Ott being courted by manager’s association

City Manager Marc Ott informed City Council on Monday that he is a finalist for the position of executive director of the International City/County Management Association. That will give Council members something additional to consider as they conduct his yearly evaluation on Wednesday. Ott would not reveal how many other applicants are on the finalist list but said the list is very short. Ott said he receives calls regularly from other cities about applying to be their city manager and always turns them down. But this is different, he said. “This is an advanced leadership opportunity and one that would require me to apply all the skills that I’ve learned about local governments” over more than 30 years of city management. Ott had high praise for Austin, noting that when he got his graduate degree, it was his hope that he would work in one of the country’s premier cities, such as Austin. He said he expects to know by the middle of July whether he will be offered the ICMA job. According to the association’s website, the reason for the opening is that Bob O’Neill, who has been executive director since 2002, informed the board that he would step down at the end of December.