The City of Eureka, California Is Seeking an Open, Collaborative, Confident Leader to Be Their Next City Manager
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The City of Eureka, California is seeking an open, collaborative, confident leader to be their next City Manager. City Manager Greg Sparks is retiring after more than five years with the City. About Eureka Founded during the gold rush and forged in in the harvest of timber and fishing, Eureka became a northern California economic powerhouse. The rough and tumble culture of get rich quick was replaced by a desire for a unique and lasting quality of life. The echoes of the past are reflected throughout Eureka, where the entire city is a state historic landmark and national treasure. The City is covered with hundreds of significant Victorian homes, including the nationally recognized Carson Mansion (front cover), and the city has retained its original 19th-century commercial core as a nationally recognized Old Town Historic District. Discovering Eureka’s personality is a multi- layered adventure. Each layer represents a small share of the complexity and amazing qualities of the community. One finds a bustling, culture-rich, art centric city boasting murals, live theater and symphony music framed in stunning, one-of-a kind architecture. Surrounding the City are ocean beaches, salmon running rivers, and giant, awe- inspiring redwood forests that dwarf onlookers and hikers. People seeking the solitude of nature, in just a heartbeat, can easily find themselves feeling a million miles away from anyone. Returning to the City, walkers, hikers, bikers and strollers find the waterfront trail provides a new opportunity to connect with nature; while nearby, the oldest zoo in California offers exotic animals. Eureka is not a "big city" it is "the big city" in the region. Eureka, population 27,000, is located 270 Nearly every house and business is on a City block with miles north of San Francisco and 100 miles sidewalks, making the City remarkably "walkable." south of the Oregon border and serves as the It’s also a small enough community that people feel like County Seat of Humboldt County. The County their voice matters, so they use it. There is a wealth of is named after the deep-water bay that is home to hundreds of fishing boats and pleasure local media and an educated populace, so local watercraft. government is constantly challenged to be the best possible. One finds people rich in creativity, diversity, and compassion with a cooperative spirit to step in and contribute time, expertise, and resources. Economy Eureka contains the majority of shopping and entertainment opportunities in a very broad region beyond the typical influence of a city of this size. While lumber, fishing, and shipping started Eureka’s employment base, a fully-developed regional economy is now established and continues to expand and diversify. Weather, arts, proximity to natural wonders and the community serving as a living museum all contribute to making tourism the second largest employment sector. City largest employment sectors: • Health care: 20% • Building/construction: 16% • Tourism: 15% • Forest products: 14% Mayor and Council The Office of the Mayor and five City Councilmembers comprise the City Council. The Mayor presides over the City Council meeting held twice a month in open public session in the Council Chamber. The City Council is a five-member governmental body that is elected from the geographic boundaries of each of their wards. The City has several members of the Council and Mayor serving their first terms. The Mayor and Council are truly passionate about the roles of government in improving the lives of all residents. They thoughtfully engage with the community while seeking a balance between the economic and social health of the City and the constraints of budgets. The Mayor and Council deliberate respectfully, considering themselves close team players with the staff. While valuing the City’s progress and direction, the council welcomes new ideas and looks forward to fresh perspectives. City Hall Culture: There is an overall sense of comradery and focus within the departments and they display a sincere loyalty to the City and commitment to the Mission/Vision. They are a high-functioning, professional,, experienced and capable staff who believe strongly in helping the public. They want to continue to build stronger relationships between departments and look forward to more interdepartmental interactions. MISSION: To be financially responsible and to provide effective municipal services in a personal, responsive manner and in partnership with community Vision: Eureka is a beautiful, dynamic, Seaport City Eureka residents enjoy a livable, sustainable community and abundant choices for leisure time Eureka has an alive waterfront, old town and downtown, and thriving regional economy Eureka is financially stable, effectively run city with an engaged public Eureka has strong, collaborative relationships with partner organizations and community Eureka has unique and abundant attractions/tourism choices for the community and visitors to enjoy Eureka is a community that attracts and retains diverse, skilled workers thru business investment Eureka has adequate supply of market rate and affordable housing Eureka is a vibrant, safe and flourishing community where people want to live and visit Eureka is aesthetically captivating and artistic community with beautiful neighborhoods Eureka at a glance • Founded in 1850 • Incorporated as a Town: 1856 • Re-incorporated as a City: 1874 • Total Area: 14.45 square Miles • Main Highway: U.S. Route 101 • Population: ~27,225 • Population of ‘Greater’ Eureka: ~45,000 • 2019/20 Total Budget: $64.9M General Fund $30.8M • Employees: 224 FT • Miles of Water Main: 125 • Miles of Streets: 120 • Parks • 6 community park facilities which include Halvorson Park, Cooper Gulch Park, Hartman/Kennedy ball fields, Sequoia Park, Sequoia Park Garden and the Sequoia Park Zoo • 7 neighborhood park facilities • Fire Service: Eureka's Fire Department joined the fire district to create the Humboldt Bay Fire JPA • Police: Police Chief, 62 Sworn Officers and support team • Regional Transportation • Eureka Transit Service (ETS) is a fixed route bus system which operates Monday through Saturday, serving the City of Eureka and surrounding unincorporated areas • Greyhound • Humboldt Transit Authority • City of Eureka also contributes funding, through a joint powers agreement, for operations of the regional Redwood Transit System, which services a 65 mile corridor on Highway 101 • Arcata/Eureka Airport • Harbor Operations: Public Marina is home to 150 fishing, commercial, and recreational craft. Harbor personnel are responsible for the Eureka Marsh and other City-owned wetland areas The Position: The City Manager is the chief administrative officer of the City. The role of City Manager is to develop and implement overall operating policies, procedures and protocols consistent with directives of the City Council that will meet the strategic, operational and capital needs of Eureka and help ensure ongoing financial stability and operational efficiency for all City operations and services. Some primary position responsibilities include: • Develops recommendations for enhancing the City’s operations and services in collaboration with the City Council, City officials, Department Directors, and other management level City personnel • Recommends and oversees implementation of City policies, rules, and regulations • Advises City department and division Challenges and Opportunities directors regarding the full range of Upon arriving, the new City Manager is expected to take time to listen and learn about the organization, projects, organizational, management, community, and partners. Some specific first steps administrative, budget, and financial include: policies and related issues • Confers with City elected officials, • Preparing for 2020 sales tax ballot initiative to address department and division directors, and other public safety, street improvements and long-term fiscal sustainability supervisory personnel to discuss, identify, • Recruitment and retention of employees throughout all and assess their organizational, levels of the organization management, administrative, budget and • Begin the creation and implementation of a Diversity financial problems and needs Plan • Develops, presents, and administers a • Focus on key elements of the Strategic Economic balanced City budget, including overseeing Development Plan preparation and approving draft budget for • C Street to F Street Boardwalk Site (city-owned) presentation to the Council • Canopy walk • Confers with others to effect cooperation in • New city marketing strategy matters of joint concern • Newly adopted General Plan and Zoning Code • Negotiates contracts for services, real • Improvement of public perception; bridge building estate purchases and sale agreements and • Support local and regional marketing efforts; brand development others • Familiarization with social issues including • Directs and participates in matters homelessness, housing, opioid addiction, mental pertaining to collective bargaining, health issues and their impact on Eureka personnel disciplinary issues, salary and • Begin periodic evaluation of existing operating benefit analysis systems and eliminate or reduce unnecessary or • Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of redundant processes City operations and programs • Develop relationships with a variety of community • Advises City officials regarding cooperative groups to enhance a broad understanding of Eureka efforts with government units, public-private