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Town ManagerTOWN OF CLINTON, CONNECTICUT

Photo courtesy of Tom Walsh, Shoreline Aerial Photography

TOWN OF CLINTON, CONNECTICUT: TOWN MANAGER2

The Community

Clinton, Connecticut, is a town of 13,500 in Middlesex County. Covering 17.8 square miles, the Town has an advantageous location halfway between New York City and Boston and is ideally situated along the Connecticut shoreline, with its beautiful beaches, marinas, and the best recreational harbor on the Long Island Sound coast. Clinton has a quaint, small-town feel, characterized by rich historical charm and a vibrant local business environment, with manufacturing, tourism, and retail serving as the main economic drivers.

Clinton was founded as part of Kenilworth in 1663, which later was named Killingworth. In 1838, the southern section was separated from Killingworth and named Clinton after New York Governor DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the birthplace of Yale—the school got its start in Clinton in 1701 and later moved to Saybrook and then to New Haven, where it eventually became Yale University.

In its early days, the Town’s economy centered around farming, fishing, boat building, and trade via the Long Island Sound. Clinton’s economy has since grown and diversified. Major employers in the area include Kenyon International, Clinton Premium Outlet Mall, Clinton Nursery, Tower Laboratories, and Connecticut Water Company. Bausch Engineering, Kenyon International, Tower Laboratories, and Roper Thermal, with the help of the Clinton Economic Development Commission (CEDC), have formed the Clinton Manufacturing Coalition (CMC). These entities meet and work together to face common challenges and opportunities, including workforce development, regulatory compliance, financing, and state business incentive programs.

Recreation and leisure amenities abound throughout and around Clinton, supported by a strong Park & Recreation Department. Clinton Town Beach, Clinton Town Harbor & Marinas, Clinton Country Club, Hammonasset Beach State Park, the Indian River, and Peters Recreation Complexes provide ample opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. Residents and visitors also enjoy Clinton GreenWay and BlueWay for hiking and paddling, as well as shell fishing. Popular local and regional tourist attractions include Essex Valley Railroad, the Congregational Church Summer Fair, Clinton Community Day and Fireworks, Mystic Seaport, Mohegan Sun & Foxwoods Casinos, “The Kate” (Hepburn) Theater, Chamard Vineyard (Farm, Winery & Bistro), and the Submarine Force Museum. The Town center, known as Clinton Center, houses the Clinton Village Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The largest tourist attraction in Clinton by far is the Clinton Crossings Premium Outlet Center. This outdoor outlet mall has many designer brand stores and draws over four million visitors per year. A new mixed-use village-type development is soon to begin directly across CT RT 81 from the Outlet Center, at the former Morgan School campus.

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The CommunityCONTINUED

Clinton offers train service via the Shore Line East commuter rail service, run by the State of Connecticut. The Town currently has a new station under construction which will provide increased service and connections to Amtrak. Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor main line and Interstate 95 run through Clinton, providing convenient access to a variety of destinations and amenities. Airline service is available at Hartford (BDL) and New Haven (HVN) airports.

Area students are served by Clinton Public Schools, which has a total enrollment of 1,687 students in grades PreK-12 across three campuses, including a new state-of-the art high school which opened in 2016. The mission of the Clinton Public Schools is to empower students to embrace and influence the future with courage and compassion. The school system offers students a full-range of interscholastic athletics and musical opportunities.

For those seeking higher education, there are a variety of regional universities and colleges nearby, including Yale University, Wesleyan University, United States Coast Guard Academy, University of New Haven, University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac University, Gateway Community College, New Haven Community College, and Middlesex Community College.

Clinton has a median income of $78,509 and an average home value of $320,000.

The Morgan School

Photo courtesy of Brian Wilson

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STATEMENT OF MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES OF THE CLINTON TOWN COUNCIL:

The goals of the Council are to provide strong and effective leadership reflecting the wishes of the residents of the Town of Clinton. It is the intent of the Council to

allow the Town Manager to translate those wishes and the Council’s policy priorities into sound fiscal management, economic development, and grand list growth

while at the same time inspiring a spirit of pride in the town’s workforce, across all departments, with a commitment to transparent and ethical government, creating a

reputation of “good governance”.

The Town will be transitioning from a first selectman-structured form of government to a council-manager form of government, effective November 19, 2019. The newly elected Council will assume their offices and select Clinton’s first Town Manager in late-November or early-December. Under the new form of government, the Town Council will be comprised of seven members elected at-large. The election process is designed so that in subsequent elections, staggered four-year terms will be established. There is a requirement that no more than four Council members can be members of the same party to ensure minority party representation. The Chairman of the Council will be chosen by the Council members.

The Town Council will provide the oversight and leadership required to guide the direction of the Town and ensure the optimum delivery of services to residents in the most cost-effective manner possible. The Council will set broad policies for departments, boards, and commissions, enact ordinances, and approve the Town’s annual municipal and Board of Education budgets. The Town Manager will be appointed by the Town Council and act as the Chief Executive Officer of the municipality. The Town Manager will be responsible for overseeing the execution of all ordinances and policies adopted by the Council, the development and execution of the annual operating budgets, municipal operations, and communications and coordination with the Council, various Boards, Commissions, and Agencies, and Town staff.

Governance & Organization

Photo courtesy of Jessica Demers

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Governance & Organization CONTINUED

The Town Manager has the authority to appoint and supervise the following direct reports, subject to confirmation by a majority of the Town Council: Assessor, Emergency Management Director, Fire Marshall, Town Clerk, Building Official, Director of Human Services (Youth, Family, and Social Services), Parks & Recreation Director, Zoning Enforcement Officer, Public Works Director, Finance Director, Tax Collector, Town Planner, and Inland Wetlands Enforcement Officer. The Superintendent of Schools and his/her administrative staff and Board of Education employees report to the Board of Education and the Chief of Police reports to an elected Police Commission; however, both positions are expected to work closely with the Town Manager. Fire and EMS services are provided by a volunteer department, with funding support from the Town. The Police Department is designated first responder to all medical emergencies and all officers are EMTs.

The Town has a total FY2019-20 budget of $36,509,956 for the Board of Education and $18,606,312 for Town operations, with a mill rate of 31.25. The organization was recently awarded an AA+ rating by Standard & Poor’s for a $12.64 million General Obligation Bond. The Town has 492 employees (333 full-time Board of Education employees and 81 full-time municipal employees) who provide a full slate of municipal services. Most of the employees in the Police, Public Works, Clerical, Supervisors, and Dispatchers/Animal Control departments are represented by five labor unions.

View the Town Charter: clintonct.org/DocumentCenter/View/5722/Town-Charter-2018-effective-2019---Town-Manager-New

Congregational ChurchPhoto courtesy of Brian Wilson

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Challenges & Opportunities

Clinton’s First Town Manager: With the strong support of the community, the Town has approved the conversion to a professional council-manager form of government and the selected final candidate will serve as the community’s first Town Manager. The opportunity to serve as the inaugural Town Manager will require a skilled leader who can help the new Town Council, municipal employees, Boards, Commissions, and agencies adapt to the new structure and seek opportunities to implement policies, programs, and procedures to increase efficiencies and effectiveness in current operations.

Strong Community Engagement & Communications: Coupled with the new form of government, the Town Manager is expected to be an excellent communicator and must be comfortable engaging individuals at all levels, both within the organization and throughout the community regarding updates on the governance and operational structure of the Town, municipal operations, budgets, and policies. Because Clinton, like many other Connecticut towns, requires referendum approval of the annual budget, the Manager will play a key role in the communication of budget initiatives throughout the year to solicit community input and understanding of the Town’s financial status and upcoming priorities.

Strategic Planning/Visioning: The Town Manager will be expected to revisit the Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development, which includes numerous community goals and objectives, as a foundation for a new Strategic Plan that will guide the future direction of Clinton. This will be a joint effort with the Town Planner and the Planning & Zoning Commission.

Economic Development: There are numerous significant economic development projects currently underway which the Town Manager will need to coordinate as they move from concept to completion. The former Morgan School Campus is under contract with developers for a proposed $50 million new mixed-use residential, commercial, hotel, and restaurant development. Other projects include the construction of a new passenger train station and numerous residential developments. Additionally, there are many former industrial sites that have significant potential for redevelopment, e.g., the former 19-acre site of a Unilever Manufacturing facility has been recently sold to a developer, and a second siteis planned for a commercial recreation facility.

Strong Financial Skills: The new Manager should possess excellent financial skills to help develop future budgets and capital improvement plans to address the current and long-term needs of the community. This position will require a close working relationship with the School Superintendent and Board of Education to convey the Town Council’s budget priorities with the goal of developing an overall budget that reflects the expectations and financial capacities of the community.

Clinton Country Club

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Ideal CandidateThe Town of Clinton is seeking a strong leader with a passion for public service to be its new Town Manager. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced local government professional to successfully guide a growing community under a new form of government. The ideal candidate will possess the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with elected officials, professional and non-professional individuals and groups, Town staff, residents, and other community stakeholders.

The selected individual will be an adaptable multitasker who can work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment. An ability to think quickly, assess issues and challenges, and make sound, ethical decisions is essential. Developing and reviewing organizational policies and procedures will be an ongoing process for the Town Manager. The ideal candidate will have exceptional strategic planning and visioning skills in order to assess community priorities and develop innovative approaches to address community and organizational challenges.

A team builder, with a collaborative management approach, the Town Manager will foster a cooperative and congenial environment among staff and provide professional guidance and encouragement to employees. The Town Manager will provide clear direction to staff and have faith in their ability to successively operate their departments.

A candidate with a strong human resources background, including recruitment, succession planning, and retention, and experience with collective bargaining is strongly desired.

Strong facilitation and consensus-building skills and the ability to lead a group forward in the decision-making process will be important. The Town Manager should always communicate directly and frankly, but always positively and respectfully, and remain politically astute without being political. Excellent listening and communicating skills are essential. The Town Manager will need to be comfortable with the public nature of the position and fully engaged with and visible in the community.

Clinton’s new Town Manager will be fiscally prudent with a “lean” orientation, have a broad knowledge of municipal operations, and possess excellent financial and capital planning skills. Strong economic development skills and demonstrated public-private partnership experience will be required for the Town Manager to help Clinton achieve its vision and meet its goals. The Town Manager will be adept at identifying and implementing process improvements. Experience with FEMA emergency management reimbursement is a plus.

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The selected candidate must hold a master’s degree in public administration, business administration, or a related field and have a minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of prior municipal management experience. Membership in ICMA and adherence to its code of ethics and experience in human resources, economic development, and finance are preferred qualifications. A valid Connecticut driver’s license is required. Residency is desired, but not required.

Education & Experience

Compensation & Benefits

The Town Manager will serve a term of three (3) years pursuant to a contract between the Town Council and the Town Manager. There will be no limitation on the number of times the Town Council may execute a new contract with any Town Manager. The contract will make provisions for compensation and review procedures, its specific expiration date, and any other matters the Town Council deems necessary. A range of insurance and retirement benefits will be offered.

The William Stanton Andrews Memorial Town HallPhoto courtesy of Brian Wilson

Town of Clintonclintonct.org

Economic Developmentclintonctedc.com

Chamber of Commerceclintonct.com

Clinton Country Clubclintoncc.org

Clinton Public Schoolsclintonpublic.net

FOLLOW US

Please apply online at: http://bit.ly/SGRCurrentSearches

For more information on this position contact:

Douglas B. Thomas, Senior Vice PresidentStrategic Government ResourcesDouglasThomas@GovernmentResource.com863-860-9314

This position is open until filled. To view the status of this position, please visit: http://bit.ly/SGRCurrentSearches

The Town of Clinton is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its workforce. Applicants selected as finalists for this position will be subject to a comprehensive background check.

Resources

Application Process

Chamard Vineyard & Bistro