City Manager Drops Out Of Tacoma Job Hunt

EVANSTON, IL — Evanston City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz pulled out of consideration to become the next city manager of Tacoma, Washington on Saturday, the same day the Tacoma City Council declined to hire any of three finalists for the position.

Instead of voting on any of the three candidates who participated in a televised forum on Friday, council members asked Tacoma's interim city manager, Elizabeth Pauli, to throw her name into the mix.

A recruitment firm conducted the search to fill a vacancy created when Dallas, Texas hired Tacoma's former city manager three months ago.

Bobkiewicz was the only one of the finalists serving in a senior city management position. The other two finalists are currently deputy city managers, Robert Cowell Jr. for Amarillo, Texas and Kristoff Bauer for Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Pauli said she is willing to be considered for the position after having previously said she did not want to hold the position permanently, according Tacoma's News Tribune.

Bobkiewicz, who has held the post since 2009, was praised as "one of the nation's top City Managers" by Evanston Mayor Steve Hagerty after the announcement that he had pulled his name from consideration.

"The fact that he was a finalist for the Tacoma, [Washington] job illustrates this point. I'm relieved that the Tacoma City Council was undecided, pleased that Wally withdrew, and grateful that his talents and heart remain in Evanston," Hagerty said.

Top photo: Wally Bobkiewicz | City of Evanston