Search for new CM is on hold

By Charles Sercombe

The search for a permanent city manager is over, and the winning candidate is: No one.

The mayor and city councilmembers rejected hiring any of the three city manager candidates they interviewed a couple of weeks ago, opting instead to keep on Acting City Manager Kyle Tertzag.

Although the process of advertising the position and whittling down a list of candidates took a few months, Mayor Karen Majewski said it was worth it.

“It was important for us to go through the process,” she said. “It showed we have some work to do before we can get competitive candidates.”

That’s something that Councilmember Robert Zwolak agreed with.

“We need to make changes before we hire the next guy,” Zwolak said.

One of the so-called changes city officials need to concentrate on is balancing the city’s budget. Hamtramck is heading into a $3 million budget deficit in the coming months and may even face payless paydays.

Zwolak said that with a financial crisis looming, the city can’t wait around while a new city manager gets up to speed.

“We need someone who can jump right in,” he said.

And that person appears to be Tertzag, who has already updated the city’s budget and is about to submit his budget deficit reduction plan.

Although Tertzag said previously that he would not be interested in sticking around past January, he said he had a change of mind.

“My thought was that they were going to have someone to hire,” Tertzag said.

Plus, he added: “The town has grown on me. I think we can get things accomplished here.”

His employment extension will last until July 15, which by that time will give him the minimum amount of experience he needs to qualify for the permanent city manager position here.