KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – There is news out of Kalamazoo’s city manager search process as the city commission completed its fourth and final interview by Zoom this morning.
Mayor Dave Anderson announced that one of the candidates has withdrawn from the process.
He is a former city manager in the state of Texas who won a multimillion dollar award after he sued his local community for discrimination after he was fired.
The special morning meeting was called after acting Saline City Manager Elle Cole became ill during the first round of interviews and commissioners agreed to reschedule.
She gave good and responsive answers to the questions from commissioners, saying that Kalamazoo is at a transition point, and what it needs is transitional leadership.
She says the reason she wasn’t chosen by Saline for the permanent manager’s post is because they aren’t ready for change, but she thinks Kalamazoo is.
Commissioners will now spend the weekend mulling over the three remaining candidates, and will reconvene Monday afternoon to see if they can come to a consensus.
Vice Mayor Jeanne Hess says they would like to hear from the public, either through their surveys online today or whatever other way.
It’s down to Cole, Des Moines, Iowa Assistant City Manager Malcolm Hankins, and city of Kalamazoo chief operating officer Laura Lam to succeed retiring City Manager Jim Ritsema.
Lam