Laconia starts hunt for new city manager with a whisper

LACONIA — Sometimes no noise is good noise, according to a consultant who held two listening sessions on Thursday to gather thoughts about the next city manager. Three citizens came to the afternoon session, no one showed up for the evening hours.

“It could be the night, it's cold and rainy,” said Carol Granfield, a consultant with Municipal Resources, Inc., the firm that the city hired to collect public input prior to posting the job. She continued, “but, more often than not it would be they don't have any major concern, which in my mind they're pleased with the direction the city's been going, so they don't want to have massive change.”

The listening sessions included a paper survey where attendees could mark down traits they'd want to see in the next manager, and provided an email address where they could send other comments.

“Things have been going smoothly with the current city manager,” Granfield said. “I think they want to have (someone) come that will be engaged, very knowledgeable and keep things moving in the right direction and continue to have public engagement.”

During the first listening session, a few Laconians discussed their concerns for their community, and their hopes for the next city manager. A city councilor also attended, only to listen.

“I would also like to see a certain sensitivity to Laconia's history and specialness,” said Jane Whitehead, who serves on the Laconia Heritage Commission. “Not just to look at the business aspects of the city but at the neighborhoods and their changing fabric and their character, and how the changing forces, whether business or environment change the character of those neighborhoods.”

Whitehead cited her neighborhood, which is home to several large Victorian houses.

“They were originally one-family houses,” Whitehead said. “During the energy crisis a lot of those were cut up into apartments and there was a lot of drug dealing and crime in the neighborhood. My driveway was crime central for a few years. In the last two years a number of those homes have been changed back into single family houses and you hear children playing again out in the fresh air. So I'd like to be able to preserve the character of neighborhoods but see them evolve in a healthy way.”

“What we would like to see is someone that is vested in the community, who has an attachment to the community, who is local,” said Amy Smith at the afternoon session. “Downtown is revitalizing, so we'd like to see someone who is young and up-and-coming and able to transition with the city of Laconia and to understand the long and short term needs of the city.”

Attendee Peggy Selig did not completely agree with Smith's emphasis on a local taking up the role.

“I want to see the very best possible person come into the city of Laconia as new city manager,” Selig said, “That individual does not have to be from our community. I don't want to see mediocrity, there's too much of it out here already. I want to see someone who is young, bright, who's not afraid to speak their ideas that could be somewhat different form the track the city's on.”

Selig went on to list Laconia's various pressing issues such as drug use, homelessness, schooling and a lack of affordable housing. With all of these problems to work on, Selig emphasized the importance of community engagement, something that she felt was missing at the listening session.

“I think it's important that you engage with the community, and I'm really sad that there are really three of us here and a councilman this afternoon.”

According to Granfield, the hiring process will take around 90 days.

“By the end of this month we'll have the profile approved to go forward, so that would mean by the end of May candidates will start coming in and we'll review them as they come in," Granfield explained.

While Granfield potentially views the lack of engagement as a sign of satisfaction among the Laconia populace, Selig sees it as a problem.

“This is a very serious decision that has to be made,” Selig said. “People need to come out and not be complacent. If they are, they get what they get stuck with. It's not good.”

Scott Myers, the current city manager will be exiting the role sometime next fall. “The current exit date, it's not fixed, but somewhere in the September time frame,” Myers said, “I have nothing definitive, so I have the ability to be flexible on that.”

Myers has been Laconia's town manager since 2011. “This July first, I'll be completing 11 years,” Meyers said, adding that he has enjoyed his time in Laconia and working within the community. “It's just time to shake up my life a little bit and figure out what the next step looks like.”

Although Myers didn't attend the listening session, he had two pieces of advice for whoever fills his shoes.

“Number one, is be a great listener,” Myers advised, “Number two is to really tap into the talent and volunteerism and sense of community that's here. There's a lot of great groups, great organizations, and great people that help make the city move forward.”

Readers who would like to submit their own thoughts on the future city manager can do so by writing to laconiacmsearch@mrigov.com.