What do you do when you are the city manager and the city council is hellbent on committing financial suicide? We explore what appears to be an inevitable trainwreck in Michigan.
Additionally, an executive assistant has been promoted to city manager, a candidate says that one of the electeds told him before a decision was made that he was not going to get the job, and it appears a social media meme caused one city administrator to quit.
All that and more news after the job postings.
Job Board Postings
It is free to post all of your senior and executive level recruitments over at the AAME job board. If you would like to include them in this newsletter, select the $199 option.
City/County Manager Recruitments
Other
IL: Decatur - Director of Finance (4/5/2024) | in-house
IL: Village of St. Joseph - Public Works Director (Until Filled) | in-house
KS: Osage County - County Controller (4/14/2026) | Bird Dog Consulting
NM: Ruidoso - Economic Development Director (5/6/2026) | Clear Career
NM: Ruidoso - Finance Director (5/6/2026) | Clear Career
NM: Ruidoso - Water Resource Director (5/6/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Dumas - Finance Director (5/6/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Lufkin - City Engineer (Extended - 5/19/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Marble Falls - Finance Director (Until Filled) | Clear Career
TX: Odessa - Assistant City Attorney (5/10/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Odessa - Chief Financial Officer (5/8/2026) | Clear Career
TX: Weatherford - Assistant Director of Water Utilities (Until Filled) | Clear Career
TX: Wichita Falls - Chief Building Official (4/29/2026) | Clear Career
MI: When Thelma & Louise Kidnap the City Manager and Want to Drive Off the Fiscal Cliff: What should the CM do?
In 2025, Midland had total actual revenues of $65.6 million with $34.5 million coming from property taxes. In 2027, they are budgeting revenues of $56 million and expenses at a whopping $76 million.
How are they making ends meet you might ask?
A snapshot from the budget is presented in the image below and you can view the entire document here.
Well, they are drawing down $20 million in reserves and reducing their reserve fund balance from $36,260,004 to $15,885,767.32.
Why is the city manager presenting a budget that relies so heavily on reserve funds to balance it?
Well, the council gave City Manager Brad Kaye a reckless and irresponsible directive. They insisted on a submitted budget that maintained “existing service levels without raising the city’s millage rate.”
How would you navigate such a situation and what would you write in the budget message, if anything, to protect your professional reputation?
PA: Tyrone Borough Council appoints executive assistant/interim borough manager to permanent position
In all my years of reading news stories about city managers, I am not sure I can recall something like this.
Executive Assistant Kim Gurekovich is now the permanent manager after beating out “about 12 other applicants” for the position. However, some of those candidates “weren’t even close to being qualified” for the position, the mayor said.
Councilwoman Bridgette Gill was the lone opponent to hiring the 30-year employee. She said that she asked for her resume and was told that she did not have one.
CT: Candidate Says First Selectman Told Him He Didn’t Get the Job Before the Board Voted
In Wilton, a candidate for the town administrator vacancy claims that one of the elected officials told him early in the process that another candidate was expected to get the job and that he should reconsider and apply for a different position. It appears that the recruitment was conducted in-house without the assistance of a professional recruitment firm.
News Around the Country
NATIONAL: ‘Creepy surveillance’: why some cities are shutting down Flock cameras amid privacy concerns
CO: (PAYWALL) Ouray City Administrator Michelle Metteer sought input from neighboring law enforcement agencies about how they conduct background checks — after she decided not to hire Daric Harvey as the permanent police chief because he objected to how deeply she wanted to dig into his personal life
GA: Former State Senate candidate named Fort Valley's City Administrator by mayor
GA: Polk County Assistant Elections Director Stephen Walker accepted the position of City Manager for the City of Cave Spring
IA: How a meme helped lead the Fairfax City Administrator to resign
MD: Bel Air Town Administrator Edward Hopkins has resigned after he said he was “taken by surprise” by the town’s commissioners, who Hopkins said determined his service to the town was no longer needed
MN: Olmsted County clerical error results in overcollection of $1.5 million in property taxes
NC: Ayden’s interim town manager, assistant town manager Stephen Smith, has been appointed to the full-time position
NH: Windsor has hired the current Randolph town manager to replace longtime leader Tom Marsh
NJ: Jackson mayoral candidate criticizes $300K salary, vehicle perk for new business administrator
NY: Onondaga County legislators surprised that secret donor to Onondaga County aquarium is … them!
NY: DA Subpoena Walden's Loan Program As Manager Fights Tax Fraud Charges
OH: Tuscarawas County Administrator Kris Lowdermilk questions one-time payments made to Board of Elections staff and the hiring of an information technology director with criminal record
PA: Updating a previous story - Middletown Township manager terminated less than a year into position
PA: Richland water authority chief to pull double duty as town manager
SC: Pendleton town administrator Steve Miller to resign
TX: Olney’s New City Administrator Comes Home
TX: Former Sullivan City manager indicted on theft charges
WI: Fountain City leaders want to create a new City Administrator-Treasurer job to replace the current City Clerk-Treasurer position when they retire
Contracts & Compensation
AR: Rigby signs contract to be Siloam Springs city administrator at annual salary of $180,000, plus benefits
FL: Is Manatee County administrator ‘overpaid?’ How his salary compares to others
PA: Ellwood Council voted 4-3 to hire borough native Jeff Foley as manager; pay set at $80,000
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