City of Keizer department heads sit to the left of city council at a Jan. 3 meeting (KEIZERTIMES/Joey Cappelletti).
The City of Keizer announced on Wednesday, Feb. 2 that they have narrowed their city manager search to three finalists. The three finalists, all from Oregon, were selected from a pool of 12 applicants.
“We are very pleased to have well-qualified candidates interested in serving our community in this very important role,” Keizer Mayor Cathy Clark said in the city’s press release Wednesday.
The three finalists include Adam Brown, a city manager in Ontario, Ore.; Eileen Stein, an interim department manager for Clackamas County; and Tim Wood, the City of Keizer’s current finance director.
The three finalists will be introduced to the community at a Feb. 15 public forum where audience members will be invited to ask questions. Keizer’s interim city manager, Wes Hare, said the time of the community forum is still being determined and will be announced in the coming weeks.
City employees will attend their own forum with the three finalists on Feb. 15 and on Feb. 16, the Keizer City Council and the city’s department directors will meet with and interview the finalists.
The city hired the Prothman executive recruitment firm to undertake a nationwide search for its next city manager in September of 2021. The city has been without a permanent city manager since April of 2021.
In their recruitment search, Prothman received 12 applications for Keizer’s vacancy. After reviewing applications and interviewing candidates, Prothman made recommendations for finalists. City council will have the final decision on who to hire.
According to the city’s press release, Brown has close to 25 years years of experience in local government and has served as city manager in Ontario for the past five years. Brown is a credential manager through the International City/County Management Association and he serves on the Oregon City/County Management Association board of directors.
Stein has served as city manager in three Oregon cities in the past, including four years in West Linn, three years in Mt. Angel and 11 years in Sisters. Stein, who has worked in local government for close to 30 years, is also a credentialed manager and served as president of the Oregon City/County Management Association.
Wood, the most familiar of the three, has served as finance director for the City of Keizer for the past six years. He served as Keizer’s assistant controller in the past and has a total of 13 years of experience in local government management, all with the City of Keizer. Wood served as Keizer’s interim city manager from April of 2021 until Hare arrived in June.
News tip? Contact reporter Joey Cappelletti at [email protected] or 616-610-3093.