21 apply to become Middletown’s city manager: Who are they?

Twenty-one people from around the nation and Ohio have submitted applications to become Middletown’s next city manager.

Acting City Manager Susan Cohen said that Cincinnati-based executive search firm Management Partners is conducting the nationwide search and applicants are from as far away as California and as close as Butler County.

The applications were due to Management Partners on March 27.

Cohen has been acting city manager since November, when Middletown City Council terminated former city manager Doug Adkins. At that time, the council said it no longer desired to employ Adkins as city manager “because of irreconcilable differences between Council and Mr. Adkins concerning leadership style, and these differences make his continued work as City Manager untenable.”

According to the recruitment brochure, the compensation package listed a salary range of $145,000 to $185,000 and a competitive fringe benefit offering. The brochure also noted that council “desires the next city manager to be a resident of the community and is prepared to offer relocation/moving assistance commensurate with a contractual obligation to fulfill such residency expectations.”

Those who applied for the position include:

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• Jack Ardaugh, of counsel, Fahey & Associates, Chicago, Ill.

• Keith Bennett, housing program administrator, community development department, city of Carson, Calif.

• Michael Brillhart, village administrator, village of North Baltimore, Ohio.

• Ana Cortez, city manager and chief financial officer, city of Helena, Mont.

• Richard Downey, village administrator, village of Kronenwetter, Wis.

• Nicholas Garuckas, city clerk, city of Hamilton, Ohio.

• Cedric Greene, graduate student, West Virginia State University.

• Gregory Horwedel, deputy county administrator, Hillsborough County, Fla.

• Tom Hutka, city manager, city of Port Huron, Mich.

• Odis Jones, city manager, city of Hutto, Texas.

• Lori Landis, nursing director, Butler County General Health District.

• Collin Mays, economic development director, city of Center Line, Mich.

• Michael McNamara, development administrator, Butler County Development Department.

• Sara Mills Klein, human resource director, city of Kettering, Ohio.

• James Palenick, city administrator, city of Racine, Wis.

• Robert Ratliff, law director, city of Bucyrus, Ohio.

• Randy Robertson, city manager, Aberdeen, Md.

• Patrick Ross, safety-service director, city of Reading, Ohio.

• Leonard Sossamon, county administrator, Hernando County, Fla.

• Chase Waggoner, city manager/public safety director, city of Williams, Ariz.

• Robert Zienkowski, township manager/secretary, Radnor Twp. Pa.

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