Wanted: The City's Next CEO

Arcus Public, of Harrisburg, Penn., is actively recruiting and accepting applications until July 1, said Ann Marie Baker, co-chair of the 21-person committee overseeing the city manager hiring process. Arcus will then narrow the pool of applicants and forward between 10 and 15 top picks to the committee for further scrutiny, said Baker, UMB Bank’s Springfield president. The committee, which will bring its top picks to Springfield for interviews, is on schedule to make its recommendation to City Council in August, she added.

So far, there’s been plenty of interest in the position, Baker said, noting that the number of applications recently doubled within a week’s time. Officials are courting “passive candidates” – those not actively looking for new jobs.

“We’re very happy with the activity and the interest, and … we’re only at the beginning of June,” she said. “This process should yield a very healthy number of interested parties.”

The city is under contract to pay Arcus $20,500 but has budgeted $50,000 for the process to cover candidates’ travel expenses.

‘Easy sell’

At the June 2 City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Gary Deaver said he’s been in regular contact with Arcus principals, who are conducting preliminary interviews with candidates as soon as they receive résumés. Springfield’s appeal hasn’t gone unnoticed, Deaver said.

“Some of the other communities that are searching for a city manager have far less to offer, as far as opportunities,” he said. “(Arcus officials) feel we are in a wonderful position to attract quality candidates.”

Scott Christiansen, a search committee member and owner of The Christiansen Group executive search firm, agreed that Springfield is an “easy sell,” but he cautioned against becoming too complacent on the recruiting front.

“We – as a community – have to sell the benefits of our community and the area to these people, too,” Christiansen said. “Typically, these people are already in good positions and typically in communities they enjoy.”

Challenges ahead

Deputy City Manager Evelyn Honea, who has been with the city for 26 years, is serving as interim city manager until Cumley’s replacement is announced. Cumley’s last day was May 31, and more than 100 people attended a May 29 reception celebrating his 35-year career with the city.

“I was really gratified to see the number of people that were there,” he said. “I didn’t anticipate all that hubbub.”

Cumley joined the city in 1972 as personnel director and served as assistant city manager and deputy city manager before being named city manager in April 2006 after his predecessor, Tom Finnie, retired.

Cumley said he’s comfortable handing the reins over to the city’s management team, which he described as a group of capable and competent individuals led by Honea and Assistant City Manager Collin Quigley. Honea is well acquainted with city departments and has plenty of institutional knowledge, he added.

Different committee members are looking for different strengths in Springfield’s next city manager, but Cumley said strong interpersonal skills and at least some experience dealing with labor unions would serve his successor well. In recent years, city officials have wrangled with the Springfield Police Officers Association over how to cover a funding shortfall in the city’s Police and Fire Pension Fund.

“I think the biggest issue we’ve had for the last couple of years is the Police-Fire pension,” Cumley said. “I feel the only solution is some sort of referendum by the voters to fix the problem once and for all.”

Overseeing the beleaguered Park Central Square renovations and sustaining the momentum driving downtown revitalization efforts are other challenges sure to land in the new city manager’s lap. Maintaining Springfield’s business-friendly climate also will be important, said Cumley, who plans to catch up on family time, fishing and home-improvement projects in coming months.

“Developers want to make sure we have an environment that’s easy for them to work in,” he said. “They want regulations and codes that are consistently applied and fairly applied. They want to make sure the city doesn’t throw up any roadblocks.”

Job Description

Arcus Public has developed a six-page brochure to court candidates for Springfield’s next city manager. A few of the top duties:

• serve as CEO of the city

• responsible for $255 million budget

• manage 17 departments and 1,670 city employees

• know public and fiscal policies, intergovernmental relations and municipal financial management

• advise City Council

• tour businesses and attend grand openings and other public gatherings

Click here to download the complete brochure.