the answers to everything, and wants them to feel comfortable asking for outside consultation or clarification.
A manager needs to be a leader who is able to see strengths in different staff members, Cullen said. By helping them to see those strengths, they will feel more confident, she said. A manager needs to also offer guidance and inspiration to others, she said.
Cullen said she is looking for a project that can lower the mill levy and take some tax relief to residents. A manager needs to be open to taking a chance while working within the budget to make progress, she said.
“We can still keep our small town. We can still keep where everybody knows everybody,” she said. “That doesn’t have to go away, just because we have a few more businesses.”
She’d also like to see outdated codes updated, she said.
She hopes the manager will make a strong appearance in the community, especially as the face of the town, she said. It also needs to be clear the community has an open door to them, she said.
Alex Curnes said the city is working to balance a lot of different things, like development, Panasonic, and partnerships at the state and county level. A manager needs to be able to manage all of those things while taking a variety of perspectives into account, he said.
He would like someone to see the perspective of Eudora residents using its streets, parks and public safety, while also looking for ways to increase services but also balance needs, he said.
Ongoing conversations about safe, walkable neighborhoods is a priority for him, he said. Economic development is also on that list, he said.
“I think really balancing the needs of the community with the infrastructure requirements, the financial requirements that are necessary, I think that balance is probably the biggest thing for me,” Curnes said.
Tim Reazin said he is looking for the same things he has always wanted in a city manager – someone who understands the community’s drive and vision, not just the commissioners, and someone who is open and honest.
A city manager is the bridge between the commission and the department heads, so he wants someone willing to keep an open idea of what that means, he said.
With previous conversations about hiring additional staff to help with city planning and economic development projects, Reazin would like to see those needs met to take some items off the manager’s plate, he said. That would allow the manager to put more focus on keeping the commission herded together and focused on its goals, he said.
Diversifying the tax base is still the main goal, he said. Allowing for more retail growth and giving developers more clear guidelines to make it easier to work in Eudora is also a goal, he said.
He is also looking for a manager who gets the commission materials ahead of time to give them time to think, as well as more time for the public to comment or ask questions, he said. Making sure they are staying ahead by having communication and transparency with the manager is important, he said.
Reazin would also like to host more town halls to explain certain decisions to community members.
Making more time for meetings with other groups, like the Planning Commission, is also a priority because they offer valuable resources, he said.
With more help in the economic development and planning side of things, the city manager would be able to prioritize managing people and doing daily operations, he said.
The city’s HR specialist Susie Yuran is working on completing a preliminary job posting for the position, Reazin said. He hopes the position will be discussed at the next commission meeting, he said.