MLT City Council selects Fisher ‘preferred candidate’ for City Manager

Arlene Fisher
Arlene Fisher

After a marathon day of interviewing finalists for the position, the Mountlake Terrace City Council voted 7-0 to make Arlene Fisher their “preferred candidate” for the vacant City Manager post in Mountlake Terrace. The council also authorized the city officials to begin contract negotiations with Fisher, who current serves as the City Administrator of the City of Cheney.

Colin Baenziger, the executive recruitment consultant hired by the City of Mountlake Terrace to facilitate the search process for its new City Manager, said he would be “very surprised” if Fisher didn’t accept the offer to take the top administrative position in Mountlake Terrace.

City council members began individual interviews with the three finalists for the City Manager position Saturday morning at 9 a.m. They finally convened in open public session at 5:45 p.m. in order to make official their selection of Fisher for the post.

City Council member Seaun Richards commented on the energy and enthusiasm that Fisher would bring to Mountlake Terrace City Hall. Council member Bryan Wahl added he felt that the selection of Fisher assured that the City’s policies of fiscal responsibility would likely continue. Many of the council members expressed thanks to all the candidates that applied for the post, and that the selection of Fisher proved difficult among many qualified applicants.

The process of finalizing a contract between the Fisher and the City of Mountlake Terrace could take weeks; the stipulations that Fisher has in her current contract concerning ending her employment with the City of Cheney are unknown, but could state she needs to give the City 60 days or more of advanced noticed when resigning.

— By Doug Petrowski

  1. Fisher brings strong leadership skills, demonstrated experience attracting jobs and encouraging economic development, and understands how to implement sound fiscal policies through a sustainable, performance-based budgets that prioritize programs with a focus on achieving community goals, delivering quality services, and living within our means, while maintaining strong reserves.

  2. In mid-December Council was unhappy

    https://mltnews.wpengine.com/some-officials-not-happy-with-city-manager-search-process/

    with the quality of the applicant pool. Fewer than six weeks later they have selected a manager to hire, which was ‘difficult’ because they chose from a pool of ‘many qualified candidates’?

    Was there a late surge of these qualified candidates to overcome the original disappointment related in the linked piece? Or were the three finalists part of the qualified applicant pool the Council had seen in mid-December and were so unhappy to see?

  3. At the public opportunity to meet and talk with the City Manager candidates, it was my pleasure to speak with each of them. Each has strengths but Ms. Fisher sparkled with enthusiasm for the position and our community. We should welcome her and expect her enthusiasm will translate into responsible progress for our city!

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