Familiar faces up for Troy job
Field of city manager candidates narrowed to five.

By Catherine Kavanaugh, Daily Tribune Staff Writer
Daily Tribune

Published 6/28/2009

TROY — Berkley City Manager Jane Bais-DiSessa is a finalist for the same post in Troy along with Thomas Hoover, Royal Oak's former top administrator, after a field of 43 candidates was narrowed to five.

Steven S. Ault, former chief financial officer of Von Weise Corp, Eaton Rapids; John M. Gabor, city manager of Marine City; and James C. Payne, former city manager of Rio Rancho, N.M., also made the cut.

The applicants first were whittled down to 18 by Waters-Oldani Executive Recruitment, and then five were selected for the lengthy interview process.

The City Council is looking for someone to replace Phil Nelson, 59, who left in March for a $200,000-a-year manager's post for a planned community of 10 villages in Columbia, Md.

The salary range for a new city manager in Troy is $110,000 to $165,584 depending on experience. The council is looking for someone with at least 15 years in the fields of municipal government or senior management.

Bais-DiSessa said the recruiting company contacted her about applying after a colleague recommended her to manage what CNN Money Magazine dubbed the No. 1 city in Michigan in which to live and 22nd best in the country.

"I'm fortunate to work for Berkley and I wasn't really looking, but life doesn't happen when you want it to happen," Bais-DiSessa said. "This is an opportunity."

According to the finalists' resumes:

Bais-DiSessa started working in personnel for San Antonio, Texas, in 1979. She also was assistant city manager in LaPorte, Texas, village manager of Holly, and assistant city administrator for Grosse Pointe Woods. In, 2001, she was hired as city manager for Berkley, which has a $23 million budget.

She cites her major accomplishments as boosting Berkley's savings account from $55,000 in 2002 to more than $2 million in 2009, passing $5.4 million of road bonds, and hosting a cable program called "City Clips" to tell residents about services

and programs.

Hoover was in municipal government since 1966, starting as an engineering aide for Toledo, Ohio. He worked his way up to city manager and held the post from 1990-93, then moved over to Worcester, Mass., until 2004, when he took the Royal Oak job.

In Royal Oak he was responsible for an $87 million operating budget and 338 employees. He lists his achievements as implementing an attrition program to reduce the work force by 20 percent to maintain city service, creating a management team that eliminated a level of bureaucracy, negotiating contracts that eliminated some legacy costs, and overseeing development of 545 condos downtown.

In February, Hoover stepped down after he reportedly lost the support of the majority of the City Commission mainly over budget issues. A search to replace him continues.

Ault has 20 years of accounting and financial experience, most recently at Von Weisse, the maker of small motors for cars, tractors and health care equipment, from March to August 2008. He also worked for HP Pelzer Automobile Systems, a $185 billion auto supplier in Troy, and Modern Engineering, Rochester Hills.

His resume touts experience in strategic planning, restructuring and debt management.

Gabor also is president of NAB of Michigan, Inc., Harrison Township, where he worked as deputy treasurer from 2004-2007 following management positions with Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp.

As the manager of Marine City for two years, he cut health care costs 15 percent, supplemented the police force with part-time officers, and reorganized departments to save $100,000, according to his resume.

Payne was a city manager of Rio Rancho from June 2007 to September 2008, overseeing the city of 75,000 people with a $126 million budget and 600 employees. He was a city administrator in Wisconsin and Iowa the previous 25 years.

The finalists will make 15-minute presentations to the public from 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 7 at the Troy Community Center, 3179 Livernois. The candidates will not take questions from the audience, but the public can comment at the end of the meeting.

The council then will interview the candidates for 75 minutes each July 8 at City Hall, 500 W. Big Beaver Road, in a session open to the public. Payne is scheduled for 9 a.m. followed by Hoover at 10:30 a.m., Gabor at 12:30 p.m., Bais-DiSessa at 2 p.m. and Ault at 3:30 p.m.

"Then, we'll sleep on it," Mayor Louise Schilling said. "We plan to make a decision July 9."

Elected officials set their criteria broadly so someone who hadn't been a city manager in the past could apply.

"We want someone who can work with our staff and community, move us forward, and project a good image," Schilling added.

Troy has ranked as the safest city in Michigan and the most ethnically diverse. It also has earned a AAA bond rating, but has budget challenges.

"We've downsized our staff and put a library expansion on hold," Schilling said. "We have to watch our money."

The council has scheduled a special meeting for 7 p.m. July 9 to listen to more public feedback and then make a selection with the expectation that the new Troy city manager will start on or before July 28.

For more information about the city manager search, go to www.troymi.gov.

Contact Catherine Kavanaugh at cathy.kavanaugh@dailytribune.com or (248) 591-2504.


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