SEQUIM — City residents will have a chance to meet the six final candidates for the position of city manager this evening.
The six candidates will attend a public reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the lobby of the Civic Center, located at 152 W. Cedar St.
The City Council will interview the candidates during an executive session, closed to the public, this Friday.
The new city manager will replace Steve Burkett, who will retire June 30.
Burkett has served in that capacity since October 2009.
The final candidates are Charles Bush of Issaquah; John DuRocher of Des Plaines, Ill.; Belinda Graham of Brinnon; Kandis Hanson of Mound, Minn.; Yvonne Kimball of Dewey-Humboldt, Ariz.; and William Kohbarger of North Las Vegas, Nev.
Bush has a bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University and a master’s degree from Syracuse University.
He has 17 years of experience in local government and is currently the development services director for the city of Issaquah.
“A key reason I sought a career in public service was to provide excellent customer service,” he said.
DuRocher holds a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Backgrounds
He has 25 years of local government experience and currently serves as the executive director for the Northwest Water Commission in Des Plaines, a position he has held since 2002.
“The most important component of a city manager is keeping the public trust, especially with regard to finances and overall transparency,” he said.
Graham holds a master’s degree from the University of Redlands and a bachelor’s degree from California State University-San Bernardino.
She was previously the assistant city manager for the city of Riverside, a position she held from March 2009 to December 2014.
“My experience at the city of Riverside . . . has provided me with the opportunities to hone my skills to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of this position,” she said.
Hanson holds a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from Mankato State University and has worked for local governments since 1991.
She is currently the city manager of Mound, a position she has held since April 2000.
“I bring an energy, tenaciousness and intuition to local government with my specialties in marketing, promotion and community development,” she said.
Kimball holds a master’s degree from the University of Central Florida and a bachelor’s degree from Tianjin University of Technology in China.
She has worked for local government since 2004 and is currently the town manager of Dewey-Humboldt, a position she has held since January 2012.
“My experience in local government is diverse, ranging from large urban centers to affluent coastal communities,” she said.
Kohbarger holds a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
He has about 16 years of experience working with local government and served as an agent for the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
“I am enthusiastic about focusing on my career goal of serving a community such as Sequim and undertaking that endeavor,” he said.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
