Executive Recruitment for

JOLIET, ILLINOIS CITY MANAGER

GovHR USA is pleased to announce the recruitment and selection process for a City Manager on behalf of the City of Joliet, Illinois. This brochure provides background information on the City and its organization, as well as the requirements and expected qualifications for the position. Candidates should apply by July 16, 2017 with cover letter, resume, salary history, and contact information for five professional references. To apply on-line visit www.govhrusa.com/current-positions/ recruitment to the attention of Joellen C. Earl, CEO, GovHR USA, 630 Dundee Road, #130, Northbrook, IL 60062. Tel: 847-380-3240.

. Joellen C. Earl, CEO

GovHRUSA, LLC 630 Dundee Road, Suite 130 Northbrook, Illinois 60062 847-380-3240 Formal Applications should be submitted to: www.govhrusa.com/current-positions/recruitment Joliet, Illinois

PROFESSIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT package. Residency is required within one year of appointment. Submit résumé, cover letter, salary history, City Manager, City of Joliet, IL (149,500) The City of and contact information for five professional references by Joliet is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. June 16, 2017 online to GovHR USA, Since 1990, Joliet has grown from a population of 77,000 LLC – www.govhrusa.com/current-positions/recruitment. occupying approximately 30 square miles of land to Questions regarding the recruitment may be directed to 149,386 people occupying 63 square miles of land. Joellen C. Earl, CEO, GovHR USA at 847-380-3238. The Following the results of a special census conducted in City of Joliet is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 2016, Census Bureau estimates indicate Joliet is COMMUNITY now the third largest City in Illinois. Joliet is also the INFORMATION largest Council-Manager Joliet’s strategic location city in Illinois. The City 45 miles southwest of seeks candidates for the Chicago is a key factor in next City Manager due to its economic success and the retirement of its current will continue to be so in City Manager. the years ahead. The City The City of Joliet is a home is served by multiple rule municipality that interstate highways, four operates under the Council/ Class I railroads and an Manager form of government. inland waterway system. The Mayor and eight City New investments in rail Council Members (three and intermodal have made City Council Members are Joliet and Will County the at-large and elected largest inland port in North City-wide; five City Council Members are elected from five America. Since the early 1990s, Joliet has been separate Districts) are elected to four-year, overlapping transformed from primarily a manufacturing economy to a terms. The City Council appoints the City Manager. more diverse economy including manufacturing, transportation, retail, medical, entertainment, educational, The position requirements are summarized as follows: and government center in its capacity to remain as the • A Bachelor’s Degree; a Master’s degree in Public County Seat of Will County. Administration, Public Policy or related field is In the last few years, Joliet has experienced over 5 million preferred; square feet of annual industrial construction. Recent high • Five (5) years progressively responsible municipal profile firms have chosen to locate their distribution experience in a community of similar size and centers in Joliet including Amazon, IKEA, Mars, Whirlpool, complexity, or any equivalent combination of Saddle Creek Logistics and others. The Joliet education and experience that would demonstrate the CenterPoint Intermodal Center is home to the Union skills and abilities to perform the work. Pacific Railroad’s intermodal rail yard and adjacent to millions of square feet of industrial space occupied by • Candidates must have strong leadership skills, open marquee companies. When complete, the total project will and honest communication skills and an encompass 6,400 acres, $2 billion in private investment approachable style and the proven ability to establish and create approximately 5,900 construction jobs and and maintain strong working relationships. 14,000 permanent jobs. • Strong financial and budget management experience, Joliet is also a key part of the high-speed railway line economic development success and labor relations being built between Chicago and St. Louis. A $52 million experience. transportation complex is under construction in downtown Joliet, which includes a new train station with relocation of • The ability to express ideas effectively in written and commuter platforms, a new commuter parking lot, oral form is also required. construction of a new bus terminal and improvements in Starting salary range is $185,000 to $220,000, depending and around the existing Union Station. These on qualifications and experience. Excellent benefits transportation links contribute to the city’s presence as a center for industry and trade. City Manager

Ongoing key road projects include a full interchange Finally, Joliet is a wonderfully diverse community. From a proposed at Interstate 55 and Route 59 and a reconstructed development standpoint, it is a unique mix of older and interchange proposed for Interstate 80 and Houbolt Road. redeveloping urban areas, newer suburban areas, and In addition, plans are underway to construct a toll bridge many square miles of yet-to-be-developed land. The over the Des Plaines River connecting Interstate 80 with population is a diverse mix of racial, ethnic, and cultural the CenterPoint Intermodal Center through a public- backgrounds which contribute to a vibrant community. private funding partnership. There are many community, business, and union groups which bring energy and resources to help make Joliet a Joliet has become an attractive entertainment and visitor great place to live, work, and raise a family. center as well over the last 20 years. Harrah’s Casino and Hollywood Casino draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to Joliet each year. The historic and beautifully renovated Rialto Theater provides a full schedule of theater, musical Joliet at a Glance and other cultural attractions. City-owned Slammers Field, Population: 149,386 constructed in 2002 in downtown Joliet, is the home of the Joliet Slammers, a minor-league baseball team which Land Area: 63 Square miles plays in the independent Frontier League. Slammers Field Households: 48,050 is also home to many community events such as summer movie nights, the Slammers Yard Sale, and is the site of Median Household Income: $60,528 many business and community meetings. Engineering is Median Owner Occupied Home Value: $188,700 underway to install artificial turf which will allow for expanded uses of the stadium. Auto racing, including Number of Business Firms: 8,926 NASCAR and Nationwide series races at the Chicagoland Speedway and NHRA races at the Route 66 Raceway, are two venues which draw many regional and national fans to Joliet on an annual basis. JOLIET CITY GOVERNMENT The City of Joliet is a home rule municipality that operates under the Council/Manager form of government. The Mayor and eight City Council Members are elected to four- year, overlapping terms. The Mayor and five District Council Members are in one election and three at-Large Council Members are elected in a separate election. The City Council appoints the City Manager and Deputy Liquor Commissioners. All other city employees are appointed by the City Manager except for those employees appointed by the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners per State Statute. The City Manager is responsible for the implementation of policies and programs approved by the City Council and to provide administrative leadership to the city organization. The City has 860 municipal employees and a $281 million Education has always been an important part of the City of annual budget. In response to the economic conditions Joliet and continues to be so today. Joliet Junior College facing Joliet and nearly all communities, the City has was founded in 1901 and is the first public community reduced expenditures in many ways but primarily reducing college in the country. JJC has expanded its downtown the number of full-time employees from 1,052 employees presence with a $50 million new facility. Joliet is also in 2009 to the current 860 employees. The City has nine home to the University of St. Francis, a Catholic university Departments which report to the City Manager per the serving more than 3,300 students. St. Francis recently organization chart below. There are six bargaining units broke ground to construct a new Science Building in Joliet. representing different employee groups in the Fire, Police, Also, nearby and serving the Joliet area for many years is and Public Works, Public Utilities Departments, and Lewis University. Because of the rapid growth in Joliet clerical employees. The City is the recipient of the GFOA over the last 20 years, Joliet residents are now served by Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial four different public school districts as well as numerous Reporting. The Police Department is accredited through private schools K-12 throughout the local area. the CALEA (Commission for Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies). Joliet, Illinois

City of Joliet

The City works very positively and constructively with the order of importance or priority. Also, the statements do other public and quasi-public agencies and organizations not necessarily reflect a total consensus among all the which serve the community to address a range of issues individuals who we interviewed. and challenges. This includes working collaboratively with the Will County Board and the County Executive. The City of Joliet encompasses and works with nine Townships, Internal/Organizational Issues which is the most of any municipality in the State. Joliet Junior College is a very important part of the city, • Develop a long-range financial plan considering particularly as it applies to their expanded campus in possible further reduction in casino revenues due to downtown Joliet. The Will County Center for Economic potentially a new casino in Chicago and another south Development (CED) is a private-public partnership which suburban Chicago location as well as potential growth plays a pivotal role in the City as well as the County. The and development. Will County CED has been named three times as one of the top 20 economic development organizations in the • Develop a capital plan that provides a strategy for United States by Site Selection magazine. The City Center replacement of vehicles, equipment and city facilities. Partnership is another collaborative effort between the • Because of the loss of revenue over the last several City, the Will County CED, downtown businesses, and years, salary compression between rank and file other stakeholders. employees and their department heads and other management staff should be addressed to attract staff into broader supervisory and management roles. CHALLENGES AND • Maximize utilization and revenue generation at OPPORTUNITIES Slammers Field. The following challenges and opportunities reflect the • Analyze the current organizational structure and make comments made by various City Officials and others who recommendations to establish potential efficiency were interviewed by GovHR in preparing this Recruitment improvements. Brochure. The statements that are listed below are not in City Manager

• Implement the City’s new classification and Community and Customer Issues compensation system, currently under development, once completed. The new system it expected to • Update the strategic plan for the City, soliciting input address the salary compression issues that currently from a broad range of City stakeholders including City exist for many of the city’s management staff. elected officials, management, and staff; other governmental bodies; public/private partnership • Develop a performance review system to ensure organizations; neighborhood and community groups; maximum organizational performance. and a representative sample of citizens. • Develop a comprehensive personnel policy manual to • Provide leadership to develop a comprehensive land provide organizational values and expectations. use plan for the City. • Develop a comprehensive program to identify training • Continue to plan for another doubling of Will County needs and provide the city staff with the necessary population growth in the next 20 years with emphasis skills to excel. on balancing new infrastructure with maintaining and • Improve the City’s funding position regarding replacing older infrastructure. municipal pension funds. • Continue to work on reducing crime and gang activity • Continue improvement in the use of technology to in some parts of the City. streamline efficiencies within the City organization and • Develop a plan with our private partner, Holsten to improve citizen interaction and e-commerce Management to successfully manage Evergreen capabilities. Terrace a 356-unit Federally subsidized housing • Establish protocols for conducting public meetings complex owned by the City. Along with ownership with appropriate decorum and professionalism to responsibility there will be a need to develop a plan project a positive image of the City. that could include a reduction in density, and that must address housing and public open space as part of any • Help the total City organization become more development. transparent in all of its internal and external activities. • Improve the look of the gateways into the City. • Work with all stakeholders to assist with the planning and construction of the Will County Court House in Downtown, and collaborate on the opening of Chicago Street and development of an expanded Van Buren Plaza. • Help bring higher end restaurants, antique stores, coffee shops, multi-family development, etc. to the downtown area to keep it alive at night. • Continue to explore technology improvements and private sector management of downtown parking decks, commuter facilities and on-street parking. • Continue private/public collaborative, economic development projects including, but not limited to:  CenterPoint Intermodal Center  Joliet Junior College Downtown Campus  Downtown Transportation Center  Convention Center and Hotel

Joliet, Illinois

CITY MANAGER CANDIDATE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA The following factors of education, experience, management style, and personal traits have been identified as ideal attributes for the City Manager to possess to function effectively in the position. A salary commensurate with these responsibilities is offered along with an excellent benefits package.

Education and Experience • A bachelor’s degree in public or business administration, finance, political science or a related field is required. A Master’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy or related advanced degree is preferred. • Considerable and progressively responsible, executive-level administrative and management experience in local government as a manager, assistant manager, or department head is preferred. Some private sector experience or extensive interactions with private sector is a plus. • Candidates without local government experience but with strong private sector administrative and management experience addressing comparable • Have experience in working and collaborating with issues and challenges in an organization of similar elected officials, business leaders, community groups, size and complexity to Joliet will be considered. and the news media. • Have strong financial management abilities, including • Have experience in and a successful track record of financial forecasting, short- and long-term budget employee and labor relations and be knowledgeable development and controls, revenue enhancement about modern human resources practices; have a (including grants), capital improvement programming, reputation for fairness in personnel actions. and debt management. • Have knowledge of and experience in strategic • Have supervisory and management experience over a planning and helping create a vision for a significant number of employees in multiple disciplines multi-faceted customer service organization involving and service areas. a broad range of stakeholders. • Understand and practice the principles of the council- • Have a demonstrated record of understanding and manager form of government; prepare and share utilizing technology systems and procedures, with a information equally with all members of the City commitment to furthering the use of new technology Council. throughout the organization. • Possess a proven track record of success in • Have successful experience in intergovernmental collaborative economic development policies that relations and interacting with other jurisdictions and resulted in business attraction, business retention, agencies in a constructive, cooperative, and mutually business expansion, and job creation; have supportive manner, while representing the City’s experience working with industry and an appreciation interests tactfully and firmly. for its place in the City; be a creator of public/private partnerships; be knowledgeable of successful downtown redevelopment efforts. City Manager

Management Style and Mayor, City Council, staff, and all facets of a diverse community. Personal Traits • Have the skill and willingness to manage in an active • Be a visionary leader with the proven ability to gain political environment, being politically astute while cooperation and communicate clear direction. remaining completely non-partisan. • Can “stand their ground” in making recommendations • Have a high-energy level and enthusiasm for meeting and proposals while at the same time respectfully the challenges and responsibilities of the City listening to and considering alternative or contrasting Manager’s position; have a solid work ethic. ideas. • Be a firm yet respectful organizational leader who can • Have excellent communication skills, particularly as develop and lead a team of professionals, bringing out an active listener, and have the ability and willingness the best in City Staff in serving all facets of the to communicate openly and transparently with the community.