All three finalists for Clark County manager currently hold jobs overseeing smaller jurisdictions in very different parts of the country. But during a community forum Wednesday morning, each of them stressed that their career paths prepared them to be Clark County’s top executive.
Clark County has been without a permanent county manager since May 2017 after the county council suddenly fired Mark McCauley. The county hired an executive search firm to find a new county manager, who is the council’s sole employee and has broad authority over county operations.
The search produced Rick Rudometkin, county manager of Eddy County, which is located in southeastern New Mexico and has a population of 57,578. The search also produced Shawn Henessee, city administrator for Pleasant Hill, Mo., which has a population of over 8,000. Last week, the county also added Keith A. Regan, managing director of the County of Maui in Hawaii, which has a population of 164,637.
The forum was moderated by Interim Clark County Manager Jim Rumpeltes, who took questions from those gathered in the county hearing room on the candidates’ qualifications and the challenges they see facing the county.
Rudometkin touted his 24 years of experience in local governments in California, Oregon and Colorado. He said that Eddy County’s population has likely grown since the last census, which he said likely doesn’t take into account the transient workers that toil in the county’s booming oil and gas industries. He said that as county manager, he’s interfaced with the county’s energy industries that generate hundreds of millions of dollars for the state, lobbied the federal government on behalf of the county and dealt with challenges with the nuclear depository in Eddy County. In his spare time, Rudometkin said he’s a volunteer firefighter.
Rudometkin noted his bachelor’s degree in business as well as the continuing education certificates he’s earned that have included county management and government ethics.
“I am a strong believer in public ethics, that we should work together to have transparency,” he said.
Henessee said that he took his current position in a small town about a year ago to address a family concern. He said he’s worked in larger jurisdictions, particularly as an assistant director for Jackson County, a Missouri county that he described as the core of Kansas City. The county has a population of 674,158, according to U.S. Census figures.
He also worked as county administrator for Marinette County, Wis., which has a population of 41,749. He holds a master’s degree in political science and a law degree and is admitted to the Washington bar. He said he previously worked at a law firm dealing with zoning and growth management.
Regan said he’s worked in local government for about 20 years. He said he was appointed to his current job by county Mayor Alan Arakawa and is looking for another opportunity as his term ends. He holds master’s degrees in both business and public administration. He also touted his private sector experience.
“Public service is my passion,” he said. “It’s what I love to do.”
When asked about the biggest challenge facing Clark County in the next few years, both Rudometkin and Henessee mentioned growth. Rudometkin said the county should balance economic growth and preserving the environment. He also expressed interest in mass transit and carpooling.
He and Henessee both identified the loss of sales tax revenue to Oregon, which doesn’t have a sales tax, as a problem. Both also wanted more businesses to locate in Clark County.
“From my looking at the situation, Clark County is in the enviable position it’s grown enough to where it’s starting to be self-sustainable in terms of creating internal employment,” said Henessee, who noted that the bridges to Portland are “sources of frustration.”
Regan also identified revenue as an issue for the county. He also said another “big issue” was the county fully transitioning to a county manager system and how it would work with the council members.
Under Clark County’s home rule charter, the county manager is the sole employee of the county council and oversees many executive functions. The county has a current two-year budget of $946.9 million and 1,619 employees.
When asked about dealing with human resources issues, Regan said that the mayor of his county is largely responsible for hiring and firing individuals but that his recommendations are “taken with great weight.”
Henessee said that his least favorite responsibilities as city administrator are laying employees off, disciplining them or terminating them. He said the counterweight to this chore is hiring employees. He said he’s willing to hire employees even if their attitude toward the work is stronger than their experience.
Rudometkin said he has the authority to hire and fire employees. He’s also the disciplinary officer for the county, a position he said requires him to be unbiased.
“In my opinion, your employees from any agency are your No. 1 asset for that agency,” said Rudometkin. He said that indecisiveness or lack of transparency creates a rise in disciplinary actions.
All candidates stressed the importance to not just engage with employees to get their ideas on how to improve county operations but also the broader community.
“It’s not only about the employees that you are responsible for but the community you’re responsible for,” said Regan.
When asked about their proudest accomplishment, Regan cited implementing a performance management system to measure how well the county was operating and to encourage data-driven decisions. Henessee said that getting an agreement for an employee wage study in Marinette County was his biggest accomplishment along with solving a structural deficit the county was experiencing over funding for its roads. Rudometkin mentioned his response to a nuclear waste leak in his county.
All candidates cited the beauty and desirability of Clark County as reasons for wanting the job. All said they wanted the position long term.
At the end of the meeting, Rumpeltes said the county council will meet in executive session, where councilors can discuss personnel issues behind closed doors. He said their decision will be made in the coming weeks.
