City Manager

JOB
The City of Palmer, Alaska, seeks a City Manager who is a highly organized, personable leader possessing solid, proven skills and experience with a passion for serving the city council and citizens of Palmer. The City of Palmer is located in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, 40 miles northeast of Anchorage with a population of 6,000 residents. The City of Palmer has trademarked and incorporated into its city seal "Alaska at its Best," embodying the community's spirit. The City of Palmer is a unique, home rule municipality with a council-manager form of government. The city manager is a salaried position appointed by, and reporting to, the city council.

In order to be considered for the position, in addition to meeting the minimum qualifications as outlined in the job description, candidates must submit:

1. Cover Letter/Letter of Interest
2. Typed Resume
3. Examples of your written work which may include memos, reports or correspondence written by the applicant within the last two (2) years. This material must be related to the applicant's current or previous employment and must not exceed six (6) total pages.
4. Answers to the Supplemental Questions, answered on a separate sheet of paper and submitted as an attachment to the candidate's application.

In addition to the City of Palmer job application, three examples of your writing, and resume, all candidates must submit typed responses to the questions below. Answers should be single spaced with margins no less than one inch. There is no minimum requirement for answers, but no answer should exceed one 8.5 x 11-inch page. Please include your name and page number at the top of each page, as well as the question number for each response. The responses to these questions will be reviewed and evaluated prior to the next step in the selection process.

QUESTIONS:

1. Please tell us why you are interested in this position and why it is a good time in your career to come to the City of Palmer.
2. Please describe your professional experience working with elected officials and boards. Describe the responsibility you believe the City Manager has to the Mayor and City Council and to the citizens of the community. Describe how you see your role and interactions with the 1) Mayor 2) City Council and 3) City Clerk.
3. Please explain your process for communicating critical and non-critical information to the Mayor and Council. How do you decide when or what is necessary to bring to the Mayor and Council’s attention? How do you see your role as communicator to the Mayor and Council, staff, other governmental agencies, local businesses, and citizens?
4. The citizens and city council members are very diverse. Describe how you would handle a situation where two people wanted to take you in opposite positions on the same project.
5. Organization and planning is often a challenge when working in the community and juggling multiple tasks. How will you work to achieve the goals of this position while still completing paperwork, communicating effectively, and meeting the needs of Council, City Clerk, staff, and citizens?
6. Please describe any experience you have had facilitating economic development in a community. Please describe your involvement in a specific economic development project, from inception to completion including: 1) your role in the project; 2) any problems/issues you encountered; and 3) the results of the project.
7. Explain your experience in developing, implementing, and monitoring a budget for a municipality.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

1. Plans, directs, coordinates, and administers the activities of all administrative departments in carrying out the requirements of city ordinances, rules, regulations, and the requests of the City Council.
2. Establishes operating procedures and performance standards for departments; directs organization staffing and supervision of operations as delegated to department heads daily; establishes long and short-range goals and objectives for the city based on requests established by the City Council.
3. Reports regularly to the Council concerning the status of all assignments, projects, and functions of the city; establishes departmental objectives and deadlines for meeting these requests; administers a variety of special programs and operations.
4. Analyzes a variety of issues, state, and federal legislation, and prepares recommendations on items requiring council action.
5. Studies and resolves a variety of difficult and complex administrative and management problems as directed by the City Council; interprets regulations and recommends policy changes.
6. Responsible for Enterprise Departments of the Warren “Bud” Woods Palmer Municipal Airport, Palmer Water and Sewer and oversees contracts for Palmer Golf Course, Palmer Museum of History & Art, Palmer Visitor Center, and Palmer Garden.
7. Represents the city and City Council in negotiations and related administrative and operational matters with governmental, non-governmental organizations and the public; communicates the mission and activities of the city.
8. Assists the City Council with policy planning by gathering data and presenting alternative plans; recommends feasible alternatives based on effective management practices; discusses implications of alternatives.
9. Is responsible for the employment of all city employees, except the City Attorney and City Clerk, and shall supervise and coordinate the personnel policies and practices of the city. Appoints, disciplines, and terminates city administrative officials and employees, as provided by statute; evaluates the performance of administrative support staff and department heads.
10. Manages and administers the financial affairs of the city; coordinates the preparation of the city budget including capital improvements program, in liaison with the council, and department heads; administers the approved operating budget by monitoring expenditures and recommending changes to the council; oversees the investment of city funds to ensure the best possible interest; presents reports to the council on the city’s financial status.
11. Directs emergency preparedness and recovery efforts for civil emergencies within the city.
12. Exercises custody over all real and personal property of the city.
13. Executes other powers or duties specified by statute or by council action.
14. Performs related work as required.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL NATURE AND LEVEL OF WORK BEING PERFORMED BY PERSON(S) ASSIGNED TO THIS POSITION. THEY ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND SKILLS REQUIRED OF PERSONNEL IN THIS POSITION. ALL REQUIREMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE MODIFICATION TO REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.