Visiting With Neighbors --City Manager Search Update

This just in from "The City"---well actually it came in a lot earlier but it was such a wonderful night, I've been out in the neighborhood visiting with my neighbors. Lots of nice folks out there who are hardworking, sensible folks who are concerned about the same things: Fix the fire and police pension fund, leave the skatepark alone, Kennedy Stadium has more nuisance noise than the skaters, and open the pools more days.

Folks I talked to seem to be unhappy with the government. Not just the federal but the state, the county and "The City".

Yes, it was a nice night to be out and about, not muggy and humid and there was a nice breeze blowing. People would wave or toot their car horns as they drove by. Everyone seemed to be honoring the new 25 MPH speed limit that was posted on the new signs. I didn't realize that every street that comes off of a 30 MPH street is getting a 25 MPH speed limit sign. Dang, that's a lot of new signs.

I passed that sign posted above on a corner down the street from my house. Frequent bus riders familiar with the neighborhood know it refers to a home for rent in the neighborhood. There is a sign on my corner. There seem to be an abundance of homes for rent in our neighborhood. More than I can recall ever seeing. Sunshine north to Parkview, Campbell west to Fort. That's the neighborhood.

Stanford is getting the sidewalks we turned down. I went over and looked at the sidewalks that are going in on the south side of Stanford between Portland School and Campbell. I hope they are not finished. The right-of-way looks pretty rough. Thanks to all those homeowners who maintain the right-of-way for "The City". I would suspect there is a city ordinance that requires you to do it, however.

Anyhow...this just in from "The City":

The City Manager Search Committee and City Council will meet on Monday, July 21, 2008, with Arcus Public, which will make a “binder presentation” of the initial group of qualified candidates to be considered for the City Manager position.

The meeting will begin at 5 p.m., Monday at the Great Southern office at 218 S. Glenstone Ave. It will be a closed meeting under Sec. 610-021 of the Missouri Sunshine Law, which allows an exemption for “Hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting of particular employees by a public governmental body when personal information about the employee is discussed or recorded.”

Arcus will present information on this group of qualified candidates including each one’s resume; information from preliminary interviews; an extensive questionnaire each was asked to answer; references and initial background checks.

The goal of the meeting will be to narrow the candidates to a group of finalists. Those candidates will be notified of their invitation to visit Springfield for a formal interview process. The names of the finalist candidates will be released after all of them have been notified; that announcement will likely occur on Tuesday, July 22, or Wednesday, July 23.

The finalists will be invited to Springfield on Aug. 3-5, 2008, for a series of interviews, meetings and public events. The public will be invited to two open-house style receptions to meet the candidates. The schedule will be released with the announcement of the finalists.

For more information, contact: Gary Deaver, Co-Chair, City Manager Search Committee, 866-6463; or Louise Whall, Director of Public Information, 864-1010.

Do you think they will promote from within and give it to this one or this one or anybody on this list?

No, I am not a paid apologist for "The City".