Executive decisions

The city is seeking survey input from residents on what qualities and skills they want the city to prioritize when recruiting and hiring candidates for executive positions. The survey opened on Tuesday and will be available until Sept. 28. The biggest executive-level vacancies for the city currently are for the deputy and assistant city manager positions, and the Economic Development Department needs a permanent director as well. City Manager Spencer Cronk intends to use the feedback in all executive searches going forward, starting with the two assistant city manager spots that are expected to be filled in the fall, with each of those hires in charge of guiding work on one or more of the outcomes identified in the most recent strategic plan. In July, Cronk announced a shift in the city’s executive structure, de-emphasizing traditional department heads in favor of working toward six outcome areas: health and environment, culture and lifelong learning, safety, government that works for all, economic opportunity and affordability, and mobility.