44 apply to be Moraine city manager

Council to meet Tuesday night to discuss the applicants seeking to replace retiring David Hicks.

The process for hiring MORAINE —

Moraine’s next city manager will shift gears this week as city council starts the process to narrow the list of dozens of applicants.

Among the 44 who applied to replace the retiring David Hicks include about a dozen administrators from Montgomery, Greene, Butler and Hamilton counties, according to information obtained by this news organization in a public records request.

Council is set to meet Tuesday

night in a special session to discuss the applicants, according to Mary Lentz, Moraine’s assistant law director.

Those with Southwest Ohio ties include:

■Pete Bales, Fairborn assistant city manager;

■Nathan Cahall, Centerville economic development administrator and acting city manager;

■Jung Han Chen, Oxford community development director;

■Bryan Chodkowski, former Riverside city manager and current town manager with Enfield, Conn.;

■Michael Davis, Moraine economic development director;

■Julie Hoffman, Moraine parks and rec director;

■Jesse Lightle, Washington Twp. administrator;

■Michael McNamara, Butler County development administrator;

■Patrick Ross, city of Reading safety services director;

■Dennis Sparks, former Trenton city manager, and currently a management and aviation consultant in Hopewell, Va.

■Brock Taylor, Riverside director of planning;

■Brian Uhl, Springfield Twp. (Hamilton County) operations lieutenant;

■Jeffrey Weckbach, Hamilton County senior policy manager.

The ideal successor for Hicks “will be a strong leader who can balance conflicting interests and priorities, yet be decisive and provide clear and concise recommendations when needed,” city records show. “He or she will be a collaborative team leader, comfortable giving direction and empowering staff to ensure the long-term success of the city.”

They “will demonstrate prior success in attracting and encouraging business growth and will possess strong skills in deploying creative and innovative funding tools and incentives to stimulate economic development,” according to the city. “He or she should be a skilled negotiator, able to negotiate with outside entities on behalf of the city.”

The goal is to have final interviews scheduled for the end of March, according to Lentz.

Hicks was hired as city manager in 2001 after more than 25 years of working in the Moraine Police Division, where he last served as chief.