Yellow Springs News Online

Manager selection process includes Dec. 9 public forum

Candidate withdraws

James C. Smith of Newport, R.I., withdrew his application for the Village manager’s job this week after he accepted a job offer from another community. Read related article.

Yellow Springers will have an opportunity next week to meet and learn more about the candidates vying for the Village manager’s job.

The candidates’ weekend visit to town includes a public forum on Friday, Dec. 9, during which local residents will be able to provide input in the selection process.

The forum is part of three days of meetings, from Dec. 9 to Dec. 11, during which Village Council hopes to hire a manager to replace Rob Hillard, who resigned in September.

At least two candidates — Teddy C. Ryan Jr., the borough manager of Columbia, Penn., and Eric C. Swansen of Jackson Hole, Wyo., the former city manager of Farmersville, Calif. — are coming to Yellow Springs for the process.

A third candidate, James C. Smith, the city manager of Newport, R.I., withdrew his application for the job on Tuesday after he accepted a new position in Washington, N.C.

Al Schlueter, chairman of the Village Manager Search Committee, said that the committee planned to meet on Wednesday to discuss how to respond to Smith’s decision to withdraw.

Villagers who attend the public forum will be asked to fill out evaluation forms for each of the candidates. Council will have a chance to review the evaluations before interviewing the three candidates the next day.

In addition, time has been added to the forum to allow attendees to talk about the candidates, said Schlueter.

Audience members will be able to share their thoughts on the candidates, after each has given a presentation, during what Schlueter called a debriefing. The discussion is scheduled to run from 8:30 to 9 p.m., Schlueter said. The candidates will not be present at the discussion, he said.

Prior to the debriefing, each candidate will give a brief statement and will respond to questions from the search committee and from the audience. Each candidate will have a half hour to talk and answer questions. Fred Bartenstein has agreed to moderate the forum.

Schlueter said that the search committee, which is leading the process to find a new Village manager, added the extra discussion session after some people expressed concern during Council’s meeting on Nov. 21 that community members would not have a chance to share their views on the candidates.

He indicated that search committee members added the discussion to the forum schedule on their own initiative. During the meeting last week, Council members expressed mixed views on the need to provide additional time to talk about the candidates.

Here’s the schedule of activities slated for next week in the manager search process. It was created by the Village Manager Search Committee. All activities take place in the Bryan Community Center.

Friday, Dec. 9
7 p.m.: Moderated public forum with the three candidates, followed by a discussion about the candidates and a meet-and-greet gathering with the candidates

9 a.m.–12:45 p.m.: Separate interviews with the candidates, Village Council and the search committee

The remaining two candidates for the manager’s job are:
• Teddy C. Ryan Jr., who has served as the borough manager of Columbia, Penn., since 2003. He also has been the manager or administrator in eight other communities, including Sebring, Ohio, 2000–03; Riverside, 1998–2000; New Lebanon, 1994–98; Stoneham, Mass., 1989–92; Ocoee, Fla., 1986–88; Green Cove Springs, Fla., 1984–86; Clovis, N.M., 1982–83; and Trinidad, Colo., 1979–81. He has a master of public administration from the University of Kansas and a BS in business administration from Old Dominion University.

• Eric C. Swansen of Jackson Hole, Wyo., who worked as the city manager of Farmersville, Calif., from 2003 to 2004. He has also been a senior management analyst with the city of Shoreline, Wash., from 1998 to 2003; a senior management analyst with the community development department with Deschutes County, Ore., from 1994 to 1998; and a management analyst in the public works department of Lacy, Wash. He has a master of public administration from the University of Washington and a BA in political science from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash.