The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Council gives nod to Bishop
City choice formerly served as manager of Mount Clemens, Otsego
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 23, 2006
Of the four candidates interviewed on Saturday to become Milan's new city administrator, Council members and the mayor liked best the one in the electric blue shirt and bright tie.
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After holding session for seven hours on Saturday, the City Council threw its support behind Daniel Bishop, the former assistant city manager/city development director of Sterling Heights and former city manager of Mount Clemens and Otsego.
Bishop is expected to begin work April 3, according to Mayor Owen Diaz, who added that a contract has not been finalized.
The three other candidates interviewed were David Thayer, the village manager of Lexington; E. Spaulding Clark, the former manager and supervisor of Scio Township; and George Strand, the village manager of Homer.
But the Council found unanimity in supporting Bishop.
In addition to Bishop's experience, Diaz said he and the Council liked Bishop's energy and charisma.
"He's a go-getter," said Diaz. "He can easily work with the staff and the people of the city."
"I think he's on his feet," said council member Brett Moyer. "I don't think he just gave us all the right answers, I think he knew them."
Bishop, 46, joined Sterling Heights in August 2000 after serving for one year as city manager of Mount Clemens. Earlier in his career, Bishop served as Fowlerville's first village manager and also managed Otsego and the village of Mattawan.
As Sterling Heights' development director, Bishop earned a salary of more than $99,000 a year. He told Council his position was eliminated after Sterling Heights essentially became "built out." The community development director role was replaced with an economic development director. Bishop stepped down from his position in January.
In the ensuing months, he has sought city manager positions in nearby Adrian and Northville and as far away as Las Cruces, N.M., and Albany, Ga.
In February, he turned down an offer to manage Cassopolis, a village of some 1,700 residents in southwest Michigan. Only two weeks ago, he was offered the city manager position in Saugatuck, but that city council withdrew its offer just three days before Bishop interviewed with Milan after learning he continued to interview with other cities after they had made an offer.
Bishop said he had scheduled the interviews long in advance.
Moyer, who described Bishop as "people friendly," said Saugatuck's loss was Milan's gain.
"He is a perfect match for Milan," said Moyer. "He sees the opportunity in Milan that we see, and we need someone who will capitalize on the strengths we have at this time."
Moyer said he believed Bishop would be able to market Milan and drive commercial and industrial growth.
Diaz concurred, saying he wanted one of Bishop's top priorities to be recruiting businesses to Milan.
The mayor said he would also look for Bishop to quickly establish improved relationships with city employees.
"I think he will be sensitive to the employees' needs and rights," Diaz said.
If there are no unexpected bumps in the road, Bishop will assume his responsibilities just as the city wraps up refining next year's budget. The city contracted with a consultant, Bob Hamilton, to facilitate creating the budget. The mayor admitted that it might be difficult for Bishop to come on in the middle of the process.
"I'll just have to live with it," said Bishop on Tuesday. He said he had been provided with a rough draft of the budget and that he was comfortable working with it.
Bishop said he sought Milan's city administrator post because he liked the city's character and personality and saw it as a growth community.
He told Council he was interested in a long-term arrangement and was looking for a community he could "put down some roots in."
Council members said they believed they would work well with Bishop.
"It will be up to us work with him," said Moyer. "We'll need to get behind his decisions. His success and Milan's success are going to ride on our ability to cooperate."
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