The City of Takoma Park, Maryland seeks an experienced CityManager who will work collaboratively with the City Counciland residents to make our community a national model forprogressive, inclusive, intelligent, and responsive government.

This is an outstanding opportunity to live and work in acommunity known for its active and engaged residents. TakomaPark has the feeling of a small town, yet it is ideally located nextto Washington, DC. Our city is rich in cultural and ethnicdiversity, with residents who pride themselves on their politicaland civic activism. Successful local efforts in recent years includethe creation of a domestic-partner registry (soon to be obsolete,with the passage of marriage equality in Maryland), votingprivileges for non-citizens, proactive environmental stewardship,and civic engagement in development issues.

ABOUT THE CANDIDATEA successful candidate for City Manager of Takoma Park shouldpossess as many of the following attributes as possible:

Academic Background• Degree in public administration or related field

(graduate degree preferred) and/or equivalent experience

Residency Preference• Residence in the City of Takoma Park is preferred.

Skills and Experience• Ability to resolve the concerns and enhance the

benefits of a diverse, multi- cultural community• Ability to work with other levels of government

(including federal, state, county, neighboringjurisdictions, and the Maryland-National CapitalPark and Planning Commission)

• Experience working with neighborhood and tenantassociations, City Council appointed committees,merchant associations, and activist civic groups

• Financial management experience, including budgetdevelopment, budget control and administration,taxation, and performance-based budgeting

• Human resource management experience, includingunion relations and bargaining, as well as ability toconduct fair evaluation processes that result in staffaccountability, while maintaining positive morale

• Land and facilities management experience,including large, complex capital projects, andmaintenance (zoning is under county, not city,purview)

• Performance management and strategic planning• Project management• Technology/IT management, including website

development and use of social media• Experience with:

•• alternative revenue development•• community planning•• economic development, particularly as related to

small business•• emergency planning and management•• environmental protection, sustainability and other

green initiatives•• full-service policing and crime prevention•• historic districts•• immigration•• landlord-tenant and rent-control issues•• library management•• public transportation•• recreation management•• senior citizen and youth issues•• traffic management•• utilities

Management Approach• Commitment to collaboration and consultation with City

Council, staff, residents, and organizations, in implementingpolicy as set by City Council

• Commitment to transparency• Concern for maintaining a positive, respectful work

environment• Dedication to equal treatment of all, regardless of race;

color; religion; national origin; ethnicity; disability; sexualorientation; gender & gender identity; age; economiccondition; immigration, marital, or home-ownership status

TAKOMA PARK — AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY

• Embodiment of high standards of professional integrity and ethics• Encouragement of innovation to improve the effectiveness

and efficiency of city operations, including a willingness toexperiment with ideas from City Council, staff, and residents

• Willingness and ability to delegate responsibility

ABOUT THE POSITION The City Manager is the chief administrative officer of the city,responsible for the proper administration of all city affairs. Theposition reports to the City Council. The City Manager servesat the pleasure of the council, and may be removed by anaffirmative vote of 4 of its 7 members.

The City Manager has the power and authority,according to the City Charter, to:

• Appoint, suspend, or remove city officers and employees,except as restricted by the City Charter or applicable law;the City Manager may authorize the head of a departmentor office to appoint, suspend, or remove subordinates inhis or her department

• Prepare and submit the annual budget to the City Councilfor approval and administer the budget after councilauthorization

• Prepare and submit to the City Council a comprehensiveannual report on the finances and administrative activitiesof the city for the prior fiscal year

• Keep the City Council advised of the financial conditionand future needs of the city and make recommendationsfor City Council action

• Recommend pay schedules for all city employees andappointed officials, including minimum, intermediate, andmaximum rates

• Recommend legislative actions to the City Council that willpromote the health, safety, or welfare of the communityand improve city services

• Consolidate or combine offices, positions, departments, orwork units with the approval of City Council

• Attend all City Council meetings and participate in thediscussion of all matters coming before the City Council

• Award and supervise all city procurements for theoperation and maintenance of city services as provided inthe city code and budget

• Enforce all laws and ordinances• Manage and investigate all city affairs, including

complaints about the management or operations of thecity; supervise all franchises, permits, and privilegesgranted by the city

• Devote his/her entire time to the discharge of all officialduties, unless otherwise authorized by City Council

• Perform other duties required by the City Council that arenot inconsistent with the City Charter or applicable lawand ordinances

ABOUT TAKOMA PARKTakoma Park has a rich history. The original community of TakomaPark was founded in1883 by Benjamin Franklin Gilbert along theMetropolitan Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and lay onboth sides of the tracks, part in the District of Columbia and part inMaryland. Even though it is now divided into two jurisdictions,Takoma Park, MD and the Takoma DC neighborhood, thecommunities share many common issues such as commercialrevitalization and public safety. In 1890, Takoma (meaning highup...near heaven) Park, Maryland, was incorporated as a city, the firstcommuter suburb in Montgomery County; and today the city retainsits primarily residential character with its original natural beautypreserved in dozens of parks, gardens and open space preserves,including the stream valleys of Long Branch and Sligo Creeks.

Takoma Park encompasses a variety of neighborhoods within its2.4 square miles. 50% of the housing units are in multi-familystructures and the homeownership rate is 55%. The city boaststhe largest officially designated historic district in MontgomeryCounty, including many Victorian and Craftsman homes. It alsoencompasses neighborhoods of postwar Cape Cods andramblers, many multi-unit apartment dwellings, and severallarger apartment and condominium buildings.

Takoma Park supports a lively business community, whichprovides goods and services not only to local residents but alsoto regional customers. The city has two large commercial areas,as well as smaller hubs within the city. Old Takoma is the oldestshopping district in the city, known for its historic buildings andeclectic flavor. It has an active interjurisdictional businessassociation that is designated as a Maryland Main Streetcommunity. Takoma/Langley Crossroads is a larger commercialarea in the city that is known for its international businesses.Washington Adventist Hospital, Washington Adventist Universityand Montgomery College are major institutions in the city.

Takoma Park is diverse and proud of it. The population ofTakoma Park is approximately 17,000 (2010 Census). 49% ofthe city’s population is Caucasian; 35% is black or African-American; 15% is of Hispanic or Latino origin and 4% is Asian.30% of the city’s population was born in another country, with

Source: City Charter at http://www.codepublishing.com/MD/TakomaPark/.This page is titled "Municipal Code," but the first section is the Charter itself.

the majority originating from Latin America and Africa. A largenumber of foreign languages are spoken by Takoma Parkresidents; 39% of the population age 5 or older speaks alanguage other than English at home. 91% of persons over age25 are high school graduates, and 54% possess a bachelor’sdegree or higher. 9% have incomes below the poverty level.

Residents of Takoma Park enjoy a wide variety of cultural andrecreational activities. Several music festivals and street fairs areheld in the city each year, and the city offers a wide variety ofcultural programming in its renovated auditorium. Takoma Parkhas a very active recreation department that offersa wide variety of activities and classes. The cityboasts a number of parks and playgroundsand offers vibrant youth sports programs.There is a thriving artistic and creativeeconomy in the city that contributes a wealthof resources to the community. Residents alsohave ready access to the amenities of nearbySilver Spring and all the cultural benefits ofWashington, DC.

Takoma Park is served by the top-ratedMontgomery County Public School System (notunder city authority), with Takoma ParkElementary (PK-2), Piney Branch Elementary (3-5), and Takoma Park Middle School (6-8)located in a cluster near the Community Centerand Library. The middle school offers a magnetprogram for science, math, and computerscience. Outside the city limits, Rolling Terrace Elementary (PK-5),Sligo Creek Elementary (K-5), and Silver Spring International MiddleSchool (6-8) also serve many Takoma Park children. Many TakomaPark students attend nearby Montgomery Blair High School, whichhouses Montgomery County Public Schools' Communication ArtsProgram (CAP); a humanities and media program; the BlairScience, Mathematics, Computer Science Magnet Program; and theAcademies at Montgomery Blair. There are a number of privateschools within the city limits. Washington Adventist University and abranch of Montgomery College are located in the city. TheUniversity of Maryland-College Park is located a short distance

away in College Park, MD, with shuttle service to Takoma Park.There are many higher education facilities located in theWashington, DC metropolitan area.

Many Takoma Park residents commute to Washington, DC towork for the federal government or private employers. Residentsof the city have convenient access to Metrorail publictransportation with a station located in the Takoma, DCneighborhood, just steps from Takoma Park’s border. TheMontgomery County Ride-On bus service transports residents toareas within Montgomery County. Three major airports serve the

region: Ronald Reagan Washington NationalAirport (with direct Metrorail access),Baltimore/Washington Thurgood MarshallInternational Airport, and Dulles InternationalAirport (with access via a combination of railand bus). Union Station, with frequentNortheast Corridor AMTRAK service, is 5stops away from the Takoma Station on theMetrorail Red Line.

Takoma Park residents tend to take a seriousinterest in their local government. For some,the focus is practical: we want to maintain andimprove outstanding, efficient, responsive,and reliable city services. For others, the focusis idealistic: we choose to live in Takoma Parkbecause we take pride in being activemembers of a community that embraces

diversity, protects the environment, celebratesan eclectic arts and cultural scene, and supports independentbusinesses. For example, citizen initiatives have led to thedesignation of Takoma Park as a nuclear free zone and a treecity. These designations influence the regulation of city purchasesand preservation of the urban tree canopy. It is quite common tohear residents of all backgrounds speak positively of thefriendliness, beauty, quirkiness, and progressive, participatoryculture of Takoma Park. Some apt descriptions of Takoma Parkare “You can’t understand how great this place is until you livehere,” and “In the middle of a big urban area, we are a genuinesmall town.”

ABOUT THE CITY OF TAKOMA PARK GOVERNMENTTakoma Park has operated under a Council-Manager form ofgovernment since the adoption of a new city charter in 1989. TheCharter provides for a 7 member city council, made up of 6district-based members and an at-large mayor, who is a votingmember. Elections are nonpartisan and are for non-staggered two-year terms. The City Council is the policy-making body in the city.The Mayor sets the City Council agenda.

City Council enacts ordinances and resolutions, adopts an annualbudget, appoints and supervises the City Manager and CityAttorney, appoints members to various city and communitycommittees, boards, and commissions, and represents the city inlocal, state, regional, and federal government agencies.

The administrative and operational activities of the city are directedby the City Manager and carried out by a professional staff. Inaddition to a full-service police department with approximately 40sworn officers, the City of Takoma Park performs other municipalfunctions, including code enforcement, communications, communitydevelopment, general administration, housing, landlord-tenant,library, public works, recreation, and stormwater management.

The city’s operating and capital budget for FY 2013 totalsapproximately $25.65 million. Property-tax revenues constitute thesingle largest source of the city’s operating revenues.

Issues Facing the City:Current issues facing the City of Takoma Park include but are notlimited to:

Development• Revitalizing the city’s commercial districts, including Takoma

Junction (part of Old Takoma), the New Hampshire Avenuecommercial corridor, and Takoma/Langley Crossroads

• Managing the city’s involvement in the planned relocation ofWashington Adventist Hospital to a location several milesoutside the city limits, particularly the repurposing andreconstruction of major portions of the hospital campusfollowing the institution’s departure

• Planning for development and developmental impacts fromthe proposed Purple Line station at Takoma/LangleyCrossroads and probable new development at the TakomaMetro station (just outside city limits, in DC), and along theNew Hampshire Avenue corridor

• Improving the city’s working relationship with the StateHighway Administration and with other state and regionalagencies, to support achievement of city objectives

• Preserving open space and assets that contribute to TakomaPark’s historic character

Environment• Creating new and improving existing programs for

residential, commercial, and government sectors aroundenergy and other aspects of sustainability

• Making city operations more environmentally sustainable andreducing the environmental footprint of city operations

• Supporting residents’ environmental efforts, includingencouragement of alternative energy, energy efficiency,alternative transportation, watershed protection, tree canopyprotection, and local/regional food production

• Implementing a recently-created environmental sustainabilityinitiative

• Implementing mandatory stormwater management and waterquality efforts to address local water pollution feeding into theChesapeake Bay

Diversity and Participation• Maintaining high-quality, accessible and affordable housing• Engaging our diverse community in voting and other forms of

civic involvement• Ensuring that the city’s diversity is reflected in its hiring• Channeling community activism effectively to achieve

workable, economically viable outcomes for the city• Providing quality programs that are accessible and

affordable to all residents

Quality of Life• Managing traffic and pedestrian safety, promoting biking

and walking, and improving traffic flow during peak hours• Refining recreation programs and facilities to address

community needs, especially youth and teen programming• Implementing cross-departmental initiatives to increase public

safety• Ensuring effective code enforcement • Equitably allocating city resources across all sectors of the

community

Fiscal Sustainability• Maintaining high-quality city services despite declining

intergovernmental revenues, without a significant increase inproperty taxes

• Resolving the long-standing “double taxation issue” (under-reimbursement by Montgomery County for services providedby the city)

Candidates are encouraged to examine the City of Takoma ParkStrategic Plan for FY 2010-2015 at...http://takomaparkmd.gov/council/documents/strat_plan_10-15.pdf.

COMPENSATIONThe expected starting salary for the City Manager ofthe City of Takoma Park will be market competitive,depending on the experience and qualifications of theselected individual. The city offers a competitive benefitprogram. Reasonable relocation expenses will beprovided to the incumbent. Residence in the City ofTakoma Park is preferred, but will not be required ofthe successful candidate.

HOW TO APPLYConfidential resumes should be sent by close ofbusiness February 15, 2013 to:

James L. Mercer, President/CEOThe Mercer Group, Inc.5579B Chamblee Dunwoody Road, #511Atlanta, GA 30338

Voice: 770-551-0403Fax: 770-399-9749

E-Mail: jmercer@mercergroupinc.comWebsite: www.mercergroupinc.com

Questions and requests for additional informationshould be directed to The Mercer Group.

The City of Takoma Park is proud to be an EqualOpportunity Employer. The City of Takoma Park doesnot unlawfully discriminate in employment decisionsor in the provision of services on the basis of race,color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability,

sexual preference, marital status, gender identity orany other legally protected class.