Council officially hires McGuire as new city manager

By Ralph Pokorny

Nevada Daily Mail

On April 1, Bill McGuire will become Nevada's permanent city manager, replacing Harlan Moore who has been interim city manager since June 1, 2006.

During a special council meeting at 7:30 this morning, the city council voted 4-0 to pass on first and second readings a special ordinance to hire Bill McGuire as Nevada's city manager and to declare the ordinance an emergency ordinance because of the need to fill the job as soon as possible.

Moore has resigned as interim city manager effective March 31. McGuire has been serving as Nevada City Treasurer since October 2006.

According to the city charter, ordinances must normally be read twice at two separate council meetings, at least one week apart and requires three votes to pass. If the council votes to declare an ordinance an emergency ordinance due to specific circumstances, it can be voted on twice during one meeting and requires four votes to pass.

Moore was hired as interim city manager to replace Sam Foursha, who served as acting city manager for two months following the resignation of Craig Hubler on April 10, 2006. Hubler resigned following the election of three new city council members on April 4.

Foursha, who had been Nevada's director of economic development, resigned as acting city manager in May to accept a job with the U.S. State Department in Iraq, helping with the reconstruction.

McGuire, who has been Nevada City Treasurer since October 2006, has more than 40 years of experience in city government.

While attending San Bernardino Valley College McGuire worked as a management trainee and accounting supervisor for the City of Redlands, Calif. He then spent two years as the assistant finance director for Palm Springs, Calif. and five years as the assistant city manager and chief financial officer in Porterville, Calif.

In 1975 he became the city administrator of Yuma, Ariz. and in 1979 he became executive director of management services in Eugene, Ore.McGuire returned to Porterville, Calif., in 1982 where he was assistant city manager and director of finance for 14 years.

In 2004 he moved to southern Missouri where he was an accountant for the city of West Plains until he was hired as Nevada City Treasurer.

McGuire and his wife Pam have five children and enjoy working with horses.

In other business the council:

* Voted 4-0 to appoint Christie Modlin as interim city treasurer, effective April 1, to the fill the vacancy left by the council hiring Bill McGuire as city manager.

* Adopted Resolution No. 1186 certifying the results of the March 6 primary municipal election as follows: for the three-year term, Melissa Earll, 249 votes, Jim Rayburn 328 votes, Mike Hutchens, 456 votes and for the one-year term, Joe C. Kraft, 283 votes, Clinton McKenzie, 202 votes, Jayne Novak, 254 votes and Tim Wells, 316 votes. During the April 3 general election votes will vote for either Jim Rayburn or Mike Hutchens for the three-year seat and Joe C. Kraft or Tim Wells for the one-year term.

* Passed on first and second readings an emergency ordinance approving a service agreement with the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce for tourism and marketing services.

* Voted 3-0 to approve the 2007 IMPACT Nevada Tourism Grants: Nevada Speedway 2500 Race, $2,900; FFA Booster Club Steer and Heifer Show, $2,678; Missouri Eagles State Picnic, $1,400; Champion Diamonds Baseball Tournament, $2,500; Osage Prairie RV Park-Phonetic Billboards, $0; Nevada High School Band Boosters-Part A, festival, $500; Nevada High School Band Boosters-Part B, Band Camp, $0; Nevada Neptunes Invitational Swim Meet, $440; Nevada Show Choir Classic, $750. Russ Kemm had not yet arrived at the meeting.