County Manager Quits

This announcement is certainly going to make the County Commissioners' jobs much more difficult moving forward.  But it is also going to have a trickle down effect because anything that might hinder the BOCC's ability to draft and execute an effective budget plan is going to have an effect on everyone living in this County.  I'm not sure how easy it will be to recruit to this position given everything that is happening.  Is there any good news anywhere out there? (other than Jake's wedding).

Just as I was contemplating whether to appeal my revaluation, I came across this, from Will Rogers, about the definition of "budget":  "A mythical beanbag - Congress votes mythical beans into it, and then tries to reach in and pull real beans out of it."What we seem to have in the county is a bunch of different bags and different beans - all claimed to be mythical on our taxes but expected to be real when we have to sell.  I'm also hearing the voice of William Bendix saying something about "what revoltin' development this is" - which under the circumstances has multiple meanings, too. 

This presents a very real opportunity to bring someone in who has the creativity and the background to focus on what will make us strong enough to survive the difficult times ahead. Any crisis presents great opportunity and we can now see that local self-reliance will be central to the overall health of Orange County. On-the-ground sustainable economic initatives such as expanding our local food economy, focusing on energy-efficiency and renewable energy, creative approaches to affordable housing, and exploring the economic opportunities of waste reduction and recycling - just to name a few. Pie-in-the-sky big traditional planner solutions like an airport or landing a big corporate presence have never been in line with the collective vision of Orange County and now they are no longer remotely in line with reality.

Ms. Blackmon's announcement to county staff indicates little willingness to serve through June 30.  "Things are not looking good..."  Has to resign now because she's required to give 90 days' notice.  Wow. 

Perhaps Mark M. has it right -- this is an opportunity to recruit a manager who brings a copacetic vision to Orange County.  Whoever composes the perfect job description might as well apply.  It would be great to find someone who knows the territory; this is asking a lot, and as George says it could take quite a while to find the right person.  Worth waiting for, yes -- but we need a manager now!  At least Orange County, NC, still has plenty of appeal. 

I have no inside information about this, either currently or when she was hired.  But this statement from her letter concerns me: "By the end of June I will have been here over 2 ½ years. This is not as long as I had originally thought I would stay, but life isn't always as we plan it"Did Ms. Blackmon inform the BOCC that she planned to work for only a short time?  If she did, why did they hire her?  If she didn't, then she wasn't entirely candid with the board, and maybe it is best that she leaves.  Either way, in the budget crisis we all lose in the short term. 

It would be poor planning on their part to hire a person who had no intention of retaining the job for the long haul. Afterall one of their goals should be job retention. I feel that we should be looking within our county for a new manager. It only makes sense to me because if the county manager was a county resident then I believe that person would better know what the county's needs and priorities are (or should be). It just makes for more efficent leadership.

Jason makes a very good point about internal bias.  We see what happens in corporate environments when co-workers become bosses.  When this position is posted, we'll get eager applicants from far & wide.  We don't have time to rule out any candidate who doesn't reside in Orange... but Orange residents will certainly stand out.  From Ms. Blackmon's farewell message, it appears obvious that she had no affinity for this area from the get-go.  Something tells me that's not exactly what she meant to say. 

Anita and Catherine, thanks for discussing Ms. Blackmon's wording.  I was incorrect in my post yesterday. 

I don't believe Ms. Blackmon's departure will bring any mourning from county staff or those who have worked closely with the County over all these years.If possible the BOCC should call upon Rod Visser, again, to take the helm of county government while a new manager is carefully and slowly sought. Rod is practical,visionary and bears the trust of anyone who has worked with him on any County matters. Those qualities will be very important as we proceed through these difficult times. 

I have a lot of confidence in Assistant County Manager Gwen Harvey as well.  No slight to Willie Best either.  I simply don't know him very well.

Re:  "Pick a local Person" (http://www.orangepolitics.org/2009/03/county-manager-quits#comment-7082):There are good reasons for going local.  Unfortunately, it is often the case that someone from out of town is more attractive than someone local, just because they are from out of town.  It's human nature:  someone from out of town is harder to get.  This is a very clear bias that must be recognized and countered where necessary.  To those who deny it can be a factor, think about dating and how the ones who are harder to get are often more attractive just because of that fact.  Otherwise very qualified people can be glossed over once someone from outside comes to the fore, just because of this factor.Also, vetting outside people can be very challenging, and doing it right  requires a lot of time and effort.  It is not uncommon for someone from outside to have very good (or uncandid) references  from people back where they work because there is a great desire to see them gone!  Also, there are way too many lawyers around telling people not to give references at all.  Getting good information on an outside candidate requires legwork, including a lot of phone calls, and often even an outside firm to really check out legal and other background matters.  It can't be assumed that a proper vetting has been done without carefully asking the right people the right questions, and that includes asking the local HR people what they really have done.  And leaving it up to them alone may not be sufficient, for various reasons.

You are right.    Doing good background work on candidates is time consuming and as much an art as a science.   References are just a starting point. When I do a search like this,  I usually talk to 20 or more people about the candidate  by the time I'm done, and most of them are not names given to me by the candidate.   It's also important to read the local newspaper where the candidate lives,  check the local databases, and talk to people "around" the candidate.    It's also important to talk to people that don't like the candidate's work  and hear why.    And its important to start researching even before you start interviewing.   Many of my clients have dodged a bullet because of the work I do.  How you ask is as important as what you ask.      There are good reasons for both internal and external hires, and local or non-local---it depends on what the client's goals are for the position.   But we can all agree that we should hire the best person we can attract and afford.