Council Plans Contract Negotiations With Candidate For City ManagerMarch 25th, 2008
By Tammy Gray-Searles
Larry Stoever, former city manager of Saline, Mich., may be Holbrook’s new city manager if contract negotiations are successful.
The city council met Tuesday evening and, following a 45-minute executive session, unanimously approved a motion asking City Attorney Sterling Solomon to negotiate a contract with Stoever.
Stoever has more than 22 years of experience as a city manager, and has also worked in city planning and economic development. He served as manager for the City of Saline from June 1998 until October 2007, and for the City of Greenville, Ill., from April 1985 until May 1998. Prior to that time, he served as acting president of the Peoria (Ill.) Economic Development Association from 1983 to 1985, city planner for the City of Charleston, Ill., from 1973 to 1983, planning director for the City of East St. Louis, Ill., from 1970 to 1973 and assistant planning director for the City of Rock Island, Ill., from 1968 to 1970. Stoever also served four years in the U.S. Air Force from 1962 to 1966 as a electronic surveillance technician and instructor.
According to Stoever’s resume, he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Eastern Illinois University, and a Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Southern Illinois University.
During his time in Saline, the city was ranked number 43 in CNN Money Magazine’s 2005 list of best places to live, and in 2007 was honored again as number 59. Saline is south of Ann Arbor and has a population of approximately 9,000.
Stoever noted that, “Saline was one of only three communities in Michigan and one of 12 in the U.S. to receive this award in both years that it has been formatted for cities under 50,000 population.”
The annual budget for Saline totaled approximately $23 million, and Stoever reported to a seven-member council. He was responsible for 69 full-time employees and about 90 part-time employees.
In his resume, Stoever notes, “During my tenure as city manager, Saline has had an aggressive infrastructure improvement program. Key projects included a new $6 million city hall, a new $6 million iron filtration and reverse osmosis softening water treatment plant, $2 million in major wastewater treatment plant improvements and $8.5 million in street reconstruction projects, including associated bridge, sewer and water replacements. Projects recently completed include a new $5 million public works facility and a $1.5 million renovation of the city’s indoor recreation complex.”
According to Stoever, he worked to obtain community input and support for the projects before they were completed. He also notes that he worked on a downtown renewal program and helped guide the city through “a long period of reduced state revenue support and a weak state economy due to the downturn in the U.S. auto industry.”
Prior to entering into executive session, Mayor Jeff Hill noted that candidate Timothy Smith withdrew his application. Stoever and Smith spent the majority of March 15 touring the city, meeting with the public and interviewing with the city council.
The council members previously indicated that if they were not happy with the choices available for city manager, they would begin a new search.
Representatives from the League of Arizona Cities and Towns have assisted the council in the city manager search and, as part of an agreement with the city, conducted background investigations into the final candidates.
Larry Stoever
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