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City Manager
Position Profile |
The Community
The City of Spencer, Iowa has a population of 11,317 residents
and serves as the seat of government for Clay County. A
flourishing city “On the Move”, Spencer is a well known regional
retail and business center that provides health services and
employment opportunities to a large area in northwestern Iowa
and southern Minnesota. Spencer has many excellent recreational
and educational amenities and a well-maintained and diverse
housing stock. The City is located in the picturesque Great
Lakes Area surrounded by rolling hills, productive farmland and
beautiful lakes.
Recently, Spencer was selected as a top ten city by Relocate
America’s 100 Top Places to Live in 2007. As a designated Main
Street Iowa community, Spencer participated in the National
Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street Program. As a
result, they have a newly designated Cultural and Entertainment
District. An essential component of the city’s economic strength
is an active downtown and a healthy business sector. The Grand
Avenue Historic District is currently listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.
The downtown business district includes the largest and most
diverse collection of 1930s Art Deco architecture in the Midwest
and features new streetlights, sidewalks, gardens and benches as
well as upscale downtown apartment units.
A new addition to Spencer is the Clay County Regional Events
Center. The multipurpose Center serves northwest Iowa and
features a ballroom, arena/exhibit hall, boardroom, VIP rooms
and full service kitchen with professional cooks.
Culture
The Spencer Area Arts Council operates Arts On Grand that
features exhibits, gift gallery, studios, and library resources
in a Main Street facility. A recent public art project graces
the entrance of East Leach Park. This beautiful mosaic, entitled
The Gathering, represents the history of Spencer.
The active SCT Playhouse has provided theatrical performances
for residents and visitors for nearly 45 years. The Theatre also
houses a 30,000 piece costume and accessories shop. The Spencer
Area Concert Association is a volunteer organization that
arranges five concerts annually. Bogenrief’s Studio highlights
the works of one of the world’s premier stained glass and blown
glass makers. The studio features beautiful handcrafted glass
works and daily glass blowing demonstrations. The history of
Clay County comes to life at the Parker Historical Museum, a
Craftsman style building that contains thousands of artifacts.
Spencer takes pride in progressive civic leadership and the
creation of partnerships with schools, the hospital, utilities,
industries, local governments and organizations to ensure the
vitality of the community. The Chamber of Commerce serves as the
primary promotion and development agency for the City and
incorporates Spencer Industries Foundation, Spencer Area Jobs
Trust and the Spencer Main Street Program to strengthen the
city’s regional position.
Business and Industry
The City of Spencer is the largest community in a 100-mile
radius and, as such, serves as the regional hub. Economic
development is a priority that is accommodated by the city’s
location on U.S. Highways 71 and 18, a local airport, the I C &
E Rail and two large Industrial Parks. Among the most prominent
businesses are Eaton Corporation, Menards, Wal-Mart, R.R.
Donnelly, Shine Brothers and Tecton Industries. The largest
public employers are the Spencer Hospital with 500 employees and
Spencer Schools with 250 employees. In addition, over 70
companies in Spencer employ 20 or more workers.
Education/Health Care
The Spencer Community School District is comprised of four
elementary schools serving students K-6, a new Middle School
serving grades 7 and 8, and the High School serving grades 9-12.
The total enrollment of all classes is 2,374. All elementary
schools are computerized and classrooms at the Middle School and
High School are networked. Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary
School and Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School both serves students
in grades K-6. Iowa Lakes Community College has a campus in
Spencer and provides traditional and online courses and
customized training designed for area businesses and industry.
Nearby four-year colleges and universities include Buena Vista
University in Storm Lake and Northwestern College in Orange
City. Community Colleges are found in several surrounding
cities.
The Spencer Municipal Hospital is a premier medical facility
serving a large geographic area. The Hospital is the site of
Seasons Center, providing mental health services and the Abben
Cancer Center. The 99-bed Hospital is served by 35 physicians.
The Avera Spencer Family Care Clinic offers an extensive array
of services and is staffed by family practice and specialty
physicians and offers comprehensive programs and services in 11
offices throughout a nine-county service area.
The award-winning Spencer Public Library provides special
programs for children and computer users. The Library is part of
a statewide ICN System which allows library users to connect
with all other state libraries. Friends of the Library volunteer
their talent for events and programs.
Recreation
Spencer is the home of the Clay County Fair, held each September
and attended by more than 300,000 fairgoers annually. Billed as
the “World’s Greatest County Fair”, the nine-day event boasts
big name entertainment and the largest agricultural machinery
display in the country.
Many parks, museums and a wildlife preserve offer leisure time
activities. Over 350 acres comprise 17 city parks that offer
basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, baseball and softball
diamonds, swimming, playgrounds, camping and trails. Other
recreational amenities include a newly constructed skate park,
the Aquatic Center with two water slides at Riverview Park, the
Riverview Tennis Facility and the largest Miracle Playground
labyrinth in the United States at East Leach Park. Spencer is a
15 minute drive away from Iowa's Great Lakes region where
residents can enjoy biking and skiing trails, beautiful
campgrounds, canoeing, hunting and terrific bass fishing.
The 18-hole Spencer Municipal Golf Course and the 18-hole
Spencer Golf and Country Club provide for individual and league
golfing. The Family YMCA serves over 3,000 members and offers
programs in swimming and exercise for all ages and abilities and
provides special programs for youth, teens and families
The Organization
The City of Spencer operates under a Council/Mayor/Manager form
of government. The City Council is comprised of a Mayor that is
elected to two-year terms and seven Councilmembers that are
elected for four-year terms. Five Councilmembers are elected
from wards and two serve at-large. Boards and Commissions
appointed by the City Council and serve as advisors including
the Library Board, Park Board, Airport Board of Trustees, Golf
Course Board and the Hospital Board.
The City of Spencer is part of the nine-county Regional Transit
Service Provider. The City shares emergency dispatch services
with the County.
City Services
The City of Spencer employs 86 full-time personnel. The City has
one bargaining unit covering employees in Streets, Fire, Solid
Waste, Police Dispatch, and Inspection Departments.
The total City budget is $14.5 million for FY 2008, excluding
utilities and hospital and a General Fund budget of $6 million.
The City maintains a 1A Moody’s Investors Fund rating.
Police service is provided by a staff of 25 with 19 sworn
officers. The Fire Department is staffed by five full-time
employees consisting of the Fire Chief and four engineer/drivers
plus 32 paid on-call volunteers. A Fire Station expansion
project has just been completed.
Spencer Municipal Utilities (SMU) is a community-owned,
not-for-profit organization providing electric service, water
service and communications including cable, internet and phone
service. SMU is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees
appointed by the Mayor and City Council. Water is supplied by
wells and the storage system capacity is 1.5 million gallons.
The wastewater treatment plant has a capacity of 3.7 million gpd
and is managed privately by Veolia Water. The city provides
refuse collection and owns and operates a solid waste landfill.
The Spencer Municipal Airport serves the Northwest Iowa Region.
The Airport has concrete grooved, lighted runways of 6,500 and
8,000 feet.
Organizational Chart
The Position
The City Manager of the City of Spencer is responsible for the
general supervision of the day-to-day administration of the
City, excluding municipal utilities.
Specific duties include:
• Responsible for the administration of City Departments. City
Council involvement in administration initiated by the Council
is coordinated through the Manager.
• Direct the official conduct of all officers, departments and
employees in police, fire, streets, sewer, water pollution
control facilities, parks, cemeteries, airport, library, golf
course, solid waste disposal and central administration areas.
The City Manager has the power and authority to employ such
assistants and other employees for the City for which the City
Council has approved the position.
• Supervise and assist the City Clerk, City Boards and
Commissions, and all City Departments in the preparation and
administration of the annual budget.
• Formulate and recommend employee and personnel policies,
compensation schedules and benefits with the approval of the
City Council. Cooperate with the City Attorney in collective
bargaining matters.
• Make recommendations to the City Council and participate with
the appropriate agencies in projects and endeavors to support
economic growth and development.
• Supervise and conduct the business affairs of the city
including record keeping and accounting, in conjunction with the
City Clerk.
• Supervise the enforcement and execution of all City ordinances
and resolutions and applicable State and Federal laws and
regulations.
Background and Experience
The City Manager will possess a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s
preferred) in public administration, finance, or a related field
plus a minimum of seven years experience in a responsible public
management position.
Qualified candidates will possess:
• Familiarity with all municipal operations.
• Solid understanding of economic development issues including
structuring financing options.
• Experience in municipal budgeting, capital improvements
planning and municipal finance.
• Background in creating city/community partnerships with
business and industry, schools, medical institutions, utilities
and other local governments.
• Background in working with elected officials
• Experience in personnel policy development, staff development,
team building, and performance evaluations.
• Significant background in long range planning, strategic
planning, and community visioning processes.
• Familiarity with planning and zoning activities, building
codes and inspections.
• Up to date understanding of technology and computers pertinent
to city operations.
Management Capabilities
• Maintain close communications with the City Council and strive
to keep members informed on a regular basis.
• Work in partnership with Spencer Municipal Utilities.
• Take a leadership role through association with the various
community institutions.
• Promote interaction with the City Council and the School
Board.
• Be cognizant of the regional approach to issues.
• Make an effort to clearly articulate the City’s positions and
policies throughout the community.
• Be adept at making public presentations.
Community Priorities
• Work closely with all local and regional economic development
partners to develop economic development strategies for the
region and the City of Spencer.
• Focus development efforts on job retention and creation, and
new retail development.
- Explore possibilities for riverfront development along the
Little Sioux and Ocheyedan Rivers
- Explore additional business development on airport property.
• Evaluate the need for a new:
- Police facility
- Golf Course Clubhouse
• Work with the county in the completion of the West Beltway
bridge project.
• Oversee the storm/sanitary sewer separation project.
• Work with the Utilities Board in the development of a new
Industrial Park.
• Secure grant funding for the expansion of the trail system.
• Maintain partnerships with the arts community to continue
cultural development and enhancements for the City.
• Examine the effectiveness of the recycling program and make
necessary adjustments.
• Oversee sidewalk expansion and improvement.
• Develop an equipment replacement schedule with associated
financing.
• Ensure continued funding of the Chamber and the Main Street
Program and economic development.
Announcement
City Manager, Spencer, IA (pop. 11,317). Starting Salary mid
$80s to mid $90s. Two City Managers since 1990. The City of
Spencer has a population of 11,317 residents and serves as the
seat of government for Clay County in northwestern Iowa. A
flourishing city “On the Move”, Spencer is a well known regional
retail and business center that provides health services and
employment opportunities to a large area in northwestern Iowa
and southern Minnesota. Position supervises 86 full-time
employees and an annual budget of $14.5 million. The position
requires a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) in public
administration, finance or a related field, and 7+ years
experience in a related public sector management position.
Qualified candidates will have experience in budgeting, economic
development and public utilities. Position Profile available.
Send resume by 6/25/07 to The Brimeyer Group Executive Search,
50 South 9th Ave. #101, Hopkins, MN 55343. Phone: (952) 945-0246
e-mail: brimgroup@aol.com web: www.brimgroup.com
For additional information, please visit
www.spenceriowacity.com
Timetable
6/25/07 Deadline for Application
7/16/07 Present Candidates/Select Finalists
7/26/07 Interviews
September 2007 Start Date
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