Inviting Applications for

CITY MANAGER Clayton, Ohio

Introduction

The City of Clayton, Ohio is seeking a progressive leader with demonstrated successful abilities in local government management and a commitment to service delivery excellence. Clayton is a relatively new city, which is the product of a merger of the Village of Clayton and Randolph Township in 1998. The City continues to evolve and develop under its home rule charter and council-manager form of government. It presents an excellent opportunity for an ambitious, qualified professional to continue the momentum and progress the City has achieved in recent years.

Background

Clayton prides itself on being small enough to offer its residents and businesses personal attention and quality cost-effective services while being large enough to offer amenities that make it an attractive option for new home construction and economic development opportunities. Clayton is a growing suburban community of 13,187 residents in Northwest Montgomery County within the Southwestern part of Ohio with an open space feel. The community is located just minutes from downtown Dayton and is situated on I-70 just west of the “Crossroads of America” (I-70/I-75). Clayton is also located approximately five miles from the Dayton International Airport which is within the nation’s 90-minute air travel market, providing access to over two-thirds of the country’s population and businesses.

Clayton is served by the highly rated Northmont City School District which has been recognized by the State of Ohio as a School of Excellence for over ten consecutive years. The City is also home to the Clayton Commerce Park and the Miami Valley Career Technology Center’s Adult Education facility. Additionally, Clayton has an array of post-secondary educational institutions within a close commute that includes the University of Dayton, Wright State University, and Sinclair Community College.

Clayton’s demographics indicate a strong family orientation with over 80% of all residential structures being owner occupied. The 2010 U.S. census shows that Clayton residents consistently exceed the State of Ohio and Montgomery County median levels for educational attainment, family income, per capita income and home values.

Clayton maintains 50 plus acres of parks in addition to its own 18-hole municipal golf course and club house facility that is utilized for community events and gatherings. Visit Clayton’s website at www.clayton.oh.us for additional information about the community.

The OrganizationClayton operates under a council-manager form of government. The City Council consists of seven members elected from the community to serve staggered four-year terms. Three members are elected at large, three from wards, and the Mayor is elected at large. The Council establishes municipal policy, adopts an annual budget, formulates a capital improvement program and approves zoning and subdivision actions among other duties.

The City Manager is appointed by a majority vote of the members of Council and is responsible for the day-to-day municipal operations. S/he is charged with the appointment and oversight of all municipal personnel except the Clerk of Council and Law Director.

The City Manager oversees the operations of the various municipal departments including: Police, Fire, Public Service, Planning/ Zoning/Code Enforcement, and Finance. The City employs 85 to 90 full-time equivalent personnel on an annual basis. Clayton comprises a geographic size of 18.4 square miles, offering ample opportunity for future growth.

Clayton has a 2019 operating budget of $11,507,490 and an approved capital improvement budget of $4,534,822. Its major revenue source is the local income tax, which is set at 1.5% and levied on wages, salaries and other compensation including net business profits earned by individuals and businesses located within the City. A 50% reduction of the credit for wages taxed in other jurisdictions was instituted in 2016. The General Fund receives 66% of the total income tax receipts and other significant sources of revenue largely comprised of property taxes and service/utility fees. Clayton maintains a solid AA2 municipal bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service for its outstanding debt of $12 million which equals approximately 57% of its permitted debt capacity under the Ohio Revised Code.

Challenges and Priorities

Clayton elected officials and staff have identified key challenges that will be a priority for the next City Manager to address:

1. Economic Development – Clayton has had recent success with acquisition and development of its 143-acre Clayton Commerce Park and the attraction of a $100,000,000 investment by Caterpillar, Inc. Continued promotion and development of commercial and industrial opportunities is a community priority. Clayton has a history of strong financial practices, being recognized annually with audit awards for its financial reporting. Clayton, like many communities in its region is still attempting to “right itself” from the Great Recession. While the area economy has shown signs of significant improvement, Clayton is still expending more annually than it receives, a trend that the incoming City Manager will need to address.

2. Service Delivery – City leaders pride themselves on responsive service delivery practices and the reductions they have achieved in recent years for response times for Police, Fire & EMS calls, despite increased call volume. The next City Manager will need to maintain and build on these positive trends.

3. Community Image – Clayton is a rather unique community with the merger of the small original Village of Clayton and a more suburban Randolph Township in 1998. This development has created a nearly 15-square mile city without a central downtown core consistent with its overall size. Opportunities exist to continue to develop a more cohesive community image and feel with interconnection of the various neighborhoods and numerous business developments. The next City Manager will require the vision and development tools to build upon the recently adopted Plan Clayton initiative to promote interconnectivity, walkability, and corridor streetscape elements to foster a greater sense of place and community within this recently merged city.

4. Golf Course Operations – In 2015 the City of Clayton was gifted an 18-hole golf facility with a 65,000 square foot clubhouse and accompanying amenities. This 171-acre development was previously known as the Meadowbrook Country Club and was founded in 1924. Although the golf industry has started to stabilize, many courses in the Greater Dayton region are still challenged to maintain financial viability. The next City Manager will need to develop a plan to improve the financial sustainability of this potentially tremendous community asset and continue to explore opportunities to further utilize the benefits of this facility for the greater good of the entire Clayton Community, its businesses and residents.

The Ideal Cantidate Will…• Have a passion for local government -S/he will be a

consensus builder who leads by example and is able to make difficult decisions when needed.

• Possess a proven ability to work with and earn the respect and trust of elected officials, regional leaders, peers, and subordinates.

• Have a vision for the future of Clayton that will embrace creativity, innovation and technology while maintaining a respect for those within the organization.

• Have experience with economic development tools and possess the financial acumen to assist with their fiscally responsible implementation.

• Pay attention to detail and hold subordinates accountable while balancing a leadership style of firmness and fairness in his/her approach to city management.

• Have excellent communication skills and be comfortable representing Clayton in various group settings.

• Create an atmosphere of inclusion within the workplace and establish and monitor clear strategies for the implementation of definable goals and objectives.

• Be visible and accessible and maintain and cultivate productive relationships with the business community and other area governments and agencies.

• Work closely with the local school system and area educational institutions for the betterment of the entire community.

Education and ExperienceA bachelor’s degree is required for this position. A master’s degree is preferred. Seven to ten years of successful local government management experience is highly desired.

Salary and BenefitsThe City of Clayton is interested in hiring the best possible candidate for its City Manager position. The current compensation package includes an annual salary range of $115,000 - $129,000 with generous benefits. The ultimate compensation and benefit offering for the successful candidate will be commensurate with his/her qualifications. The City will also pay reasonable moving and relocation expenses should the successful candidate relocate within the corporate limits of the city.

To Be ConsideredThe new City Manager is expected to begin work by March 2020. If you are interested in this outstanding career opportunity,

please submit a cover letter, detailed resume and compensation expectations by Friday, November 8, 2019 to:

Gregory B. Horn – Special AdvisorManagement PartnersOffice: 513-861-5400Direct: 937-478-6385

ghorn@managementpartners.comElectronic correspondence is preferred