JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (WIBW) – Junction City officials will host a Meet and Greet for four finalists for the City Manager position.

Junction City officials said the public will have an opportunity to meet the four finalists for City Manager from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, in the 2nd Floor Rehearsal Hall at the CL Hoover Opera House, 135 W. 7th St. in Junction City.

The reception will be an informal setting.

Officials said the finalists were selected recently after a nationwide search that yielded 26 candidates. Former manager Gerry Vernon has served as acting city manager following the retirement of Allen Dinkel.

The four finalists have been invited to participate in an on-site interview process scheduled for November 22-23. The two-day process includes a community tour, interview/engagement sessions with the mayor and city commission, city management and city staff, and the community meet and greet.

The four finalists include Rose Beverly, Randy Robertson, Kim David Zimmerman and Blaine Oborn.

Beverly has over nine years of experience at management level in the public sector. She currently serves as the city administrator for the city of Berea, Kentucky, population 17,000. She provides oversite and direction to 14 departments with 150 employees and a budget of $31 million. Her accomplishments include the development of a capital improvement program, the creation of a 10-year financial forecasting model to ensure sound fiscal policy, and the completion of a salary and classification study to assist in hiring and retaining employees. She also previously served as city administrator in the city of Aitkin, Minnesota and as a county commissioner in Butte County, Idaho. Beverly earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology.

Robertson is an experienced City/County Manager and a retired US Army Officer. He has served as the city manager of Aberdeen, Maryland, population 18,000 employing 180 employees with a budget of $32 million. Aberdeen is home to the Aberdeen Proving Ground, the Army’s largest research and technology platform. Robertson also served as city manager in Cordova, Alaska; Vestavia Hills, Alabama; Mount Juliet, Tennessee and Ashland, Kentucky. He also served as Chief of Staff, USA, Army – White Sands Missile Range, NM, and Deputy Commander/Chief of Staff, US Army Second Signal Brigade, US Army Europe. Mr. Robertson’s education includes three master’s degrees in urban planning, John Hopkins University; Public Administration, Western Kentucky University; and Strategic Planning, US Army War College.

Zimmerman has 30 years of experience which includes more than twenty years as an active duty logistics officer in the US Army. He has also served as the city manager of Ridgway, Pennsylvania, and most recently as the chief administrator of the borough of Lewistown, Pennsylvania with a population of 8,500 and 90 employees. Zimmerman was also director of operations, privatized military housing at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. Zimmerman got his start in local government in Ridgeway, Pennsylvania, population 4,100, staffing 26 full-time and 50 part-time employees. Mr. Zimmerman holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Biology) from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science Degree (Geography and Regional Planning) from California University of Pennsylvania.

Oborn has over 20 years of experience as a professional manager of local government and over 38 years in government. Oborn most recently served as city administrator in Oak Harbor, Washington with a population of 24,940, which has 185 employees and a budget of $60 million. He was also the city administrator for the city of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, the city of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and the city of Ronceverte, West Virginia. Oborn was also village administrator in Kronenwetter, Wisconsin. He is a certified city manager with the International City/County Management Association. Oborn holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University.

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