Decatur recently announced that 100 have applied for its city manager opening, more than double what was originally anticipated.
Current City Manager Peggy Merriss, who has held the job for 25½ years, announced her retirement in July. Her last day is Dec. 31, and Mayor Patti Garrett has said she hopes the replacement takes over on Jan. 1.
Heidi Voorhees, president of GovHRUSA, the consultant conducting the search, said through a press release that the applicants hail from 21 states and the District of Columbia, with more than 40 from Georgia.
“At the start of this process,” Voorhees said in the release, “we estimated that 40-50 candidates would apply … This extraordinary response to the recruitment is a reflection of the city’s progressive approach to governance, its political stability and the overall high quality of life the city has to offer.”
Through an email Voorhees declined to comment beyond what was printed in the release.
What isn’t known is how many city staffers have applied. Many have over 10 years experience with Decatur, and least six have over 20 years. Despite rumors over the years of various handpicked successors, Merriss has said it wouldn’t be “appropriate” for her to get involved in the search.
According to the press release Voorhees is “reviewing the credentials of the candidates and will meet with the city commission once her report is complete.”
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