The City of Tacoma announced today that it has narrowed its list of candidates for the City Manager position to three finalists.
The three finalists are:
Eric Anderson, City Manager for the City of Des Moines, Iowa (population 200,000). Anderson has been the city manager in Des Moines, Iowa, since 1995, and before that he was the city manager in Evanston, Ill., from 1991 through 1995, and in Eau Claire, Wis., from 1984 through 1991. During his tenure in Des Moines, Anderson served as a policy advisor to the city council, and he prepared the operating and capital improvements budgets for council approval. Des Moines has a government staff of approximately 2,007 people. With more than 30 years of experience in public administration, Anderson was honored as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. As a member of the National Sciences Committee of the National Research Council, he was a consultant to local governments in Ukraine, Estonia and Lithuania.
Gary Jackson, former City Manager for the City of Fort Worth, Texas (population 535,000). Jackson served as city manager of Fort Worth, Texas, from March 2001 to August 2004. During his tenure he oversaw a municipal government of 5,500 employees with an annual budget of approximately $700 million. He was previously the city manager of Carrollton, Texas, from 1996 through early 2001, and he also worked as city administrator in Liberty, Mo., and city manager in Coon Rapids, Minn. At the end of Jacksons tenure in Fort Worth, the community was designated as one of Americas Most Livable Communities the same distinction that was bestowed on Tacoma-Pierce County in 2004. In another similarity to Tacoma, Jackson also oversaw a $75 million expansion of Fort Worths convention center.
David Moseley, City Manager for the City of Federal Way, Wash. (population 83,000). Moseley has worked as city manager in Federal Way, Wash., since 1999. Moseley currently manages a city staff of 315 employees and a total annual budget of $79 million. Prior to his current position he was the city manager in Ellensburg, Wash., from 1995 through 1999, and town administrator in Steilacoom, Wash., from 1992 through 1995. During his time in Federal Way, Moseley helped obtain more than $50 million in federal and state funds for capital improvements in the city. He has also been instrumental in the planning and development of a new $20 million multi-purpose community center.
Citizens can meet the finalists on May 5 from 4-6 p.m. at a moderated public forum to take place in the Council Chambers on the first floor of the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St. The forum will also be broadcast live on TV Tacoma on Channel 12. The public may also attend a reception for the candidates following the forum from 6-7 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
The finalists will be in Tacoma beginning on May 4. They will tour the city by bus from 2-4 p.m., and there will be a 30-minute press availability with each candidate from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Tacoma Municipal Building, Room 1144.
City Council members will interview the candidates in executive session on May 6.
