When word of Sedona City Manager Eric Levitt’s resignation spread around City Hall, the reaction was similar around every corner.
“I’m really happy for Eric [Levitt] and his family,” Economic Planner Jodie Filardo said. “We’re going to miss him here.”
Thursday, Oct. 2, Levitt gave his verbal resignation to the city after he signed a contract to become city manager of Janesville, Wis. Levitt’s last day in Sedona will be Tuesday, Dec. 2.
By Alison Ecklund
When word of Sedona City Manager Eric Levitt’s resignation spread around City Hall, the reaction was similar around every corner.
“I’m really happy for Eric [Levitt] and his family,” Economic Planner Jodie Filardo said. “We’re going to miss him here.”
Thursday, Oct. 2, Levitt gave his verbal resignation to the city after he signed a contract to become city manager of Janesville, Wis. Levitt’s last day in Sedona will be Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Levitt was appointed city manager from assistant city manager in August 2001 when former city manager Mike Letcher resigned to become Assistant City Manager of Tucson.
Community Development Director John O’Brien has been with the city for 20 years and worked with Levitt for all 12 years of Levitt’s tenure with the city.
One of the biggest things the city is losing with Levitt is his history, O’Brien said. After 12 years with the city, Levitt knows its issues.
Some of the biggest issues he dealt with as city manager were the Highway 179 construction project and the $3.6 million Uptown enhancement project, Levitt said.
Levitt officially became city manager a month before Sept. 11, 2001, so right from the start he had to deal with the economic blow the entire country was facing and a drop in tourism, he said.
According to O’Brien, he and Levitt had a great working relationship and O’Brien describes Levitt as one of the hardest-working people he’s ever worked with, as well as ethical and honest.
O’Brien also considers Levitt’s financial background a strong point for a city manager.
“I’m going to miss him,” O’Brien said. “When you have a guy who’s been here so long and is supportive of staff and
so accessible …”
Filardo will miss Levitt’s good strategic sense and impeccable integrity, she said, and she knows the city won’t be able to replace his institutional knowledge after 12 years with the city.
Sedona City Council will hire a professional recruitment firm to select candidates to replace Levitt, and will hold interviews with the top three or so candidates, Assistant City Manager Alison Zelms said — a process that could take months.
One of the most important lessons Zelms learned from watching Levitt was his “quiet, understated way of addressing issues,” she said.
“Hopefully that’s worn off on me,” she said. “The biggest thing I learned from him? Sometimes it’s better to just listen.”
Change can be scary, Zelms admitted, but it can also be exciting.
“We’ll all miss Eric [Levitt] but we’ll keep doing our jobs of providing services to the city,” she said.
Zelms suggested City Council should work hard at determining what they want in a new city manager and said she favors a nationwide search.
The biggest thing council should look at, according to Zelms, is how the candidate will deal internally with staff, with council and with community organizations.
O’Brien suggested the new city manager should be organized, work effectively with council, have good communication skills and be accessible.
He or she should also be willing to compromise on issues when necessary, but be willing to take a stand when needed, he said.
A sense of humor also made his list.
“It’s very stressful,” O’Brien said of the position.
Levitt suggested that City Council really evaluate the characteristics it’s looking for in a candidate before beginning the search.
Levitt’s advice to the new city manager would be “They have to be open to a diverse set of opinions and be able to work with a lot of different groups and a lot of different viewpoints,” and they have to value citizen input.
Filardo agrees with a nationwide search, although she thinks there are some internal staff members who would also be great for the job, she said.
“Whoever gets the nod will be sure to receive support from my office and I’m sure all my department head colleagues,” she said.
Filardo’s ideal candidate for city manager would be someone with integrity who understands a tourism community and has proven success in managing city finances.
She would also like him or her to have a background in planning, since two of the city’s biggest upcoming issues are the Long Range Redevelopment Plan and updating the Community Plan.
“I’m optimistic that we’ll be successful in finding someone else who wants to take Sedona to the next level,” she said.
“There’s been 14 years of continuity, pretty much,” Levitt said of a new perspective. “I think there are times for someone new to come in and I think it’s a good time for Sedona for that now. I think there are positives that can come from that.”
Alison Ecklund can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 125, or e-mail aecklund@larsonnewspapers.com.
