By Paul Daquilante • Staff Writer • 

Donald city manager in line to take over in Sheridan

Heidi Bell
Heidi Bell

Donald City Manager Heidi Bell will be the next Sheridan City Manager providing a contract can be successfully negotiated.

The Sheridan Council unanimously tapped Bell at its Monday night regular meeting as the individual it wants to succeed Frank Sheridan when he retires.

"We will proceed," City Attorney Walt Gowell told the council.

He will enter into negotiations with Bell on behalf of the Sheridan council. In addition to the salary structure, there are other factors he and Bell will have to discuss, including her departure date in Donald and start time in Sheridan.

Frank Sheridan’s contract expires Jan. 14. He may work some additional time and retire Feb. 1, or leave the city earlier than mid-January if Bell is  ready to go to work. They are expected to work together, however, for a period of time.

Sheridan said he would notify Jensen Strategies of Portland of the council's decision today. The city hired Jensen to oversee the city manager recruitment process.

"I'll bring something back to you, probably at your next regular meeting (7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16)," Gowell told the council. The contract is expected to be approved at that time.

Bell has served Donald since 2012. She has 11 years of local government experience, including work as the Amity City Clerk and the Tualatin (Washington County) Planning Clerk.

She has a master's degree in public administration from the University of Oregon, a master certificate in not-for-profit management and her bachelor's degree, both from Linfield University.

In addition to Bell, finalists for the job were Steve Dahl, city manager in the Douglas County community of Drain; Erik Glover, city manager in Moro, in Sherman County; and Rick Hohnbaum, chief financial officer in Coquille, in Coos County.

Three of four candidates participated in a public reception via Zoom the evening of Monday, July 12.

Only Bell, Glover and Hohnbaum were available. Dahl was attending a city council meeting in Drain. 

The candidates were in Sheridan last Thursday and interviewed by the council.

An executive session was held last Friday to determine if the council could reach a consensus regarding an individual it wanted to offer the job to and open contract negotiations. Councilors settled on Bell, but her name was not made public at that time.

 

 

 

 

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