Trending
The city has a new interim manager.
On Monday, City Council voted to accept the return of Interim Manager Joe Merrill to his regular position as chief of police, while also elevating Public Works Director Nate Kissell to the interim manager post.
The switch reflects the city's failure to attract a suitable permanent manager candidate with its first effort, following the retirement of Manager Omar Strohm at the beginning of the year, officials said.
Merrill signed up for the interim manager post with the intention only of tiding the city over until it could replace Strohm, Merrill said.
He didn't apply for the permanent manager post and always intended to return to the police department, which is "my family's chosen profession," Merrill said.
Kissell agreed to step up in his place, Merrill said.
The city advertised with Indeed and with the Pennsylvania Municipal League and got responses from 15 candidates for the permanent manager post, two of whom were interviewed, said Mayor Matt Pacifico.
Among the deficits encountered with the candidates who applied were prior experiences only in municipalities with significantly smaller staffs and insufficient time on the job, Kelley said.
Altoona is a challenge to manage because it is a "full-service" municipality -- with both a police department and a fire department, said Councilman Dave Butterbaugh.
There are also complications connected with Altoona's being a third-class city, Butterbaugh said.
The city will need to regroup, Pacifico said.
The search for a replacement could potentially focus on firms that provide a consultant, according to the mayor.
The city hired Peter Marshall of Centre County as an interim replacement during two previous periods when it didn't have someone permanent.
"We're looking at all the options," Kelley said.
Asked if Kissell is a candidate for the permanent post, Councilman Jesse Ickes said, "At this time, there is no candidate."
Merrill did an excellent job, Butterbaugh said. Under his leadership, "the entire staff stepped up big time to be supportive of him and one another," Butterbaugh said.
Finding municipal management has become increasingly difficult, as evidenced by the struggles of other municipalities, Pacifico said. "(It's) a dying career," the mayor stated. "Not many go to school for it."
Good managers already in place may hesitate to move, based on the time they've invested where they are now and the money they've accumulated in pension plans, Kelley said.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.