Morgantown Mayor Bill Kawecki said news that City Manager Paul Brake is now one of three finalists for the city manager position in Royal Oak, Mich., has not prompted city council to begin considering contingencies.
“It’s like with any problem. You wait until you fully understand the circumstances. Fact is, right now there is no opening and there is no need to recruit,” Kawecki said. “Now, that might come to be, but we’ll deal with that if it comes.”
According to reports by the Royal Oak Tribune, Brake was one of 114 applicants for the position in Royal Oak, a Detroit suburb with a population of about 59,000.
He was one of five candidates interviewed by Royal Oak City Commissioners on Feb. 22 and is one of three invited back for a meet-the-candidates community event and final interview on March 12.
Brake, who came to Morgantown from Laingsburg, Mich., took over city administration on Feb. 8, 2017. Prior to that, much of his work history was established in Michigan and he regularly travels back to the state.
He previously told The Dominion Post his interest in the Royal Oak job is tied to family and his past experience with that community — in which he previously worked in the private sector.
“Of course,” Kawecki said when asked if Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli would step into the top spot on an interim basis should a candidate search become necessary.
“And we have an excellent assistant city manager. That’s one of the good things that Paul has done. He’s made some very strategic hires. He’s brought us good people. I have no doubt we’ll be able to steer the ship should the circumstance present itself,” Kawecki said.
In the end, however, Kawecki said he’d be perfectly fine if it doesn’t.
“I hesitate to say something too publicly for fear I’ll give him too much of a recommendation,” Kawecki joked.
“I’m very much a fan of what Paul’s been able to accomplish here. I also recognize that we all have a personal life that we need to care for. It would not be my first hope that he would leave, but I would wish he does what’s best for him. You want the people you work with to be happy at what they do and comfortable in their circumstance.”
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Morgantown Area News
'Friday, November 15, 2024'
