Among the local applicants are:
• Mike McNamara, head of the Butler County land bank and port authority
• Nick Garuckas, Hamilton city clerk
• Marcos Nichols, Hamilton civil service and personnel director for the department of civil service
• Todd Farler, Madison Twp. Administrator
• Don Buczek, assistant to the Bellbrook city manager for community development
• Kim Lapensee, former director of planning, zoning and economic development for Trenton; former township administrator for Fairfield Twp. and Butler Twp.; and current Symmes Twp. administrator
• Jennifer Patterson, Monroe’s assistant to the city manager for economic development
• Dennis Sparks, who was Trenton’s city manager for seven months in 2001-2002
The job opened up this summer when John Jones left to become the city manager in Hamilton County’s Springdale.
Trenton’s new city manager will need to “hit the ground running with some economic development experience” so the city can continue to find industrial park users, but also secure more food and entertainment businesses, Trenton Mayor Calvin Woodrey told the Journal-News in August.
City council members are reviewing the resumes and making their top picks, he said.
He said the local leaders who have applied don’t have an advantage other candidates — some of whom hail from other states.
“Everybody has an equal shot right now,” Woodrey said. “Because as far as assistant city managers or township officials from neighboring communities, I have not had much direct contact with them.”
The city hopes to have someone new at the helm by year’s end, he said.
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