News

Takoma hunts for new City Manager

BY TODD CARTER

On February 25, Takoma Park residents gathered in at the municipal building to discuss what kind of person should run their city. The public meeting was set up by the City Manager Selection Committee, a 30-member task force charged with finding a replacement for outgoing city manager Richard Finn.

Committee member Richard Kohn said the meeting was a chance for the "general public to voice personal opinions" about who will implement policy set by the city council. Kohn stressed the importance of finding the right replacement for Finn, saying that the city manager is "the CEO of the city."

The city manager works closely with the Takoma Park City Council and fills "the city’s senior professional post, with responsibility for carrying out policies established by City Council and for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the city government," according to information at the city website.

The consulting firm Mercer Group was hired by the city to locate qualified applicants. However, no prospective candidates have been located yet.

"Right now we’re just looking at criteria for evaluating candidates," said Kohn. "Things will start to get interesting in April."

Having served as city manager in several different cities, Finn says that the position requires someone who is "highly ethical, honest, straightforward, totally apolitical, and has had direct management experience in the public sector."
He also added that a city such as Takoma Park requires a city manager who can deal skillfully with the public.

"Takoma Park has more public participation, by a long shot, than any other municipality I’ve worked for," said Finn.

Continuing the tradition of citizen involvement, the city council is asking residents to help with the selection process. A survey is posted at the city website (www.cityoftakomapark.org), which asks residents their opinions on "the most important issues and qualifications to consider" in hiring a new city manager. The survey form can be submitted electronically and questions can be emailed to Peggye Forster at peggyef@takomagov.org.

Finn will step down from his position in July in order complete a PhD program in Public Management from University of Baltimore. After leaving the post, Finn will stay on as a city employee for a short time, in order to help his successor become acclimated.