Denver, Edgerton Appointed to City Manager Search Committee

Menifee Mayor Scott Mann (far left) and other city council members honor former Planning Commissioners Bill Zimmerman and Chad Warren (second and third from left) Tuesday night.

Menifee City Council members John Denver and Wallace Edgerton were appointed by Mayor Scott Mann Tuesday to an ad hoc committee to search for a new city manager.

Rob Johnson, a senior manager on the city staff, has served as interim city manager since Bill Rawlings left the position in November. Rawlings, who had years of city government experience but had not previously been a city manager, parted ways with the city after the Nov. 6 elections changed the makeup of the council.

In appointing Denver and Edgerton to the search committee, Mann said at Tuesday night's city council meeting that a priority of the committee should be to seek candidates who had served as city manager before.

Other criteria listed by Mann as guidelines for the search committee:

-- Seek candidates who understand the meaning of "speaking the truth to leadership. We do not need a city manager who is afraid to tell the council no."

-- Seek candidates who can implement the strategic vision of the council.

-- Seek candidates who can position Menifee for economic recovery.

-- Seek candidates who understand the concept of succession planning and who believe in staff development to build that succession plan.

"For our last city manager search, which I was a part of at the beginning, we contracted with a search firm, paid a consulting fee, weeded out over 70 applications, concucted interviews and the council made a selection," Mann said in making his announcement. "This time, we would like a more narrow, targeted focus. In other words, we would like to search out candidates whom we would like to consider and then potentially interview."

In other matters at Tuesday night's meeting:

-- Jonathan Smith was introduced as the new assistant director of public works and engineering.

-- Johnson announced that a previously discussed city workshop on the subject of biosolids (sludge) in Menifee would be held on Tuesday, March 5 at 4 p.m. at City Hall.

-- Mann read a city proclamation honoring the community service of Carmelita Rood, a longtime Menifee resident who died Tuesday morning at age 85.

-- Chad Warren and Bill Zimmerman, who recently completed their terms as members of the Planning Commission, were given certificates of appreciation.

-- Also receiving certificates of appreciation were the members of the Menifee Trails Committee: Marty Rosen, Rick Croy, Lynn Mattocks, Bill Gould and Melodee Waldman

Mayor Scott Mann and council members honor Menifee Trails Committee members (from left) Rick Croy, Bill Gould, Lynn Mattocks, Melodee Waldman and Marty Rosen.