Merced residents want next city manager to improve quality of life

Issues surrounding homelessness, gun violence and economic development were common concerns during a forum this week on the experience and traits needed by Merced’s next top administrator.

The City Council chambers drew a modest crowd for the forum on Monday, when residents said they are tired of Merced ranking poorly on lists related to violence, health and economic development.

Hector Ramirez, a Merced resident and UC Merced graduate, said the council needs to ask candidates their plans for public safety, saying adding more police should not be their only answer.

“I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad idea, but I think there’s always ways and alternatives to take as an approach to public safety,” Ramirez said. “My approach personally would be investing in the youth.”

Before and after the meeting, the Communities for a New California Education Fund began collecting comments on Twitter by using the hashtag #NextMercedCityManager.

Another resident at the forum, Rachelle Abril, said the amount of violence in town has grown exponentially since the years she grew up here. The city had five homicides in 2013, 15 last year and is at eight so far this year.

She said there were ways to stay busy when she was young, but noticed it became harder to do the same for her children and now grandchildren. “There’s nothing that our kids can go out to and enjoy,” she said.

The next city manager should have a plan to implement programs that keep children active and away from gangs, she said.

Andy Krotik, an Atwater resident, said he would want to know the candidates’ plans for improving quality of life in Merced. As a real estate agent who works in Merced, he said he is concerned about what the city can do to bounce back from difficult economic times.

“Merced has had a tough 10 years,” he said. “We used to be No. 1 in the country for foreclosures.”

He added that the candidates need a plan for addressing homelessness. That thought was seconded by Rick McMillion, a Merced resident who works downtown. “We haven’t done a good job with that in the last several years,” McMillion said.

The city’s ability to grow in the next decade or so was also a topic of discussion.

Ken Testa, who described himself as a Merced native, said he’d like to see a city manager who has “some wins” on her or his résumé. The director of facilities for the Merced City School District, Testa said he’d also want a city manager with experience in a college town.

A few residents also said the next city manager must have the fortitude to be able to push back against the council when necessary.

Jerry Perezchica, a Monterey resident, said he grew up in Merced and still owns property in town. He noted the projects that are moving along in Merced – those related to high-speed rail and other trains – and their potential to transform the city.

“This individual needs to be responsive to new ideas,” he said of the next city manager.

The state’s high-speed rail, as well as Amtrak and Altamont Corridor Express, have plans to increase the number of trains passing through Merced. The person to get the job needs to see the big picture and have a vision, he said.

The forum was conducted by Gary Phillips, a member of consulting firm Bob Murray and Associates. The forum increased the amount the city paid to the firm by $1,500, for a total of $19,000 plus expenses, according to the contract.

The city will continue to gather questions and advice from residents on the “Merced City Manager” Facebook page through the end of the week. Merced City Council is set to conduct interviews on Saturday behind closed doors.

City Manager John Bramble has announced he plans to retire after Dec. 5.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 3:33 PM with the headline "Merced residents want next city manager to improve quality of life."