Following a second set of interviews on May 31, the Chelsea City Council selected Roy Atkinson, as the city’s next manager – pending background checks and contract negotiations.
Atkinson is the current assistant city administrator for the City of Altoona, Wisc., a city of about 6,700 residents, according to the 2010 census.
Atkinson enthusiastically expressed his interest in the position and in the city, telling elected officials that he’d attended the Memorial Day parade and ceremony the day before.
In his first interview he said he had spent time in Chelsea around Easter when he learned about the job opportunity, visiting family in the state and taking time to visit local businesses, drive around the city and stop by the library.
The native Michigander, (who previously said his fiancée is from Dexter), told the City Council he was most proud of two $1-million plus-dollar grants he’d helped secure for Altoona when asked about his proudest accomplishment in his current position.
He said he looked forward to building a city administration with a strong leadership team.
“One team, one goal,” he said, adding he was a “people-first type of manager” who believed in “work-life balance.”
In his first interviews he said his management style included setting expectations for staff and letting the employees do their job, while not micromanaging them.
With six years local government experience, Atkinson said it was important for the city to control the narrative and city social media presence would be something he’d like to see instituted.
In addition, he expounded upon his volunteering opportunities, saying he was a lover of parks and trails and community spaces while adding that multiple festivals and public gathering spaces provided wonderful opportunities for cities.
He said he’s been involved in grant writing and wants to establish strong relationships with the community, the police department, staff and the schools. And, when asked, he said he’d want the new police chief to be community policing oriented, involved in events and out in the public, listening to residents and communicating with people.
Among the other topics he was asked about were sustainability, volunteerism, his interests, and developing relationships with neighboring townships.
At the end of his first interview, he provided the City Council with a 100-day plan if he was selected as the new Chelsea City manager.
He and Watervliet, (Mich.) City Manager R. Tyler Dotson were both asked back for a second interview. They were two of five candidates who were chosen to be interviewed for the position earlier in May.
The final vote to make a contingent offer of employment to was 6-1 for Atkinson. Council Member Charles Wiseley said although Atkinson was a strong candidate, his first choice was Dotson.
You can listen to all of the candidate’s interviews from earlier in May as well as the final two candidate’s interviews on the city website here.
