SBE News

The EXECUTIVE SUMMARY #14

Posted on June 1, 2017

 Next man up…and we need a win!

On Friday afternoon, May 26, the Redding City Council announced their selection for City Manager, Barry Tippin.  Mr. Tippin previously served as the City’s Assistant City Manager.  Selecting a City Manager is a personnel function of the City Council, assigned to them as our elected officials. In others words, it’s their job…not ours!

But, as this is Redding, we know that controversy will follow this decision. So let’s do a “fly-over” analysis.

Simply put, there are 2 “schools of thought”:

1. Hire from outside the system (and the area)
2. Hire from within the system

Let’s look at both Pros & Cons of each option:

1. Hire from outside
   1. Pros
      1. Fresh perspective
      2. Broader base of experience and ideas
      3. No internal commitments or conflicts

1. 1. Cons
      1. No real experience with the problems specific to Redding
      2. No immediate understanding of the community or the culture at the City offices
      3. A learning curve, of up to several months, to fully understand the challenges and to create & implement effective strategies.
2. Hire from within
   1. Pros
      1. In-depth understanding of the system and the problems
      2. Base of experience specific to Redding and Shasta County
      3. Established relations within the community

1. 1. Cons
      1. Too close to the problems, impeding ability to be innovative
      2. Entrenched in the process and culture within the City
      3. Limited base of outside experience (in both public and private sectors)

So… the way I see it, Mr. Tippin is now at the helm and in sole possession of the “hot seat”.  There is no learning curve necessary. Having been “second chair” to M. Starman, he should be ready with detailed plans for improving public safety, decreasing pension liabilities, and encouraging economic development.

Mr. Tippin, you are the next man up…and we need a win!

Share This: