On Friday, April 7, our new Big Picture High School Intern Devin Otto met with and interviewed the five finalist candidates for Burien’s new City Manager at an open meeting at the Community Center. The City Council may decide on a new manager at an Executive Session tonight (Monday, April 10) at 5 p.m. before the second half of their annual Retreat, which starts at 6 p.m. (download PDF agenda here). The five finalists include:

  • Amy Arrington: Arrington has been the City Manager of Davenport, FL (population 4,200) since 2007. In addition, she served four years as the assistant to the City Manager and two years as the Assistant City Manager in Haines City, FL (population 16,000). Arrington states in her application that her most significant success was the assembly of a professional team in the City of Davenport. She states that recruiting exceptional talent can be challenging in a small community so she worked with the City Commission to create a positive and innovative work environment which made it possibtle to attract highly qualified professionals, some who took a reduction in pay or left a larger city to be part of the team. Arrington has a Bachelor in Public Administration from Auburn University and a Master in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida.
  • John Burt: Burt has served as the County Administrator for Otsego County, MI (population 24,253) since 2006. Previously he worked for Berrien County, MI (population 154,636) for nine years in the planning and GIS mapping department. Burt states in his application that his successes include overseeing the construction of a new animal control facility, expansion of the library, coordinating the funding to build more than eleven miles of non-motorized trail, the construction of a new airport terminal, and establishment of the Louis M. Groen Nature Preserve. The nature preserve project involved several years of negotiations with the owner of 765 acres of forested land that resulted in the donation of the property along with access to a trust fund of over $20 million to pay for all operations of the preserve. Burt has a Bachelor in Geography from Central Michigan University and a Master in Geography (concentration in Urban Planning).
  • Matthew Fulton: Fulton was the City Manager for West St. Paul, MN (population 20,000) for three years. Previously, he served as City Manager for Coon Rapids, MN (population 62,000) for six years, City Manager for New Brighton, MN (population 22,200) for thirteen years, and the City Administrator for Hartford, WI (population 10,000) for six years. Fulton states in his application that his greatest achievement as a city manager has been to successfully implement a cultural shift within the organizations he has served to recognize the importance of connecting with residents at the neighborhood level. He goes on to say that being able to discuss the issues on a smaller scale within the impact area has been a successful way to address concerns. In addition to helping to engage residents, he states this unique approach has helped the City Council gain confidence in truly understanding where community residents are on certain issues. Fulton has a Bachelor in Urban Studies from the University of Minnesota and a Master in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin.
  • Peter Troedsson: Troedsson has been the Deputy City Manager and Chief Operating Officer for the City of Bothell, WA (population 44,000) since 2014. Prior to this, he served in the United States Air Force for thirty years. He states in his application that one of his greatest achievements was leading a team that rescued 170 people during the 2007 storms that hit the Astoria region over a four-day period without a single mishap. Troedsson has a Bachelor in Political Science and Scandinavian Languages from the University of California, a Master of Strategic Studies from the US Air Force Air War College, and a Master in Public Administration from George Washington University.
  • Brian Wilson: Wilson is currently the Commission Chair for the Corral Springs Water District in Douglas County, WA. Previously he served in Federal Way, WA (population 95,171) as the Chief of Staff for two years, the City Manager and Police Chief for one year, the Police Chief for eight years, and the Deputy Police Chief for ten years. He states his most significant achievement was addressing a revenue shortfall in 2010 and submitting a balanced 2011-12 biennial budget. Budget reductions of $11.4 million (approximately 15 percent) were needed. After more than 18 months of work, the 2011-12 biennial budget was passed without any changes or amendments. He goes on to say that he is proud of successfully managing the change from a council-manager to mayor-council form of government. Wilson has a Bachelor in Criminal Justice & Sociology from Washington State University and a Master in Public Administration from Seattle University.
Click the ‘Play’ button below to hear Devin’s first-ever ‘Interncast’ below (running time 5:22): [embed]http://jonlehman.synology.me:8666/BtownBlog/wp-content/images/Interncast1-BurienCity%20ManagerFinalists.mp3[/embed]  ]]>

Since 2007, The B-Town Blog is Burien’s multiple award-winning hyperlocal news/events website dedicated to independent journalism.