Camas picks its new city administrator

The current city manager of Cloverdale, Calif., will likely become the next Camas city administrator.

Camas Mayor Scott Higgins announced yesterday that Nina D. Regor had been selected to succeed the retiring Lloyd Halverson. She is expected to start Friday, Jan. 25, the first day of the city’s annual planning conference. Her salary will be $10,651 per month, plus benefits.

“I believe she will be a good fit,” Higgins said. “I believe we have found the right person who will help us go further into the future.”

Higgins said Regor’s job offer is contingent on the results of a site visit to Cloverdale. He and Halverson left today for the two-day trip that Higgins said is an effort “to make sure everything we know about her is true.”

“It’s part investigation and part confirmation,” he explained, adding that he fully expects to return with a signed employment agreement between Regor and the city.

Regor, 51, has been the city manager in the northern California town located in Sonoma County since 2007. It has a population of approximately 8,500 people and its city government employs approximately 40.

During a phone interview yesterday, Regor described Cloverdale as a family oriented community that takes pride in its parks and quaint downtown area — not unlike Camas.

“Those are the things I love about Cloverdale, and those are the qualities that really struck me about Camas,” she said.

Regor has served in administrative positions in other cities as well.

In 2003 she was hired as the deputy city manager for the City of Spokane Valley, Wash., and helped get the city started following its incorporation. She also worked for the City of Gresham, Ore., from 1991 to 2003, during which time she was the assistant city manager from 1993 to 2003, executive assistant to the city manager from 1992 to 1993, and a budget analyst from 1991 to 1992.

Regor holds a bachelor’s degree from Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., and a master’s degree in public management and policy from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Regor was born in Clark County. She said she was looking to return to the Pacific Northwest when she heard about the job opening in Camas.

“I’m very excited to become Camas’ next city administrator,” Regor said. “It’s like coming home. My grandparents lived here for many years — my mother was raised here and graduated from Camas High School. Everyone I have met so far has expressed pride in the Camas community and optimism for the future, and I look forward to being a part of that.”

The interview process began Wednesday, and included a community social event, city tours with Higgins and Halverson, an informal breakfast event with the City Council, interviews with two panels — one made up of city department heads and the other comprised of local leaders, and a final interview with Higgins.

“It’s been a tough process, but I feel good about it,” Higgins said. “[The choice] came easily to me after the process.”

The other finalists included Anna Jatczak, assistant city manager/chief financial officer for the City of Lincoln, Calif.; Matt Morton, city administrator for the City of Cle Elum, Wash.; and Tonya Wallace, strategic planning and budget manager/financial services manager for the City of Boise, Idaho.

The four were selected from an initial pool of 70 applicants.

Higgins said Regor’s hiring is contingent on the results of a site visit to Cloverdale. He and Halverson will leave today for the two-day trip that Higgins said is an effort “to make sure everything we know about her is true.”

“It’s part investigation and part confirmation,” he explained, adding that he fully expects to return with a signed employment agreement between Regor and the city.

This is the second time Camas has embarked on a process to find a new city administrator to replace Halverson, who announced in January his plans to retire after 23 years on the job.

In July, following a 2.5 month in-house search process, Higgins announced that the effort resulted in two finalists but failed to produce a candidate “suitable to the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead for the City of Camas.”

In October, the Camas City Council approved a $23,000 contract with Portland based executive recruiting firm Waldron two help with the search.

Now that his replacement has been appointed, Halverson will continue in a full time capacity until the end of January, when his role will shift to part-time and be project specific. He will officially retire at the end of March.

Halverson said he has confidence in Higgins’ selection of Regor.

“I think Nina Regor’s experience and depth and skills and character will all serve the organization well,” he said. “It feels very satisfying that the position will be in good hands.”