Issaquah Mayor’s Update: Administrator Recruitment

From the City of Issaquah:

Posted on: August 5, 2019

The City of Issaquah is searching for its next City Administrator.

The City Administrator reports to the Mayor, and directs, administers and coordinates the activities and functions of Issaquah's various offices and departments.

Update from Mayor Mary Lou Pauly

On July 25, I invited two finalists (see bios below) to spend the day with our community and City team.

Marty Wine, current City Manager of Tigard, Oregon, and Wally Bobkiewicz, current City Manager of Evanston, Illinois, spent time with individual Councilmembers; took a tour of our fair city with Deputy City Administrator Andrea Snyder; and attended an open house with our City staff in the Eagle Room of City Hall.

That evening, I hosted a two-hour open house at the Workshop on Front Street as an opportunity for the community to meet our finalists.

Your participation and responses were great. Thank you for taking the time to participate, for providing thoughtful questions for our finalists, and for making the time to provide me with your feedback. I know it was a quick touch, but you have provided me with some great comments. And some more work to do!

By the numbers, here’s a recap of community and staff participation:

• Community Open House (staff, community, elected and media): 25 participants left 16 written comments, brought written notes and summaries to my office and home over the next couple of days, and called to talk one-on-one with me.
• Staff (30 staff attendees): I received 29 written comments and had several follow-up calls and conversations.
• City Council (individual meetings): Each of our Councilmembers that met one-on-one provided me with feedback.

Here is a summary of what I heard:

• Both finalists have lots of good executive level management experience; familiarity in dealing with growing communities; and family connections to the local area
• Need to assess strengths in all their relationships – with community, council and staff
• Need to verify management style and the types of teams they have built
• Make sure they are successful in engaging with their communities in meaningful ways
• Do they foster innovation?
• Is it that they want to leave or they REALLY want to be here?
• Verify that they build teams, create meaningful community connections and support their elected council members
• Verify that stated outcomes and successes discussed in open forums were fairly and accurately presented (with credit being provided to teams, staff and community partners where appropriate)
• Do they delegate or empower? How important is employee development? Do they do what they say, and are there great outcomes?
• Assess their ability to perform well in this state and this political environment, versus what they have experienced over the last 10 years in their current positions/states
• Be convinced that you are hiring the best fit for our community, City Council and your administrative team at this point in time

In addition, people said both candidates bring a lot of strengths, but I received more comments in favor of Wally Bobkiewicz. Commenters cited his related experience and how he answered questions. That said, a few people have also expressed their concerns over a 2017 lawsuit where a former City of Evanston employee accused Wally Bobkiewicz and the City of Evanston of racial discrimination.

I take such allegations very seriously. Throughout the selection process, it has been important to me to fully understand the issues and to look deeper than what appears in the media. In addition to performing my own review of the background research our recruiter provided, members of the selection team and I also interviewed key stakeholders involved. As part of my due diligence, following the community and staff meetings I elected to do a site visit to Evanston and do additional research in Wally’s current community by connecting with community members, Council, staff and senior leadership. I am strongly encouraged by what I observed. I believe Wally Bobkiewicz shares my values and those of the Issaquah community. I was impressed by the evidence of Wally’s leadership and how his team reflects the community they serve.

What’s next:

• Complete my due diligence and follow up.
• Provide an opportunity for Council to discuss qualifications (closed Executive Session as allowed under state law – anticipated in the next two weeks ).
• City Council potentially takes formal action to confirm appointment in August (open public session anticipated in the next two weeks).

Thank you all for your help.

Mayor Mary Lou Pauly

Final Candidate Bios:

Wally Bobkiewicz

Wally Bobkiewicz is the City Manager of Evanston, Illinois. Evanston, home of Northwestern University and Rotary International, is a community of 75,000 residents located just north of Chicago with an annual budget of $300 million and 800 employees. Evanston has a nine member City Council elected by district and a Mayor elected at-large. Evanston provides police, fire, parks and recreation, library, public works, planning, community development, health and human services, economic development and general administration services. The City’s water utility serves 400,000 area residents.

Before beginning his current position in August 2009, Bobkiewicz served seven years as City Manager of Santa Paula, California and four and a half years as Assistant City Manager in Novato, California. Prior to that, Bobkiewicz served the City of Long Beach, California for nine years in various capacities including Telecommunications Manager, Assistant to the City Manager and as an Administrative Analyst in the Public Works and Police Departments.

Bobkiewicz earned a Master's degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.

Bobkiewicz is Past President and Member of the Rotary Club of Evanston and volunteers with the Evanston Fourth of July Association and Evanston Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Bobkiewicz has served – as a member of the Board of Trustees of Syracuse University and is Past President of the Syracuse University National Alumni Association.

Bobkiewicz’s professional activities include currently serving as Midwest Region Vice President of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Bobkiewicz has also served as the Chair of the ICMA International Committee (2006-09) and member of ICMA’s Sustainable Communities Committee (2014 – to present).

Bobkiewicz, his wife Patrice Frey and their son Wally IV reside in Evanston.

Marty Wine

Marty Wine has served as Tigard, Oregon’s City Manager since December 2011. She is responsible for operating a city of 51,000 residents that provides people and businesses with police, library, public works, parks and recreation, urban renewal, land use planning and permitting services. Wine oversees a workforce of 300 staff and manages a city budget

of $272 million in total resources. She works together with the five-member City Council to represent the city on a variety of issues affecting Tigard and the broader Portland Metro region.

Before Tigard, Wine served as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Renton, Washington and also Principal Associate for Berk Consulting, a public policy company in Seattle. Most of her career has been devoted to public service, including work for King County, the cities of Bellevue and Renton, the Washington State House of Representatives, and consulting with many other public sector and non-profit organizations. In these roles, Wine has worked to help communities balance budgets, manage growth responsibly, consider transportation options, make sound decisions and envision their best future.

Originally from Bellevue, Washington, Wine has lived and worked most of her life in Washington State. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University in political science and a Master of Public Administration from Seattle University. In her spare time, Wine travels to explore and see new places. She loves gardening, quilting, soccer and hiking.

This press release was produced by the City of Issaquah. The views expressed here are the author’s own.