What Makes a Great City Manager for Pacific Grove?
Our community is selecting its next permanent city manager.
I appreciate that the City Council is asking residents what we'd like to see.
In a small town like ours, the city manager makes an enormous difference in the quality of life we experience.
This person leads and develops City staff, manages day-to-day operations, and turns your priorities into action.
I've sat on and worked with several boards preparing for and leading through CEO transitions, and I've helped design succession systems in large organizations. One thing I've learned: operating style matters enormously.
A Great Resume and A Great Leadership Style
The best city managers bring deep, relevant experience and an inspirational leadership style that helps their teams grow professionally and feel immense pride in the work they do for residents every day.
They also care deeply about the community they serve.
For Pacific Grove, I'd look for someone who:
builds a positive, collaborative culture where City staff are inspired to do their very best work. For residents, that translates into better service, stronger follow-through, and a City Hall that works well every day;
is responsive, making City Hall accessible and ensuring people receive timely, useful answers;
executes with discipline, moving important projects from discussion to completion quickly and within budget. They coordinate across departments, identify problems early, and keep residents and the council informed;
brings sound financial judgment, looking carefully at the choices in front of us, explaining why a recommendation makes sense, and anticipating how today’s decision could affect the city down the road;
understands grants and long-range planning. Many of the investments Pacific Grove needs will depend on county, state, or federal funding. That requires someone who understands the full grant lifecycle and knows how to position projects years in advance to compete successfully.
Just as important is how the city manager works with the council. The manager should offer candid professional advice and respect the council’s role in representing you, Pacific Grove’s residents.
The current council will make this decision before the new council takes office, and I look forward to them making a great choice for all of us.
I hope you'll take a few minutes to complete the City’s survey and share what matters most to you.
