CITY MANAGER Choctaw, Oklahoma

EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY Ideally situated just 10 miles east of , the City of Choctaw boasts a friendly, small-town atmosphere with convenient access to all the amenities of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. Choctaw covers 27 square miles in eastern Oklahoma County and is located near the crossroads of I-35 and I-40. The City is just 30 minutes from the Will Rogers World Airport and only 10 miles from the Tinker Air Logistics Center, one of the largest employers in the county. Choctaw is home to more than 12,000 residents who enjoy excellent schools, safe, friendly neighborhoods, and a variety of year-round recreational activities.

Choctaw has become a bedroom community for residents employed in Oklahoma City. The City saw its population increase from 623 in 1960 to 8,545 in 1990. From 2000 to 2010, Choctaw experienced 18.9% growth and 7.6% growth from 2010 to 2015. While not completely built out, the City is experiencing rapid growth that is expected to continue. “Markets at Choctaw,” a new business district nearing completion has drawn new retail, dining, hotel, and other services to the City.

Recreational opportunities abound in this vibrant community. Choctaw has a strong park and recreation program, with seven excellent parks offering continuous programming for the whole family. Choctaw Creek, the largest park at 160 acres, is located in the middle of the City and features beautifully maintained walking and jogging trails. Bouse Park a large baseball/softball complex features two quads with artificial turf.

The City is within an easy distance of a variety of amenities and events in surrounding areas. The NBA Thunder Games, Oklahoma City Zoo, and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic are all within 30 minutes of Choctaw, as is Bricktown, an entertainment district offering awide array of recreational activities including white water rafting and boat rides.

Choctaw-Nicoma Park School District serves grades Pre-K through 12 and provides high-quality, well-planned educational experiences within a contemporary, diverse curriculum, and each school operates a modern library media center. Standardized

City Manager - Choctaw, Oklahoma | 2 THE COMMUNITY continued test and ACT scores in the district are consistently above the state and national averages, and the district boasts a high number of National Merit Scholars, National Achievement Scholars, State Regents Scholars, and Academic All-State award recipients.

The median income in Choctaw is $75,481, and the average home value is $180,600.

GOVERNANCE AND ORGANIZATION Choctaw is a home rule city and operates under a council-manager form of government. The consists of seven members including the . The Mayor is elected at- large with the remaining six members each representing a ward. Members serve four-year terms with no term limits. The Council enacts local legislation, adopts budgets, determines policies, and appoints the City Manager, City Attorney, Municipal Judge, and all Boards, Commissions, and Trusts. The City Manager serves as the chief executive officer for the organization and is responsible for executing City Council policies and ordinances and leading the City staff.

Operating with an annual $6.8 million budget and 74 employees, the City of Choctaw delivers an array of municipal services operating from six campuses through the community.

City Manager - Choctaw, Oklahoma | 3 LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION There will be several key issues for the new City Manager to address: • Choctaw is a fast-growing community with conservative revenue sources. Sales tax is the primary source of operational revenue. A one-cent sales tax dedicated to capital improvements has been made permanent. Capital improvements are also financed through voter-approved bond issues. While the City Council supports the need for additional bond funding, a public outreach strategy is required to facilitate voter approval. • Maintaining the balance between the rural community environment and the provision of more comprehensive city amenities will be important. • Facilitating open communication with developers is critical to ensure adherence to codes and expeditious completion of new developments. New residential developments have a minimum lot size of 10,000 and 7,500 square feet depending on the zone. • Significant expansion of aterw and sewer service to residences is needed. The community has evolved from a largely rural area with residential water wells and septic systems. Much progress has been made to include more of the 4,500 residences on the City’s water and sewer system. A new wastewater treatment facility was recently completed. • The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority recently extended a turnpike linking Interstate 40 south of Choctaw to the Turner Turnpike north of Choctaw. Three exits link to Choctaw which will spur significant industrial and retail economic development for the community. • The Choctaw Economic Development Authority has been reinvigorated with new staff and board leadership to promote the scope of work for road improvements as well as the need for bond elections. Economic Development is targeting retail development, since sales tax funds a significant portion of the municipal budget. • Staffing levels in the organization need to be increased. It will be important for the incoming City Manager to balance the need for additional staff with the funding necessary to execute this effort. • The Comprehensive Master Plan needs to be revised to enhance economic development initiatives.

City Manager - Choctaw, Oklahoma | 4 IDEAL CANDIDATE The City of Choctaw has a very stable governing board. The Mayor and Council seek a new City Manager to lead the organization that includes quality senior staff and a dedicated workforce that delivers a slate of high-quality municipal services to residents. There have been three City Managers in the last 33 years.

The ideal candidate will: • Desire to make Choctaw home for the long term. • Be energetic, yet have a calm and diplomatic leadership style. • Lead by example, maintain positive staff morale, and reward good work efforts. • Possess excellent presentation skills. • Be skilled at guiding the governing board. • Have demonstrated knowledge of information technology and the use of social media. • Be active in the community. • Embrace innovation and be an “idea” person. • Have the ability to establish a leadership position among city managers in the area.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE This position requires a bachelor’s degree in or a related field and at least three years of progressively responsible senior management experience. A combination of related experience and formal education will also be considered. A master’s degree in public administration or a related field and at least five years of progressively responsible senior management experience within a complex municipal government setting is preferred. Knowledge of TIF districts is a plus.

City Manager - Choctaw, Oklahoma | 5 COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS The starting salary range for this position is $107,000 to $125,000 depending on qualifications and experience. The City participates in the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund with a City-paid contribution of 13% of salary and 100% vesting at 10 years. A full range of insurance, leave, and voluntary benefits are available. The City provides 92% of family health insurance including dental, vision, and life, and covers 100% of the employee insurance. The next City Manager shall reside within the Choctaw/Nicoma Park school boundaries. Reasonable relocation expense reimbursement is also available.

APPLICATION PROCESS Please apply online at http://bit.ly/SGROpenRecruitments For more information on this position contact:

Gary Holland, Sr. Vice President [email protected] 405-269-3445

The City of Choctaw is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its workforce. Applicants selected as finalists will be subject to a comprehensive background check. RESOURCES FOLLOW US City of Choctaw mychoctaw.org

Choctaw Economic Development Authority mychoctaw.org/266/Choctaw-Economic-Development-Authority-C

Choctaw Chamber of Commerce choctawchamber.com

Comprehensive Plan mychoctaw.org/207/Comprehensive-Master-Plan

City Manager - Choctaw, Oklahoma | 6