By JESSICA HOCH
Staff writer
Interim City Manager Brenda Bauer made two new important hires and made two interim directors permanent positions this week.
The additions to her leadership team, Bauer said, are critical at a time when the city is facing the difficult task of creating the upcoming biennial budget in light of the current fiscal challenges facing the city.
The new appointments include Morgan Smith as deputy city manager and Ellen Schroer as finance director.
Smith will vacate her position as the executive director for the Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council (BIAHC) and become deputy city manager in mid-October.
Smith previously worked as the chief of strategic planning and director of fiscal policy for the City of Atlanta. After moving to Bainbridge last year, she took on the position at the BIAHC despite not having an arts background, and was able to guide the council through an extensive budget cut.
“We made a tremendous amount of progress in the last year and though I personally regret not being about to enjoy those results it’s somewhat good timing because we are in a much more stable, productive position than we were this time last year,” Smith said.
She said that despite having a background in city administration the idea of working for Bainbridge wasn’t compelling until recently. After seeing changes made by Bauer, she feels there is a new tone and approach that demonstrates the city and council are ready to make the necessary tough choices to get things done.
“As a resident, this new tone feels different to me and I want to support that,” said Smith. “I think in some ways the city is in unprecedented territory and folks with the background skills to help should feel compelled to do so.”
Smith will work closely with finance to develop forecasting tools and assist with projects, according to Bauer in an e-mail correspondence.
Schroer worked as Bauer’s budget manager in Seattle when Bauer was the director of the city’s Fleets & Facilities Department. Schroer had worked for the City of Seattle since 2001.
Bauer said Schroer was instrumental in reducing costs and responding to the economic challenges in Seattle and dealt with the utility and general funds. She was able to reduce costs and ensure the utility funds were used appropriately.
These two positions were contracted services for the previous interim city manager and deputy. Smith will work on a half-time basis, while Schroer will work at 80 percent because of the financial issues facing the city, according to Bauer.
Smith and Schroer will work with City Attorney Jack Johnson, who joined the staff in August and worked with Bauer years ago when he was head of the civil division of the City of Seattle’s law department.
Bauer also named Lance Newkirk as director of the Public Works Department, a job Newkirk had held on an interim basis for more than a year. Christ Wierzbicki will continue to serve as the city’s deputy director of the Planning Department.
“With these appointments, I’m filling key vacancies and ensuring we have the people to advise the council, citizens and me on the important policy and operational issues that face the city,” said Bauer.
Johnson, Schroer and Smith all live on Bainbridge Island.
Combing the island for staff has worked well for Bauer who said she assumed there was talent on the island before she took the job and has yet to be disappointed.
“Having worked across the water, I knew of a number of people who lived on Bainbridge and had a great respect for their skills,” said Bauer.
