With more than 20 years experience working in local government administration, including the past 14 months as Plymouth's Director of Administrative Services, David Callister was not shy about why he wanted to be the next Plymouth City Manager.
"There are only a few cities in the country I'd consider working for and returning to the public sector for and Plymouth is one of them," Callister said. "This is a winning team and everyone wants to play with a winning team."
After interviewing Callister at a special Plymouth City Council meeting June 24, the council agreed to officially select him for the city manager position. The next step is to negotiate a contract and get Council approval of that contract. Then an official appointment can be made.
Mayor Kelli Slavik asked that the council add the contract discussion to the regular council meeting agenda and have a closed meeting to discuss salary and benefits after the regular council meeting Tuesday, June 25.
The council had 11 applicants apply for the position and narrowed its search down to one interviewee, Callister.
If he were to accept the city manager job, he would begin later this summer after current, longtime Plymouth City Manager Laurie Ahrens retires next month.
During the past 14 months as a city staff member, Callister has been able to learn much about the city manager job and get an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the city.
"I've had 26 years experience working in local government," Callister said. "I've worked in many different roles from management to consulting and in both the private and public sectors."
Callister's resume includes working as Financial Advisor and Vice President of Ehlers & Associates in Roseville before coming to Plymouth. Before that he has also been Osseo City Administrator, Tonka Bay City Administrator and Gaylord (Minn.) City Administrator. Callister has a Master's of Art degree in Urban and Regional Studies from the University of Minnesota-Mankato and a B.A. degree in Metro-Urban Studies from Augsburg College in Minneapolis.
During the June 24 interview, the Plymouth City Council asked Callister about his management style, what changes he'd make in the future as city manager, what he would do when disagreements or conflicts came up and much more.
"I'm very collaborative working with people and I have a mentoring leadership style," Callister said. "The biggest thing is accountability. We're all accountable to the public."
Building relationships, earning and retaining trust, communicating well and professionalism are a few of the characteristics Callister brought up in his discussion on how he approaches his work, how he works with others and how he sees working in a public-serving position like city manager.
"Not every city runs the same," Callister said. "I've seen the way this city has worked and I'm not going to start off by making any major changes. If I made any tweaks I'd involve the team and it wouldn't be me saying 'do this and change that.'"
Callister said he has no concerns changing who he is to fit in the city's organization.
"I am who I am and I want to try to make this the best place it can be," he said. "My job is to look at the most efficient way to provide city services."
As far as how long he sees his future in Plymouth, Callister wants to be around for whatever's in store. He would hope to be with the city at least 10 years before considering retirement, he said.
"This is where I want to be and where I want to develop myself and employees," Callister said.
Callister said he had been comfortable working in the private sector, but when the opportunity to work with the city of Plymouth opened up, he had to take it.
"I don’t know of any better city to work for," Callister said.
Part of the proposed closed meeting Tuesday, June 25, is to discuss salary. The governor’s 2013 salary cap for a city manager job is $160,639.
On average, comparable cities in the metro pay an annual base salary of $150,000.
Cities may request a waiver from the Office of Management & Budget to pay an employee in excess of the governor’s salary cap.
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