CITY OF NEWBURGH, NEW YORK
The Mayor and Council are seeking a qualified, experienced, and forward-looking City Manager to provide leadership for City staff and to spearhead the City’s fiscal recovery and overall renaissance. This is an outstanding opportunity to become City Manager of a progressive, Hudson River city that is home to the State of New York’s second largest historic district and is located a mere 60 miles from New York City. The City of Newburgh is an ethnically diverse and economically-challenged community.
The City operates under a Council-Manager form of government with an appointed City Manager who is responsible for day-to-day operations. The City of Newburgh is a full-service City. The 2010 gross annual operating budget for the City is $59 million; including water and sewer funds of $5 million each, a self-insurance fund of $3 million and $3 million in debt service. There are 291 full-time employees and 25 part-time employees.
In 2006, the City Council appointed a Charter Review Commission that was tasked with, among other things, evaluating the Council-Manager form of government. City Manager candidates should be aware that Charter Review is again under consideration by the Council, and although the process is quite lengthy, there is a possibility that changes may occur at some time in the future.
The City of Newburgh is located sixty (60) miles north of New York City on the western side of the Hudson River in Orange County, New York. The City and its immediate suburbs have a population of more than 100,000. The population of the City of Newburgh is 28,500 (2000 Census). The City of Newburgh has had a Council-Manager form of government since the early 20th century.
The City of Newburgh is currently immersed in the challenging and critical task of recovering and preserving its fiscal health. Another important task is improving the perception of the City’s ability to tap the public debt markets as a ready, cost-effective source of funding. There is a high level of consensus throughout the organization about the City’s major goals. These include: continuing quality-of-life enhancements, stimulation of economic development, continuing expansion and redevelopment of the waterfront, rehabilitation and stabilization of neighborhoods, and maintaining and improving the economic strength of the Water and Sewer funds.
The new City Manager must have demonstrated ability to develop an effective management team and carry out the goals of the City Council; be committed to high quality service delivery, and possess strong interpersonal & communication skills. Experience managing in a cutback environment is essential, as is the ability to upgrade the quality of performance, responsiveness, and customer service skills of the City staff.
A Master’s degree in Public Administration; and/or at least a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration or a related field. An appropriate combination of public or private sector experience and professional education leading to a proven capability to manage the affairs of this municipal corporation. Demonstrated continuing professional development, active membership and training with related professional associations, such as ASPA and ICMA, post-graduate education or other management training.
Also required is seven to ten years’ progressively increasing executive responsibility for organization, management, policy formulation and service delivery in an organization approaching the complexity of the City of Newburgh, including five years in a supervisory capacity.
The City Manager is the chief executive and administrative officer directly responsible to the City Council for the administration of all City affairs as provided by the Charter. The salary for the new City Manager will be dependent upon the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate. In addition, a competitive benefits package will be provided to the successful candidate. For additional information on this outstanding opportunity, please contact James L. Mercer, The Mercer Group, Inc. at 770-551-0403; jmercer@mercergroupinc.com.
Resumes, cover letters and salary history should be sent by close of business May 14, 2010, to James Mercer, The Mercer Group, Inc., 5579B Chamblee Dunwoody Road, #511, Atlanta, GA 30338. Voice: 770-551-0403; Fax: 770-399-9749. E-Mail: jmercer@mercergroupinc.com; Website: www.mercergroupinc.com. The City of Newburgh is an Equal Opportunity Employer.