City Administrator. The Community:

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Karin Chapman
5 years ago
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The Mayor and City Council of Athens, Texas, are seeking an experienced public management professional with strong interpersonal skills to be the next.

1 The Mayor and City Council of Athens, Texas, are seeking an experienced public management professional with strong interpersonal skills to be the next. City Administrator The Community: The City of Athens, Texas is located 75 miles southeast of Dallas and 35 miles west of Tyler at the intersection of US Highway 175 and Texas highways 19 and 31 in beautiful East Texas. Athens is the county seat of Henderson County and had a population of 12,710 at the time of the 2010 census. The area is known for its rolling, forested hills and outdoor recreation provided by Lake Athens and Cedar Creek Lake. Beef, cattle, and poultry are chief farm enterprises in the Athens area. Nursery stock, timber, fruits, and vegetables are sources of income with some commercial fish farming. The City s expanding modern distribution, medical, telecommunications and manufacturing industries rival those of metropolitan cities, in particular the medical industry. Athens is known as the Black-Eyed Pea Capital, and lays claim to being the Home of the Original Hamburger. Athens has received designation as a "Certified Retirement Community" by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Athens is served by the Athens Independent School District which was rated by the Texas Education Agency in 2011 as Academically Acceptable. The District serves over 3400 students at seven schools. Athens Christian Preparatory Academy provides non-denominational Christian education for grades The City is also home to the main campus of Trinity Valley Community College (TVCC). The school, which was founded as Henderson County Junior College in 1946, adopted it current name in 1986 as it began its expansion which now includes four campuses.

The Community: (Cont d.) The Athens area hosts a number of destination facilities and events. One of the major attractions in the area is the East Texas Arboretum and Botanical Society.

2 The Community: (Cont d.) The Athens area hosts a number of destination facilities and events. One of the major attractions in the area is the East Texas Arboretum and Botanical Society. Surrounded by 100 acres of wooded beauty, visitors can wander along two miles of trails while experiencing the areas flora and fauna along spring-fed streams. The Arboretum hosts two major events each year; a Spring Gala and a Fall Festival, celebrating the beauty of the changing seasons. The historic Wofford House Museum and the Henderson County Veterans Memorial Wall and Plaza honoring more than 9,000 military veterans from Henderson County beginning from the Civil War to present are other attractions at the Arboretum. Another significant facility serving Athens is the Cain Center which sits nestled in the heart of the beautiful, 85- acre Cain Park. The park is completely accessible via a walking-jogging trail. The Cain Center provides an excellent location for small business meetings, family reunions, catered luncheons, concerts or a large arts fair. The spacious Multi-Purpose Hall houses regular aerobic classes, serves as a large banquet room and is the assembling place for conventions. Other rooms are available for lectures, seminars, birthday parties and wedding receptions. A full-service athletic facility is located on the lower level. Cain Park includes 4 tennis courts, picnic areas, a catch and release fishing pond, an 18-hole disc golf course, swing sets and playground equipment as well as six athletic fields. The Henderson County Regional Fair Park Complex hosts a number of rodeo and equestrian events that draw 90,000 people to Athens annually. Other area attractions include the NY-TX Zipline Adventures and the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center. Athens residents are justifiably proud of the cities small town atmosphere supplemented by the amenities of larger cities just a short distance away. Downtown Athens Governance: Athens is governed by a home rule City Charter adopted in 1966 and last amended in 1994 which establishes a City Council composed of the Mayor and four Council members elected at large for two-year terms. The current City Council is composed of: Mayor Jerry Don Vaught who has served on the Council for eight years, the last two years as Mayor. Place One Monte Montgomery, Mayor Pro Tem, was appointed to fill an unexpired term in 2012 and elected to a full term in Place Two Joe Whatley was elected to the Council in May, Place Three Charles Elliott was elected to the Council in May, Place Four Tres Winn was elected to the Council in May, 2014.

3 Governance: (Cont d.) Under the Charter, the City Council appoints a City Administrator to carry out the operation of the City as directed by a majority of the full City Council. The Council also appoints the City Attorney. The City Administrator appoints the Police Chief, Fire Chief and City Secretary with the approval of the City Council. Mission of the City of Athens The City of Athens encourages community involvement and is committed to providing efficient and effective government which is open and responsive to the needs of the community and works for the benefit of all. The Position: The position of City Administrator is becoming vacant due to the retirement of the current incumbent after eighteen (18) years in the position and thirty six (36) years with the City. The City Administrator oversees an organization with an annual budget for Fiscal of $16,485,997 and 120 employees. The City is organized into a number of departments including City Secretary, Finance/Technology, Utilities, Fire, Police, Human Resources, Planning and Development, and Tourism. Personal Qualities: In discussing the requirements of this position with Council members, a common concern for the city s highest official is the strength of the candidate s leadership qualities and his/her financial management skills. The next City Administrator must be a strong and dedicated leader who has the ability to direct the staff and lead the community to further shape and define the vision of the city as a welcoming and pro-growth community. He or she should have the ability to build coalitions to accomplish the vision of the City Council, taking care to encourage a consensus that is derived by the critical evaluation and consideration of all input. The Council will want a City Administrator who possesses the effective communication and interpersonal skills that are expected of a highlevel city executive. The City Administrator should have the ability to professionally interact with the community as well as with business leaders. He or she will have a track record that shows demonstrated proficiency in maintaining and building constructive relationships with a wide range of community, governmental groups, and organizations. The next City Administrator should also have the following additional characteristics: A proven record as a team player who applies personal ethics that reflect honesty and integrity in all relationships to establish an example to staff and citizens alike. A history of being fiscally conservative, with a working knowledge of municipal financial management and experience in preparing a budget of similar size and complexity to the City of Athens. The ability to see the big picture and anticipate the future impact of decisions. Strong organizational and management skills with a reputation as a creative problem solver. A demonstrated ability to implement ideas by recognizing and involving stakeholders in decision-making. A record of the successful application of economic developmental tools authorized under Texas law. A reputation for being a good listener who is approachable and has an ability to communicate successfully with employees at all levels of the organization.

A record of evaluating the effectiveness of municipal operations and personnel while demonstrating effective delegation skills and holding people accountable for results.

4 Personal Qualities: (Cont d.) The capacity to apply policy in a fair and consistent manner. An ability to select, develop, and motivate staff to achieve high performance while encouraging and creating a customer friendly environment. A record of evaluating the effectiveness of municipal operations and personnel while demonstrating effective delegation skills and holding people accountable for results. Initial Priorities: The City Council will expect the new City Administrator to give priority to the following issues. Economic Development-The City of Athens has an economic development effort funded by the half cent Type B sales tax generating approximately $one million in revenue annually. The program has resulted in steady growth of businesses in the city. Council members want to insure that the City staff is supporting this effort in a positive manner. The Council will expect the new City Administrator to review the city s development codes and procedures to identify opportunities to make them more business friendly and simpler. Proposed Bond Issue-The City Council has discussed plans to hold a bond issue to approve funding for the construction of a Police and Courts facility and for a new City Council Chamber. The City Council will look for candidates who have had experience with successful bond elections and will expect the new City Administrator to become familiar with this issue and develop recommendations for the Council. Lake Athens Water Treatment Plant Operations-The City is planning to take over operations of the water treatment plant from the Athens Municipal Water Authority. The City Council will expect the new City Administrator to become familiar with these plans and oversee the transition. Minimum Qualifications: The City Council is seeking candidates who have at least seven years of experience as a city manager/administrator, assistant city manager/ administrator or senior manager in an organization of comparable complexity to the City of Athens. This position requires a Bachelor s Degree in public or business administration or a related field. The City Council will expect the new City Manager to relocate to Athens for the duration of his/her tenure and become an active participant in the community. Athens is an excellent place to live and work. Gingers Park

Compensation: The starting salary is open and will depend upon background and qualifications of the successful candidate.

The City provides sick leave, vacation and holidays.

Chris Hartung at jobsearch@chcpublicsectorsolutions.com. The first review of candidates will be October 27, 2014.

5 Compensation: The starting salary is open and will depend upon background and qualifications of the successful candidate. The city benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance. The City participates in the Texas Municipal Retirement System. The City provides sick leave, vacation and holidays. To Apply: Send an electronic version of your current resume, salary history and a list of ten work-related references (including supervisory) with phone numbers ASAP to G. Chris Hartung at jobsearch@chcpublicsectorsolutions.com. The first review of candidates will be October 27, Candidates will be referred to the City Council in December, 2014 for interviews in Athens. Applicants for this position selected as finalists will be subject to a background review prior to interview. Under the Texas Public Information Act, information from your resume may be subject to release to the public. The City of Athens is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages anyone interested in this position to apply. Athens desires diversity at all levels of its workforce! The Cain Center Downtown Athens

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