Residents Form Profile for New City Manager

Someone experienced, evenhanded, apolitical, fiscally conservative and good with the public.

On Tuesday night, those were the qualities residents said they desire in Thousand Oaks’ next city manager.

“This is a helluva great city. It should be a plum of an assignment,” said resident Raul Gutierrez, who said he wanted to see a city manager similar to Grant Brimhall, who retired from the post in February after serving for 20 years.

Gutierrez was one of three people who took the opportunity to share their opinions with a search consultant about what qualities a permanent successor to Brimhall should possess. Brimhall’s top deputy for many years, MaryJane V. Lazz, is the interim city manager.

Resident Mary Harris said she wanted a city manager who worked well with the public.

“Whoever we get as city manager should be able to tackle my two most precious things--housing and transportation. We also need someone who is easygoing,” she said.

Resident Nick Quidwai said, however, that the next city manager should not be paid as much as Brimhall, whose salary was nearly $132,000.

Robert Murray, a vice president with the David M. Griffith & Associates search firm, listened attentively to the comments. He has already consulted with elected leaders, top city staffers and employee unions about Thousand Oaks’ search for a new city manager.

Later in the evening, Murray said the city needs a generalist manager with experience in finance, growth, economic development, maintaining quality of life and law enforcement.

It should be a person with experience in local government, proven leadership skills and an evenhanded approach to address “the unique challenge” of Thousand Oaks.

“Where do you find a person like that? I’m not sure; maybe you can pull one out of a hat somewhere,” Murray quipped.

He suggested that appropriate candidates would come from communities as complex as Thousand Oaks. While the candidate should have municipal experience, it may be someone who has worked in the private sector.

Murray said his firm is about to place advertisements in appropriate publications to find qualified candidates. He expects to report back to the City Council with top candidates around July 28. His schedule calls for the council to interview candidates in early September and hire someone later that month.

People who were unable to attend Tuesday’s City Council meeting can voice their opinions by sending a letter to: Robert Murray, DMG & Associates, 4320 Auburn Blvd., Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95841. Murray can be reached by phone at (916) 485-8102 or by fax at (916) 485-0111.