It appears Pottsville’s search for a new City Administrator is over.
An announcement from the City on Friday says its council expects to vote to approve Robert Straebel as the next person for that job when it meets on Monday evening. The top administrative position at City Hall has been vacant since August when Ian Mahal was forced to resign in lieu of likely getting fired by the then-assembled council.
Pottsville says Straebel emerged from a field of 14 candidates and a series of interviews. If he’s approved by a majority vote on Monday, the City says he’ll begin work in the coming weeks. A motion to appoint a City Administrator and approve their contract is on tonight’s meeting agenda.
“Mr. Straebel brings an impressive depth of municipal leadership experience and a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing Pottsville,” Mayor Tom Smith says in a statement. “Throughout the selection process, he demonstrated thoughtful leadership, professionalism, and a commitment to serving here in Pottsville.”
Straebel lives in Norwegian Township and says in the City-released statement that he moved to the area to “reunite with family.”
“I have been able to experience firsthand an appreciation for both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. I look forward to working collaboratively with residents, businesses, employees, and elected officials to strengthen city services, foster economic vitality, and continue building a community where people are proud to live, work, and invest,” he says.
Smith says Straebel will continue to live in Norwegian Township. Regarding the appearent requirement that Pottsville’s City Administrator actually live within its limits, Smith says there’s no such requirement in the City Code. A check of Ordinance 454 from 1991, when the position was created, confirms that.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Straebel has held similar positions (such as Town Manager, City Manager, and Village Administrator) dating back to 1998 in Hayden, Colorado; Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico; Charlevoix, Michigan; Petoskey, Michigan; and most recently in St. Michaels, Maryland.
RELATED:
Heated Dispute With Council Pushes Mahal Out as Pottsville Administrator
Pottsville Hires Mahal as City Administrator
Pottsville City Administrator Leaving Job at End of Month
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