The Newport city council as selected four finalists to possibly become its next city manager and has scheduled a public session with them Tuesday, April 16 at the Newport Performing Arts Center.
The council is seeking a manager to replace Spencer Nebel, who has been city manager since 2013 and plans to retire in July.
The finalists are:
- David Benson, a consultant for PFM Management and Budget Consulting who previously served as assistant chief recovery officer for the city of Houston, assistant city manager for League City, Texas, and chief of staff for the mayor of Pasadena, Texas;
- Robert Field, who spent 2½ years as city manager in San Bernardino, Calif. before resigning in January 2023. He previously served as assistant executive officer and a variety of other roles for Riverside County, Calif.;
- Gary Marks, the public works director for the city of Dallas, Ore., who was the city manager of Lebanon from 2014-19. He has also been a city manager in Ketchum, Idaho, Whitefish, Mont., North Bend, and Heppner.
- Nina Vetter, who resigned in December after 2½ years as the city manager in Gresham. She previously worked as the city administrative officer for the Pueblo West Metropolitan District in Colorado; and as a budget management analyst for the Colorado Springs.
Jensen Strategies, the city of Newport’s recruiting firm, will hold a facilitated roundtable of conversations with the public and finalists from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16 at the Newport Performing Arts Center.
Jensen Strategies has also scheduled meetings with city staff and panel interviews by selected public, staff and professional public managers. The council is scheduled to interview the finalists Thursday, April 18, in a daylong executive (closed) session. The council hopes to decide on making a job offer to a finalist in a public session Friday, April 19.
