The Springfield City Council and the City Manager Search Committee are pleased to announce the selection of three finalists for the City Manager position.

The finalists were selected from a group of eight presented by the search firm Arcus Public during a meeting Monday evening that lasted more than four hours. The finalists have been notified and are invited for a series of in-person interviews in Springfield on Aug. 3-5, 2008.

To read more about the candidates, click
here.

In alphabetical order, the finalists are:

Greg Burris is Vice President for Administrative & Information Services and Chief Information Officer at Missouri State University. He has held several other positions, including associate vice president and coordinator of management information systems, and since joining the University in 1983. He has a bachelor’s degree in computer information processing and a master’s degree in business administration, both from Missouri State. Web site: www.missouristate.edu .

Kent A. Myers is the City Manager in Hot Springs, Ark., a position he has held for 13 years. Prior to that he has served as City Manager for Casa Grande, Ariz., and Converse, Texas. He also has worked for the East Texas Council of Governments. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree in public administration from Texas Christian University. Web site: www.ci.hot-springs.ar.us

Larry Stevens has been the City Manager of Edmond, Okla., since 2002. He previously served as City Manager for Pittsburg, Kan., and Brookfield, Mo. He also has worked as the Community Services Director for the City of Nevada, Mo., and Internal Auditor for the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice/political science and a master’s degree in public services administration from Central Missouri State University.
Web site: www.edmondok.com

“We feel that we have developed a very strong slate of finalists and we look forward to getting to know them during their interviews in Springfield,” said Mayor Pro Tem Gary Deaver, Co-chair of the City Manager Search Committee.

During their visits to Springfield, the candidates will be involved in a series of interviews, meetings and public events. The following is the public schedule for the finalist interviews:

Sunday, Aug. 3:

4 to 6 p.m.: Welcome reception with members of City Council, the City Manager Search Committee, City Management Team, and other stakeholders. This is an open event at the upper lobby of Mediacom Ice Park.

6 p.m.: Media availability, Mediacom Ice Park Club Room.

Monday, Aug. 4:

7:30-8:30 a.m.: Coffee with the Candidates open house for members of the public. A short introduction will take place about 7:40 a.m. Park Central Square Library Branch.

9 a.m. to noon: “Round Robin” interviews with members of City Council. Each candidate will meet with three members of Council for one-hour periods. This interview process is closed under Section 610-021 of the Missouri Sunshine Law, which allows an exemption for “Hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting of particular employees by a public governmental body when personal information about the employee is discussed or recorded.”

Noon-1 p.m.: Council meets in closed session for initial discussion of candidates.

1-4 p.m.: Council Committee of the Whole meets with each candidate for one hour. During the same time, the candidates will rotate among small group meetings with members of the City Management Team.

4-5 p.m.: City Council continues its discussion of the candidates in closed session.

4:30 to 5:30 p.m.: A reception for City employees to meet the candidates will take place in the Busch Building Lobby. This event is open.

5:45 to 7 p.m: An Ice Cream Social open house for members of the public to meet the candidates will take place at the Phelps Grove Park pavilion. (In case of severely inclement weather, the reception will take place at the Busch Building.) A short introduction will take place about 6:15 p.m.

At all of the public events, people will be invited to fill out comment cards with their impressions of the candidates, which will be compiled at the end of each day to share with City Council.

Tuesday, Aug. 5:

8 a.m.: City Council will meet to discuss the candidates in closed session. The remaining schedule will be determined by the outcome of the interview process. Council may ask for follow-up interviews or request other information.

The out-of-town candidates will depart Springfield on Tuesday afternoon. Once a finalist is selected, Council will need to negotiate terms of the contract, start date and conduct additional required background checks.

An announcement of the new City Manager is expected during the week of Aug. 11, 2008.