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Leighton to be hired as new Willcox city manager
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Carol Broeder/Range News Mike Leighton of Junction City, Ore., has been offered the Willcox city manager position. |
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
Willcox City Council chose anew city manager: Michael L. Leighton of Junction City, Ore.
Newly elected Mayor Elwood A. "Woody" Johnson announced Leighton's appointment last Wednesday morning, after he was interviewed in executive session the night before.
Leighton will be paid between $65,000 and $85,000 per year as Willcox city manager. Negotiations are still underway, said current City Manager Darol Cridlebaugh, and were still not finalized by a special City Council meeting Monday, June 12.
City Attorney Jim Holland was asked to go to Leighton Tuesday with the council's offer. If Leighton does not accept it, it could go back to the council for adjustments, Holland said.
The council also decided not to extend Cridlebaugh's contract, which ends June 30. He will be paid for his unused sick and vacation days, as well his regular contracted salary.
Johnson said, "I am pleased to report to you on our selection of our new city manager. With long and careful deliberation we selected Michael Leighton. We are excited that Mike has accepted and is looking forward to coming on board. Mike's tentative start date is August 1. As information comes forward we will keep your appraised of the situation."
"My wife (Judy) and I are really, really pleased. We both look forward to starting in August," Leighton told the Range News last Wednesday afternoon after arriving home.
The couple plans to move to Willcox some time in July.
"We will attempt to be as good citizens as we can be for that town," he said.
Leighton wants everyone to know "how pleased I was with the reception I got and how well I was treated," he said.
During last Tuesday night's reception at City Hall Depot, Leighton said that he and Judy were hoping to escape the constant rain in Oregon and move to sunny Arizona.
"They day I interviewed in Junction City, it was 75 degrees and sunny," he said. "My first day on the job as city administrator, it poured. It continued to rain for 55 days straight."
The approaching thunderstorm last Tuesday night did nothing to dampen Leighton's enthusiasm for a possible move to Willcox.
"Maybe I brought some rain with me," said Leighton, referring to the current drought. "I know you need it here."
Leighton graduated from Texas Tech University with a Master's degree in Public Administration, with emphasis in local and state government management and public policy. He also holds a Bachelor of Science of History and Social Policy from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales.
Leighton lists his qualifications as "19 years progressively challenging experience in local and state government administration" and "proven abilities to meet the needs of a variety of critical public policies and funding issues."
He was city administrator in Junction City from 2004 to 2006, and held the same position in Horton, Kansas from 2002 to 2004.
Leighton was city manager of Aztec, New Mexico from 2001 to 2002, and in Marceline, Missouri from 1998 to 2001.
He was county administrator in Montrose County, Colo., from 1995 to 1998.
What appears to be his longest stay in the last 20 years of his career is as county administrator in Barton County, Kansas, from 1988 to 1995.
Among the accomplishments listed in his resume are capital projects including building two criminal justice/jail facilities, two community centers, a water treatment plant, a wastewater treatment plant, and a regional airport.
Other accomplishments include renovating a downtown area, building a new water supply system, developing and building several recreational facilities, and developing an alternative water source plan, Leighton said.
A second city manager candidate, James Koshmider of Pataskala, Ohio, interviewed but was not selected.
The third finalist, Chris Hillman of Eagle Mountain, Utah, withdrew his application and was not interviewed by City Council during executive session last Tuesday night.
Newly elected Mayor Elwood A. "Woody" Johnson announced Leighton's appointment last Wednesday morning, after he was interviewed in executive session the night before.
Leighton will be paid between $65,000 and $85,000 per year as Willcox city manager. Negotiations are still underway, said current City Manager Darol Cridlebaugh, and were still not finalized by a special City Council meeting Monday, June 12.
City Attorney Jim Holland was asked to go to Leighton Tuesday with the council's offer. If Leighton does not accept it, it could go back to the council for adjustments, Holland said.
The council also decided not to extend Cridlebaugh's contract, which ends June 30. He will be paid for his unused sick and vacation days, as well his regular contracted salary.
Johnson said, "I am pleased to report to you on our selection of our new city manager. With long and careful deliberation we selected Michael Leighton. We are excited that Mike has accepted and is looking forward to coming on board. Mike's tentative start date is August 1. As information comes forward we will keep your appraised of the situation."
"My wife (Judy) and I are really, really pleased. We both look forward to starting in August," Leighton told the Range News last Wednesday afternoon after arriving home.
The couple plans to move to Willcox some time in July.
"We will attempt to be as good citizens as we can be for that town," he said.
Leighton wants everyone to know "how pleased I was with the reception I got and how well I was treated," he said.
During last Tuesday night's reception at City Hall Depot, Leighton said that he and Judy were hoping to escape the constant rain in Oregon and move to sunny Arizona.
"They day I interviewed in Junction City, it was 75 degrees and sunny," he said. "My first day on the job as city administrator, it poured. It continued to rain for 55 days straight."
The approaching thunderstorm last Tuesday night did nothing to dampen Leighton's enthusiasm for a possible move to Willcox.
"Maybe I brought some rain with me," said Leighton, referring to the current drought. "I know you need it here."
Leighton graduated from Texas Tech University with a Master's degree in Public Administration, with emphasis in local and state government management and public policy. He also holds a Bachelor of Science of History and Social Policy from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales.
Leighton lists his qualifications as "19 years progressively challenging experience in local and state government administration" and "proven abilities to meet the needs of a variety of critical public policies and funding issues."
He was city administrator in Junction City from 2004 to 2006, and held the same position in Horton, Kansas from 2002 to 2004.
Leighton was city manager of Aztec, New Mexico from 2001 to 2002, and in Marceline, Missouri from 1998 to 2001.
He was county administrator in Montrose County, Colo., from 1995 to 1998.
What appears to be his longest stay in the last 20 years of his career is as county administrator in Barton County, Kansas, from 1988 to 1995.
Among the accomplishments listed in his resume are capital projects including building two criminal justice/jail facilities, two community centers, a water treatment plant, a wastewater treatment plant, and a regional airport.
Other accomplishments include renovating a downtown area, building a new water supply system, developing and building several recreational facilities, and developing an alternative water source plan, Leighton said.
A second city manager candidate, James Koshmider of Pataskala, Ohio, interviewed but was not selected.
The third finalist, Chris Hillman of Eagle Mountain, Utah, withdrew his application and was not interviewed by City Council during executive session last Tuesday night.
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