PORT ANGELES — City Manager Kent Myers on Monday acknowledged that he is a candidate for the top city post in Columbia, Mo. — his second bid at another job in the past four months.
“I won’t have any further comment until after the interview process,” he said.
That process will involve Myers and three other finalists in interviews with the City Council, city staff and general public in the central Missouri city Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to a newspaper there.
Myers, who has been Port Angeles city manager since December 2008, is seeking the top administrative post in Columbia, a university town with a population of 108,500.
The other finalists — none of whom has the city managerial experience of Myers — are Lori Curtis Luther, city administrator of Waukesha, Wis., Mike Matthes, assistant city manager and chief information officer of Des Moines, Iowa, and David Vela, assistant city manager of Abilene, Texas.
Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid reportedly said the City Council will work quickly to find a city manager while ensuring a consensus. If that is reached quickly, a decision could be made a week after the interviews.
Myers also applied for the city manager job in Corpus Christi, Texas, in December.
The Texas native announced in January that he was no longer in the running when it appeared that he hadn’t made the short list.
Myers said Jan. 31 that he had no other job applications pending.
Port Angeles Mayor Dan Di Guilio said Myers informed him of being a finalist for Columbia city manager last Thursday. Di Guilio said Myers wants to be closer to family members in the Midwest.
City Manager Bill Watkins, who retired last week, received $150,000 per year plus car allowance and retirement benefits.
Myers’ salary is $157,590 in Port Angeles, which has a population of 19,038.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
