City

manager

finalists

identified

Interviews set

for April 20, 21

BY RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM--The six finalists for city manager bring with them solid administrative credentials, and all are currently top administrators in towns ranging in population from 4,500 to 10,600.

One of them will be selected by the city council on April 21 to succeed Richard D. Salvati who is retiring after 33 years of service.

The finalists are:

* Brian D. Gramentz has been city administrator of Hudson, Wis., since 1996. He has held the top administrative job at three other communities, as well as serving as assistant planner for the Region Nine Development Corporation based in Mankato.

Gramentz has bachelor's and master's degrees in public administration from Mankato State University. Working under a mayor and five-member council, Gramentz supervises 70 employees and administers a general fund budget of $7 million and a $13 million total budget. In addition, he is personnel director and oversees union activities.

* Larry D. Hansen is in his 14th year as Stewartville's city administrator, starting in 1987. Previously, he was Waterville's city administrator for four years. Before that he was self-employed in public and private consulting at Askov.

Hansen received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He supervises 20 full-time and 30 part-time employees. He was project manager for a $4 million development which included a strip mall, a restaurant and senior citizen center.

* Matthew L. Hylen holds the top administrative position at Luverne, having started in 1996. He served as Hector's city administrator from 1993-1996 and as city manager intern at Moorhead from 1991-1993.

Hylen has a bachelor's degree in business and political science from Concordia College and a master's in urban and regional studies from Mankato State University. He administers a $1.4 million general fund budget and a total budget of $13 million. He manages a staff of 40 full-time employees and negotiates all union agreements.

* Bret A. Jones has been city manager in Guthrie, Okla., since 1998. Previously, he was top administrator at Alliance, Neb., (1994-1998) and Vandalia, Mo. (1988-1994). He also served as assistant to the city manager of Vermillion, S.D., from 1986-1988.

Jones' educational background includes a bachelor's in political science and a master's in public administration from the University of South Dakota. He supervises 120 full-time employees and reports to a seven-member council. He works with the clerk and treasurer on development of a $12 million budget.

* Donald L. Sandor has been city manager of Oskaloosa, Iowa, since 1993. He also has served as borough manager of Sewickley, Penn., as well as city administrator of Waverly and Eldridge in Iowa. He was vice president for administration and finance at the University of Charleston, W.Va. , from 1989-1992.

Sandor has a bachelor's in political science and master's in public administration from Northern Illinois University. He serves under a mayor and seven-member council and has administrative authority for a $10 million budget and 73 full-time employees. Sandor was instrumental in getting an upgrade of the city's bond rating.

* Jeffrey Weldon is city administrator of Redwood Falls, having served in that position since 1993. He's been assistant city administrator of Apple Valley, administrative intern at Eagan and worked for the Minnesota State Senate from 1984-1989.

Weldon holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Moorhead State University and a master's in public administration from Hamline University. He administers a $3.2 million general fund budget and a total budget of $10 million including utilities. The city operates a hydro-generation electric utility.

The council selected the finalists from a short list of applicants generated by recruitment consultant James Brimeyer from a group of 50 to 60 applicants.

The finalists and their spouses have been invited to a two-day orientation, interview and selection process Friday and Saturday, April 20-21. They will be introduced to the community Friday and then interviewed individually by pairs of city council and public utility commissioners as well as the mayor on Saturday morning. After lunch, they will be interviewed again by the full council, which will convene at 4:15 p.m. to select the new manager.