As search executive Colin Baenziger’s words floated through the frigid air Monday, Roanoke learned who the much-anticipated new city manager will be as of March 1, 2010. Christopher Paul Morrill is leaving his position as an Assistant City Manager from Savannah, Georgia (population 143,000) to come to Roanoke. The ever smiling 47-year-old Morrill was flanked by his wife Kimberly and his two sons, David and Declan, who are in kindergarten and 7th grade. The boys were excited about seeing snow for the first time and dismayed that they had to leave at 1:00 for an eight-hour drive back to Savannah.
Morrill and his family barely made it off the Municipal building’s fourth-floor elevator before being surrounded by media and followed into the Mayor’s office where they posed for pictures with their two patient boys. The talkative, outgoing youngsters almost stole the show as Council member Gwen Mason attempted to appease the younger of the two with candy on the dais.
Chosen from a pool of 104 applicants, Morrill’s starting salary will be $170,000 a year; the city will also pay for all moving expenses as well as trips to Roanoke to find suitable housing. Council member Gwen Mason indicated that it is unlikely that there will be any overlap with the exiting city manager, Darlene Burcham. Morrill already seemed to have a grasp of many of the city’s issues and had apparently interviewed Roanoke officials as much as they had interviewed him. Burcham sat quietly in Council Chambers as she listened to the praise heaped on her successor.
His credentials include a Bachelor of Arts degree from Holy Cross and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina. Morrill was Assistant City Manager in Savannah for eight years where he also served as Senior Municipal Finance Advisor and Budget Director.
Morrill said that there was no compelling reason to leave his position in Savannah but that he felt he could make a difference and help Roanoke become “not just a better city but a better community.” He added that Roanoke was only one of a few cities that he has ever seriously considered. He enjoys the mountains and his wife’s family is nearby.
Morrill is said to have a collaborative, teamwork style, with a record of guiding and empowering his staff. He does not micromanage but stands ready to take control in a crisis.
His sense of humor was evident on Monday as he smiled and joked with the Mayor, media and his family. He said he strives for a pleasant work environment. Elected officials from Savannah noted his strong leadership in these hard economic times.
Morrill said that he has developed an approach he refers to as “Budgeting for Outcomes” that allocates funding to those services that are a priority to the residents instead of focusing on cuts in each department. Morrill envisions keeping a strong understanding of the big picture while relying on a competent staff to carry out the details.
Financial planning is professed to be one of his greatest strengths. His approach to finance has provided a new way of measuring the performance of an organization. It compares the outcome of one city with other cities across America. Funding is provided to those services that have had clear outcomes of meeting priorities.
Morrill recounted an experience he had with a public park project that received resistance from residents who had not been involved early on in the project. He said it taught him a valuable lesson. “Do not assume the community members will see and embrace the vision of a project if you do not spend the time educating them.”
Challenges Morrill identified that face Roanoke’s New City Manager:
•Encouraging economic development that is a good fit with the community.
•Working with the school board to improve the City’s schools.
•Finding ways to help the poor climb out of poverty.
•Working with the community to improve the neighborhoods.
•Addressing code enforcement issues.
Morrill said that studying these and other city issues would be first on his “to do” list as he enters the position — followed closely by learning Roanoke’s history and neighborhoods. Last but not least he said he will assess the city’s financial position for fiscal year 2011.
“A city manager must be out in the community and transparent to earn the trust of the community – and when things are wrong, one must acknowledge that,” said Morrill. Savannah has a program similar to Roanoke’s “Leadership College,” which is an eight-week course designed to educate residents on each department’s function.
It is reported that Morrill has a good relationship with the media and has worked with both television and print. He said that he understands the important role media plays. On Monday he seemed refreshingly straightforward with his answers.
Councilman Rupert Cutler, who is on the Personnel Committee with Council member Gwen Mason said, “His combination of budget expertise, being a people person and working in a minority community” ranked Morrill at the top right off the list. Cutler, who flew to Savannah with Councilman Court Rosen, said that Savannah officials offered them “a money-back guarantee – we’ll take him back in a heartbeat.”
Mayor Bowers added, “people in Roanoke are going to be very enthusiastic… he is bright, eager and has a record of being very creative with city government challenges.”
By Valerie Garner [email protected]