By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
The two candidates to become Yachats City manager made their last pitches for the job Thursday night, one week before the City Council is scheduled to offer the position to one of them.
Helen Anderson and Gretchen Dubie each spent an hour making opening and closing statements and then answering questions from an audience of 30-35 people during an online Zoom meeting. Both had gone through a similar – but in-person – session last Friday.
The council plans to vote on making a job offer to one of them when it meets at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
The council held an executive session Wednesday to hear comments from three commission chairs who had met with both candidates and to decide what to do next. Without discussing either candidate, the council decided to take a public vote Thursday. It would still have to negotiate a contract, including a salary.
The city is looking for a permanent city manager to replace Shannon Beaucaire who left in late March. It has had two interim managers – the current is Katherine Guenther, who is also the city planner — since then. The council took months to launch its own manager search and when it did got 14 applications this summer. They winnowed that down to seven, and then conducted Zoom interviews with four before selecting Dubie and Anderson as finalists. The two then went through another round of in-person council interviews and met with staff and chairs of the city’s four commissions.
Although both finalists live in Yachats, one is an insider and the other an outsider.
A former university instructor and engineer, Anderson has lived in Yachats for nine years, served on the Planning Commission for seven, worked as a part-time city contractor taking meeting minutes for four years, and knows well the city staff, commissions and committees.
Dubie moved to Yachats a year ago, but has been visiting for three decades. Until July she spent the last 12 years as executive director of a Eugene-based nonprofit serving disabled adults, overseeing a $10 million yearly budget and 200 employees.
Anderson stresses readiness
Anderson stressed that she could hit the ground running, address immediate staff issues and morale, and tackle long-running problems.
“I’m not a politician,” she said. “I’m more of a doer, a fixer, a problem-solver. I’m ready to step in and work.”
Anderson said she would initially focus on staff, which will be reporting to its fourth manager in a year, delving into what they do, how they work, what motivates them and eventually what organizational structure could be best for city hall. Anderson said she would have to work out roles, procedures and communication with a council that clashed with the previous manager and then had to jump in and work closely with two interim managers the past seven months.
“I’m ready to start working on Day One,” she said. “I’ve had a unique career that’s prepared me to do lots of things.”
In answer to questions, Anderson said she would:
- Revive the dormant Finance Committee and capital improvement project process to help guide city finances and projects;
- Address code enforcement issues either with 1-2 part-time contractors or a full-time employee; “I totally get the frustration of having codes and no enforcement.”
- Work as soon as possible to find someone – in house or a hire – to handle some of the city’s finance duties, and fill the city’s facilities manager’s job;
- Commit to protecting the city’s watershed but begin work soon to address the city’s water storage problem. “If the only solution is a pipe connection with Southwest Lincoln (County Water PUD) then we’re in trouble.”
“I’m about getting the work done,” Anderson said. “I’ve had my career. I don’t need a (ego) boost to become a city manager. I want to be the city manager because I want Yachats to be fabulous and run well.”
Dubie stresses trust, relationships
In her opening statement Dubie said while she had only lived in Yachats for a year, she had been visiting with family for 28 years. “I’m not unfamiliar with the city.”
She said she developed management and interpersonal skills running a large nonprofit, reporting to a board, working with state and local governments, and with other community leaders in Lane County.
“I definitely want this job to put all of those skills to use … to help this city,” Dubie said. “But there’s a lot I don’t know.”
In answer to questions Dubie said she:
- Has the ability to deal with difficult people or issues by de-escalating, listening and trying to find a solution. “I’m not intimidated by conflict.”
- Would “watch, listen and learn” in order to re-build trust and relationships with staff. “It’s going to be awhile for someone to put all of their eggs in my basket.”
- Reach out to local businesses to see what they need to feel and be supported by the city;
- Help, support and strengthen the city’s commissions and how they interact with staff and the city council. “If you trust in those people to lead those commissions, you should trust their decisions.”
Dubie said she her work in Eugene prepared her to be both the leader of a large organization and to handle daily issues and emergencies.
“There’s a knack for not getting too overwhelmed with all the things coming at you,” Dubie said. “I want to put my skills and organizational leadership to work in Yachats.”
She said she is ethical, transparent and “will own my mistakes” and can help the city rebuild trust with its residents, including developing ways to communicate better with citizens.
“I want to bring back that pride in the city,” Dubie said.