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Candidates share thoughts on city manager search

JANESVILLE — The most important task facing the new Janesville City Council when it convenes in April likely will be hiring a city manager.

Manager Steve Sheiffer has announced he will retire in the fall.

The current council has hired a search firm, The PAR Group, to help. So far, the council has scheduled sessions for various groups throughout the day on April 2 to share thoughts on what qualities residents want in an administrator. Residents can offer their input from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

What qualities would the six candidates look for in a manager?

And, how should residents be included in the process to hire one?

The answers below are gleaned both from interviews and a recent League of Women Voter’s forum.

George Mark: Mark said he would look for a manager with a strong financial background.

The PAR group was hired to discover the qualities that are important to the community, and it will then bring five qualified candidates forward, Mark said

He didn’t think it was necessary for him to go into more detail.

“My hope is that after I’m elected, the processes that are in place will be followed by both the city administration and everybody involved in it.

“I would like to establish the fact that the council is going to be the decision-maker in the city of Janesville,” Mark said. “The new city manager is going to be the administrator.”

The council is responsible for hiring a manager, he said.

“I don’t know what the citizens would have to do with it, anyway,” he said.

Tom McDonald: McDonald isolated several key qualities: someone with strong public administrative, economic and financial backgrounds, and someone who is forward looking.

And, “We need a people person—someone who can work with city employees, the council and with residents,” he said.

McDonald would hope to hear from residents in the community, and council members should work with the search firm to find out how best to go about that.

Maybe that is as simple as reading e-mails, having listening sessions, or listening to residents at council meetings, he said.

“Citizens need to take it upon themselves to contact us with ideas, and council members need to be open and receptive hearing what the citizens have to say,” he said.

Kevin Bishop: Bishop would look for someone who is fiscally responsible and has vision.

He or she must have innovative ways to look for new revenue because of budget constraints. With the economy slowing down, the city needs someone with knowledge of budgets and grant writing, he said.

A manager must understand the city’s working-class mentality, he said.

Janesville’s quality of life will draw the best candidate to the city.

Citizens must tell council members what the residents want in a manager, Bishop said. And council members must consider those views.

But Bishop would be careful that citizen participation would not slow the process or make it more expensive.

“You put too many layers in the process, it increases that cost and effort,” Bishop said.

Kelly O’Brien: O’Brien would look for a “people person” and someone with a great education, a strong financial background, experience in human resources and a proven track record.

She would be open to any suggestions to increase resident involvement in hiring a manager.

“The person’s going to be running the city that they live in,” O’Brien said.

Yuri Rashkin: Rashkin would look for somebody with a strong financial background and leadership and people skills.

The manager should be somebody who can help the city determine where it wants to be in 10 years and then guide it there. He or she should recognize the value of the city’s workforce.

Hiring a manager is an important decision that everyone should be involved in, he said.

“The city manager is a CEO of a $40 million corporation with 500 employees,” he said.

People can give their opinions at council meetings, through e-mails and phone calls. Listening sessions also could be scheduled, he said.

“I want to be the voice of the citizens,” Rashkin said.

Kathy Voskuil: The next city manager should be a visionary and a “big picture person”—someone who can build upon the city’s successes but also think outside the box, Voskuil said.

He or she should have a background in finance and economic development.

The person also should have integrity; honest; leadership qualities, be trustworthy; forthright; be a good communicator and a relationship builder.

The decision is extremely important and must be made with input from the public, she said.

Voskuil questions whether the 1½ hours set aside to seek input from the public is adequate in a town of 60,000.

Voskuil said she would ask about and consider other options to involve the community.