Am I suited to be a city manager some point in my career? This is the fundamental question that I asked myself as I interviewed the Assistant to the City Manager, the Assistant City Manager and the City Manager of Apache Junction, Arizona.
So far, my experience interning with Apache Junction (AJ) is an incredibly rewarding experience. They want to engage me and help me sink my teeth into the departmental operations, the current managerial difficulties within AJ, the financial details within the annual budget and the importance of intergovernmental partnerships for AJ.
Below are career profiles describing the stories and advice of city managers in Apache Junction:
George Hoffman, City Manager
George "Geo" Hoffman first became interested in the career path as a city manager in his undergraduate degree for public administration at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. His first position in government was in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio as the National Municipal League Murray and Agnes Season Good Government Fund Intern.
"I mean, how could one forget a title like that?" quipped Hoffman.
What was an internship he did not think he would get ended up being "really enjoyable, and a pivotal experience" in shaping his career path.
The next step for Hoffman was contemplating law school and even pursuing a doctorate degree in public administration at Arizona State University, which led to another internship with the city of Glendale in the Economic Development department, then moving to the position of the Assistant to the City Manager of Apache Junction. Through a quick promotion to Assistant City Manager and the then-City Manager's conviction of a second DUI, Hoffman became the Interim City Manager of Apache Junction. Thinking that he wouldn't be able to handle the pressure as City Manager due to personal matters at home, he looked toward an open position in Gilbert as the Assistant City Manager.
"I would have been the number two role in a much larger shop," Hoffman said.
But that ended up being the "the road not taken," so he worked with the City Council of AJ, who ultimately decided to hire him as the City Manager. "Running my own show at AJ was an itch I needed to scratch," Hoffman admitted.
The main functions of a city manager are "addressing the strategic issues that face the community," "is more oriented to spending time with council members," and helps the "functionality of the organization on a human level through a leadership role." The assistant city manager role is more responsible for day-to-day operations.
Some advice that George gave me to be the best in a career in city management is as follows:
- Learn public speaking skills because "communication is key."
- Have an understanding and be able to grasp internally why you want to be in this profession. You have to have thick skin and deal with a lot of tough issues as a city manager.
- Build a "good cohort and network to get input on issues."
- Be an expert in mediation and conflict resolutions. "You will have to deal with council members, community and staff. How you view conflict is fundamental," Hoffman said.
George lastly left me with some advice that if I wanted to be a city manager in the future, the goal is ultimately to get into the manager's office and have some level of supervisorial experience. He also warned that you have to be mindful of the expectations of the City Council, to set boundaries and maintain clear communication standards.
Bryant Powell, Assistant City Manager
Bryant Powell has a different story than George. He grew up in a family where both parents worked as school teachers. So for his undergraduate, he went to Southern Utah University with plans to be a Spanish teacher and coach on the side. But that changed when Powell starting dating in college, since "they wanted to stay at home" and not both be working. "With teachers making $36,000 a year, I had to think otherwise for my career."
Powell's opportunity came when he ended up being the only student interested in getting a masters of public administration (MPA) at Brigham Young University (BYU).
"I had never heard of an MPA degree before this," said Powell. "I spent an hour asking the representative questions about the program."
Powell decided that an MPA would be something he would like to gain to increase job opportunities. Through the program at BYU, he got an internship with Cedar City, Utah, leading to a budget analyst position in San Antonio, Texas, and finally as the Assistant to the City Manager in Apache Junction. When George Hoffman moved in as the City Manager, Bryant moved in as the Assistant City Manager.
Bryant gave me a few helpful pieces of advice for what to expect in the career path of city management:
- "You have the power to have a huge impact on the long term and system wide improvements of a city," said Powell. "I like the diversity of the job."
- The three areas where you need the most expertise as a manager are: management and communication skills, human resource knowledge and skills and an education of development services (from the areas of economic development to engineering).
- "Don't expect to be in a manager's office soon. And don't expect after two years to be the assistant city manager. Be open to taking on assignments and the tough projects in an organization."
- For a work life balance, make sure to "get your own balance and set some limits." Also, "combine community events with family events because it can be an Achilles' heel if you're not involved in the community."
Matt Busby, Assistant to the City Manager
Matt Busby did not have a preconceived notion of entering into the field of city management as a young adult. He grew up in a family of accountants and realized it was not something he wanted to do.
"Mentally, some people don't get it -- I was one of those people," said Busby.
Getting his bachelors degree in epidemiology, Busby knew he was passionate about helping the public and decided to supplement his education with a MPA degree. His first job out of graduate school was working for the State of Arizona as a Joint Legislative Budget Committee Analyst. This led to him accepting a job in Apache Junction as the Assistant to the City Manager where Busby says, "I got lucky."
Following both Bryant and George as assistants to previous city managers, Busby says that he has been able to get his hands into a lot of different issues and learn a lot about the budget and more recently how to improve his supervisory skills.
The main piece of advice that Matt has about the work life balance is finding the right organization that will allow you to have balance.
Busby shared his honest opinion, saying: "I've struggled with the balance on a personal level, being involved in work, church, and family. It's busy, really busy. You just have to know when enough is enough and prioritize, use time management."
Final Thoughts
All three of these interviews have given me a good foundation of what it means to be in the city manager's office and what to expect with a city manager career path. I am excited to see what the future holds and what opportunities are ahead for my career path. I am sure that someday I will be on the other side of the table being interviewed by interns and giving advice to them, encouraging their own self-discovery and perhaps in some respect, guiding the direction they will take for their future.
Public service, which is generally defined as a service or public good provided to citizens within a particular jurisdiction, is the basic purpose of any local government. Apache Junction provides services that include: public safety, public works, public library, development services, and many more areas of public need.
