Ideas for new City Manager

[pw405]

I'll be City Manager. Every choice laid before shall go to a vote of the people - the people of OKCTalk! We'll crowdsource this thing and stop making stupid decisions - like when they striped Tulsa Ave a few months ago, but didn't repair any of the pavement. Striped right through pot holes and everything. Then, a month later, came back, ground away all the new stripes, then painted new stripes about 6" to the left. Road quality is still terrible. Not on our watch, City of OKC!!

[Laramie]

I'll be City Manager. Every choice laid before shall go to a vote of the people - the people of OKCTalk! We'll crowdsource this thing and stop making stupid decisions - like when they striped Tulsa Ave a few months ago, but didn't repair any of the pavement. Striped right through pot holes and everything. Then, a month later, came back, ground away all the new stripes, then painted new stripes about 6" to the left. Road quality is still terrible. Not on our watch, City of OKC!!

Is that what happens when you forget to cancel or pull a work order?

[TheTravellers]

O'Connor would probably be the best hire. We can bring in outside perspective in hiring subsidiary positions. We'd be smart to have someone who already knows who the players are, how things work, and where the bodies are buried.

She'd be better than Wenger, at least.

[Pete]

O'Connor would probably be the best hire. We can bring in outside perspective in hiring subsidiary positions. We'd be smart to have someone who already knows who the players are, how things work, and where the bodies are buried.

IMHO, this is the best possible argument for hiring an outsider.

[Urbanized]

This hiring is a great opportunity, but also a great challenge. I’m excited to see a new tone set in many areas. I’m really, REALLY hopeful that we see city planning, wise and proactive land use decisions, long-term transit vision, and other critical and historically-lacking topics given more importance. OKC is going to have to find ways to influence growth in education - at the very least in its own metro but even throughout the state by example - at least as far as our state’s structures allow a city to influence this. We have to continue to find ways to encourage encomic diversity and growth in our economy.

A few here might be surprised that I’m also very supportive of a growth in transparency, so long as we don’t do this in a reactionary and uninformed manner that takes us so far beyond what is required by law that it puts us at a competitive disadvantage to other cities - in the metro or region - or to the people with whom we are negotiating. I’m not suggesting we are anywhere near that point right now, but it’s worth paying as much attention to this as we pay to the need for transparency itself.

We all have a social contract with our fellow citizens to not do damage to others in the quest of our own goals. This should include fully understanding something and determining its true value before tearing it down, based on emotion, first impressions, or what someone else says about it here or anywhere. This applies no matter your politics, your income, your education level, your background, your race, your gender.

I agree that we are at an important crossroads with this hire, which could take our city in exciting new directions. That change could come from an outsider, or it could come from a perceived “insider” whose own ideas have not yet been allowed to fully see the light of day and flourish.

All I’m saying is that in the rush to see change, we need to be careful not to throw out the baby with the bath water. Oklahoma City has some frustrating aspects, sure. But in many ways we’ve also covered more ground in the past two decades than all but a very few cities nationally. Handle with care.

[hoya]

Please God, let Mike Stoops take this job.

[Urbanized]

Hahahahaha

[Midtowner]

IMHO, this is the best possible argument for hiring an outsider.

If you think for a moment that hiring an outsider won't stop the backroom deals and insider investments from happening, you're far more optimistic than I. Regardless of who is getting rich off of the city's momentum, we still have momentum. I'd rather see new best practices brought in from cities like Austin at subsidiary positions. I think you and I are in the same boat that practices such as giving TIF money to virtually every project are detrimental to the city as a whole. I don't think it'll slow down or stop because of who is in charge. Are things really so different anywhere else?

[TheSteveHunt]

My understanding is that Cathy is a very typical neoliberal, trickle-down economic, pro big-business subsidizing chamber of some types of commerce type.
I could be wrong....or, perhaps she is having a change of heart similar to Holt, knowing that were it pretty F@#$%d up times in this country... any perspectives
on this? Also, does she still say "....alliance will be a one-stop shop.." every 4th sentence when she speaks?

[Laramie]

Shawnw mentioned our former mayor in an earlier post. Does Mick Cornett possess the qualifications or have the credential to become City Manager?

[shawnw]

I also asked him directly during the Q&A at his Full Circle book signing if he was interested in the job and he did not at all seem to be.

[Laramie]

I also asked him directly during the Q&A at his Full Circle book signing if he was interested in the job and he did not at all seem to be.

Okay, Probably looking for a change of scenery other than Oklahoma City Hall.

[SuburbanNation]

O'Connor would probably be the best hire. We can bring in outside perspective in hiring subsidiary positions. We'd be smart to have someone who already knows who the players are, how things work, and where the bodies are buried.

Agreed!

[Pete]

City Council will receive the full list of applicants today and then discuss in executive session at their meeting next Tuesday.

Almost 50 people have applied. I have heard that city Finance Director Craig Freeman may be the odds-on favorite.

[HangryHippo]

City Council will receive the full list of applicants today and then discuss in executive session at their meeting next Tuesday.

Almost 50 people have applied. I have heard that city Finance Director Craig Freeman may be the odds-on favorite.

I know nothing about Mr. Freeman. What are your thoughts on him, Pete? Or anyone else that knows him and can speak to his qualifications?

[TheSteveHunt]

What I heard from fairly reliable sources is Holt pushed Couch out by limiting his
powers thru various tricks and will now bring in an outsider.

[TheTravellers]

What I heard from fairly reliable sources is Holt pushed Couch out by limiting his
powers thru various tricks and will now bring in an outsider.

An outsider could be a good thing - fresh perspective, (hopefully) not an engineer, not part of the "in-crowd" and all that...

[Pete]

What I heard from fairly reliable sources is Holt pushed Couch out by limiting his
powers thru various tricks and will now bring in an outsider.

City Council has final approval and the mayor only has one vote.

Doesn't mean he can't influence who goes up for vote, however.

[TheSteveHunt]

Just so long as they don't try and bring in someone who wants to make OKC "Vibrant!" im fine with whoever.

An outsider could be a good thing - fresh perspective, (hopefully) not an engineer, not part of the "in-crowd" and all that...

[hoya]

What I heard from fairly reliable sources is Holt pushed Couch out by limiting his
powers thru various tricks and will now bring in an outsider.

And here you didn't like him.

[TheSteveHunt]

Who, Couch? That is irrelevant to what I was saying....

And here you didn't like him.

[catcherinthewry]

..

[ChowRunner]

Assistant Oklahoma City Manager Dennis Clowers to retire

Dennis Clowers, one of Oklahoma City’s three Assistant City Managers, is retiring effective Feb. 7.

“I plan to stay in the City I’ve lived in since I was 3 years old,” said Clowers. “I also plan to stay involved in our community. There is too much activity here to not be a part of it.”

Clowers announced his retirement this week in a letter to City Manager James D. Couch.



“I’ve known Dennis since long before he was a City employee, and we’ve been lucky to have him as a public servant these last 13 years,” said Couch. “His experience in the private sector helped to broaden our perspective on the leadership team. The City will miss his leadership and dedication, but we’re confident the leaders he has helped develop across our organization will pick up the slack.”

Clowers was hired as the Public Works Director and City Engineer in September 2005. He was promoted to Assistant City Manager in August 2011.

The City’s Assistant City Managers each oversee a portfolio of departments, supervising department directors and reporting to the City Manager. Clowers oversees Airports, the MAPS Office, Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Utilities.

Clowers also serves or has served as a trustee, general manager or surrogate trustee of the Water Utilities Trust, Airport Trust, OCMAPS Trust, and the Riverfront Redevelopment Authority.

Before coming to the City of Oklahoma City, Clowers owned an engineering firm from 1982-2005. He worked for other firms from 1973-1982.

He’s a Licensed Professional Engineer with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Oklahoma.

Clowers’ family includes his wife, Suzi; children Brian, John, Maggie and their spouses; and five grandchildren.

The City Manager hires the Assistant City Managers. Couch is retiring effective Jan. 2, so Couch’s eventual successor will hire Clowers’ successor. The City Council is in the process of hiring the next City Manager.

[Pete]

New City Manager will be announced at 12:45 today.

I'd be surprised if it wasn't Craig Freeman.

[Pete]

It's official: Craig Freeman will be new City Manager effective Jan. 2nd.