The Citizen's Community Voices Forum
The Citizen worked with local consultant Greg Munno to facilitate community discussions in April to insert the public’s voice into the selection process for Auburn’s next City Manager. Business leaders, public officials and private residents participated in a public forum at the Holiday Inn to gather input, opinions and perspective on what residents want to see in candidates.
During the forum, groups of participants answered questions about the city, the role of government and how those apply to the person who will run Auburn’s day-to-day business. Attendees included many generations and backgrounds, with twentysomethings and retirees discussing the topics with elected officials and business owners.
They came up with descriptions of the community their ideal vision for the city. They produced questions they would like to ask job candidates and brainstormed lists of qualities in an ideal manager.
With the help of facilitators, each group prioritized their thoughts and narrowed their points down to a handful of questions and statements about the city for a potential manager. Information gathered was combined with data and comments collected at auburnpub.com. The information was then used to formulate a presentation to the Auburn City Council, said Munno, who moderated the forum. The council will then appoint the new Manager; though a five-person citizens’ committee has been appointed to narrow down candidates.
— Citizen staff writer Christopher Caskey
Community Consensus Building
Below are the statements and questions advanced by each table, during the forum, along with the total number of votes they received.
What should the next City Manager know about Auburn?
Table 6 (45 votes): Auburn is experiencing a renaissance — we were once a prosperous industrial town and now we are transitioning into a regional arts and cultural destination.
Table 1 (30 votes): As the next City Manager, it is important for you to know the social, political and economic history of Auburn, its current conditions and circumstances, and its future potential — particularly in light of the Comprehensive Plan. You need to look at the big picture and the small details in light of our community values.
Table 3 (19 votes): This is a great place to raise a family with a bright future that has a silent majority who are ready to follow a good leader to bring change and growth.
Table 2 (14 votes): Auburn is a generous, family-first, community that has a world of tremendous potential and needs a leader who can engage the public and generate enthusiasm.
Table 5 (12 votes): Auburn is a caring, safe, full-service community that is trying to distinguish itself, while meeting the challenges of the future.
Table 4 (11 votes): Go through the proper avenues/channels to succeed, based on our diversity; by knowing our community. Understand our past history, our present demographic challenges and our potential opportunities. Don’t listen to the negative minority because the silent majority will support what you do — unless there is a crisis.
What are the most important questions to ask the candidates?
Table 3 (38 votes): Based upon the research you’ve done and your experiences in Auburn so far, what will be your highest priority, how will you accomplish it? Give an example of how you’ve accomplished this in the past?
Table 6A (27 votes): In developing a budget, you are faced with two options:
A 0% tax increase, by deferring capital improvements, or a modest tax increase to support capital projects. What do you choose, and how do you decide? Please provide your rationale.
Table 2 (22 votes): Why do you want to come to Auburn, and what can you bring to this job to enhance the visibility of Auburn?
Table 4 (22 votes): Can you develop a long-term plan and communicate it to the community to motivate and inspire everyone to actively support and contribute to it, with check points and performance evaluations along the way, while maintaining communication whether positive or negative?
Table 6B (14 votes): Tell us about a situation where you played a key role in developing consensus among a divided city council or elected officials?
Table 5 (5 votes): How did you use your management style to work through a difficult situation?
Table 1 (4 votes): Describe your leadership, problem-solving and management skills?
Survey Says…
Since the start of the Community Voices project, The Citizen has been collecting responses to a survey related to the priorities people have regarding city government and the City Manager position.
Below are some excerpts of responses to the open-ended questions on that survey:
If you were interviewing city manager candidates, what’s the one question you’d want to make sure you asked and why?
• What methods and techniques would you employ to overcome political alliances that are too often directed at someone’s behest that isn’t in government instead of doing what is right for Auburn?
• Are you a “yes” person, or a “no” person? This to me tells a lot about someone, I want a “yes” person.
• How will you actively work to reduce the role of government while still providing necessary services to the residents of Auburn?
• How many work days are there in a week? If they do not answer seven, do not hire!
• Do you support the principles outlined in the City’s Comprehensive Plan such as being a walkable community, supporting the Musical Theatre Festival as an economic driver, and reinvesting in the riverfront?
What’s the one thing you’d want a City Manager candidate to know about Auburn before taking the job?
• That person needs to know about the entrenched political culture that exists in Auburn and the strong resistance to changing it.
• The “Degrees of Separation” in Auburn are probably 2, not 6. Remain neutral at all times and never speak ill of anyone. Don’t fall in with any crowds (who may push their own political agenda). Remain neutral and keep the City’s best interest in mind.
• It is a small community, but it has many of the problems you would face in a large community.
• My biggest concern is that young, professional families with money to spend are moving out of Auburn for many reasons, including better jobs and access to better schools.
• The pessimism here can be crippling, but for many people it is just a front and a growing number of people are genuinely optimistic about the City’s future.
