Forum set for public input on Merced city manager
A community forum to gather public input on what residents hope for in Merced’s next city manager is scheduled for next week, though the City Council will have the ultimate say in who fills the position.
Merced’s current city manager, John Bramble, is set to retire Dec. 6, and a consultant hired by the city currently is reviewing 31 applications to fill the position. Community groups expressed interest in participating in the process of hiring a new city manager, but council members have said it is their job to choose the right person.
The purpose of the forum, scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 9, is to gather ideas on what skills and characteristics the ideal candidate should illustrate, according to the city.
The forum will be held in the council chambers on the second floor of the Merced Civic Center, 678 W. 18th St. It also will be streamed live. To post an idea on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/Merced-CIty-Manager-153270005027178. Comments can be made at the forum or on the Facebook page.
Daniel Kazakos, president of the Merced Main Street Association, penned a letter in September requesting public involvement in the process of hiring the city manager. He was happy to hear that the city set up the forum.
“I definitely think it’s more than prudent of (the city) to ask for citizen input,” Kazakos said. “I’m glad they’ve decided to allow citizens to have the opportunity for their voice to be heard.”
Kazakos praised the council and said the forum showed its interest in transparency.
The Roseville consultant, Bob Murray & Associates, will narrow down the applicant pool to about 10 candidates. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for Nov. 13-14.
A week before the forum, the council will meet in closed session during its regular meeting Monday to discuss the search for the new city manager as well as a new city attorney – and possible interim replacements for the positions. Randolph Hom, Merced’s current city attorney, was hired by Cupertino. His last day working for Merced is scheduled for Dec. 20.
Also on the agenda for Monday’s meeting, the council will consider a revised ordinance to streamline solar installations and funding to study a potential site for the Merced Police Department headquarters.
The city hopes to make it easier and quicker to approve home solar systems by revising its residential building code. It takes three days to complete the current permit review process. The new ordinance, if passed by the City Council, will limit the number of inspections to one. It follows state requirements to detail the process and create a checklist for applicants.
Previously, the council selected the Merced Sun-Star building on G Street as the best option for the new police headquarters. The current headquarters building on 22nd Street was built in the 1960s, remodeled in 1981, is too small for the department and doesn’t allow for growth. The council will consider allocating $50,000 to complete the testing and inspections of the site.
The Sun-Star building has been on the market for some time as the company looks to relocate its office somewhere within the city of Merced.
This story was originally published November 1, 2015 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Forum set for public input on Merced city manager."