Search-CB&A-Part 2
EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM
Request for Proposal No. 14-06
Volume II: Appendices
Colin Baenziger & Associates
Project Manager and Contact Person:
Colin Baenziger (561) 707-3537
Colin Baenziger & Associates
2055 South Atlantic Avenue • Suite 504
Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118
e-mail: Colin@cb-asso.com
Fax: (888) 635-2430
…Serving Our Clients with a Personal Touch…
PROPOSAL TO BE THE CITY’S EXECUTIVE RECRUITING FIRM
VOLUME II: APPENDICES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
APPENDIX A: ALL GOVERNMENTAL SEARCH ASSIGNMENTS A-1
APPENDIX B: SAMPLE RECRUITMENT BROCHURE B-1
APPENDIX C: SAMPLE CANDIDATE REPORT C-1
APPENDIX D: RESOLUTION OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY D-1
Appendix A
Searches by
Colin Baenziger & Associate’ Staff
A-1
Governmental Search Assignments
Performed by the Staff of Colin Baenziger & Associates
Current Searches
City Manager, Bellevue, WA (population 122,400)
City Manager, Mt. Pleasant, MI (population 28,183)
County Administrator, James City County, VA (population 68,967)
County Administrator, St. Lucie County, FL (population 281,151)
County Controller, Emmet County, MI (population 32,915)
Building and Development Director, Loudoun County, VA (population 340,112)
Executive Director, Camden County Joint Development Authority (population served 51,402)
Finance Director, Roanoke, VA (population 97,469)
Golf Professional, Hobbs, NM (population 35,007)
Human Resources Director, Gainesville, FL (population 125,000)
Completed Searches in 2014
City Administrator, Connell, WA (population 4,200)
City Manager, Elmira, NY (population 29,200)
City Manager, Mountlake Terrace, WA (population 19,900)
Assistant City Manager / Utilities, Corpus Christi, TX (population 308,000)
Human Resources Director, West Palm Beach, FL (99,900)
Executive Director, Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, LA (369,000)
Police Chief, Farmington, NM (population 45,900)
Solid Waste Director, Tampa, FL (population 335,700)
Utilities Director, North Port, FL (population 57,300)
A-2
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
Completed Searches Prior to 2013
City/Town/Village Manager/Administrator
City Manager, Alachua, FL (population 6,200) in 2001
City Manager, Albany, GA (population 75,600) in 2011
City Manager, Ankeny, IA (population 45,600) in 2013
City Manager, Ashland, KY (population 21,000) in 2013
Village Manager, Bal Harbour, FL (population 3,300) in 2013
City Manager, Bartow, FL (population 16,000) in 2007
Town Manager, Bay Harbor Islands, FL (population 5,200) in 2003 and 2007
Town Manager, Buckeye, AZ (population 32,000) in 2006
City Manager, Cape Canaveral, FL (population 10,200) in 2010
City Manager, Cape Coral, FL (population 154,300) in 2012
City Manager, Casselberry, FL (population 25,000), in 2005
City Manager, Chamblee, GA (population 17,000) in 2011
City Manager, Cocoa Beach, FL (population 11,200) in 2012
City Manager, Cooper City, FL (population 32,000) in 2008
City Manager, Coral Gables. FL (population 43,000) in 2009
City Manager, Cottonwood Heights, UT (population 34,000) in 2004
Town Manager, Cutler Bay, FL (population 35,000) in 2006
City Manager, Dania Beach, FL (population 28,000) in 2009
City Manager, Daytona Beach, FL (population 65,000) in 2002
City Manager, Deltona, FL (population 83,000) in 2006 and 2008
City Manager, Destin, FL (population 12,000) in 2003 and 2011
City Manager, Doral, FL (population 24,000), in 2004
City Manager, Doraville, GA (population 8,500) in 2013
City Manager, Fruitland Park, FL (population 4,100) in 2013
City Manager, Eustis, FL (population 18,000) in 2007
City Manager, Fernandina Beach, FL (population 11,000) in 2006
City Manager, Fayetteville, NC (population 208,000) in 2012
City Manager, Fife, WA (population 8,700) in 2010
Town Manager, Fort Myers Beach, FL (population 6,900) in 2006 and 2008
City Manager, Fort Pierce, FL (population 41,900) in 2012
Town Manager, Dundee, FL (population 3,000) in 2006 and 2009
Village Manager, Islamorada, Village of Islands, FL (population 7,500) in 1999 and 2005
City Manager, Gainesville, FL (population 117,000) in 2005
City Manager, Greensboro, NC (population 259,000) in 2009
City Manager, Gulfport, FL (population 12,000) in 2003
City Manager, Hallandale Beach, FL (population 39,000) in 2010 and 2012
City Manager, Holly Hill, FL (population 13,000) in 2008 (partial search)
City Manager, Homestead, FL (population 62,000) in 2010
Town Manager, Juno Beach, FL (population 3,600) in 2005
Town Manager, Town of Jupiter Island, FL (population 654) in 2005
Village Manager, Key Biscayne, FL (population 11,000) in 2007 and 2011
A-3
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
City/Town/Village Manager/Administrator (continued)
City Manager, Key West, FL (population 24,600) in 2012
Town Manager, Lake Park, FL (population 9,100) in 2001 and 2003
Town Manager, Lantana, FL (population 9,600) in 2000
City Manager, Lakeland, FL (population 87,000) in 2003
City Manager, Lake Worth, FL (population 37,000) in 2003 and 2007
City Manager, Lauderdale Lakes, FL (population 32,000) in 1998 and 2002
City Manager, Leesburg, FL (population 20,390) in 2013
City Manager, Madeira Beach, FL (population 12,300) in 2011
Town Manager, Mangonia Park, FL (population 1,400) in 2001
City Manager, Marathon, FL (population 11,500 in 2002 and 2004
City Manager, Marco Island, FL (population 15,000) in 2008
City Manager, Medina, WA (population 3,000) in 2013
City Manager, Melbourne, FL (population 72,500) in 2002 and 2012
City Manager, Miami Gardens, FL (population 101,000) in 2004
City Manager, Miramar, FL (population 122,000) in 2013
City Manager, Monroe, NC (population 33,500) in 2013
City Manager, Mount Dora, FL (population 12,000) in 2005
City Manager, Naples, FL (population 21,000) in 2003 and 2007
City Manager, New Smyrna Beach, FL, FL (population 23,000) in 2009
City Manager, Normandy Park, WA (population 6,335) in 2013
City Manager, North Miami, FL (population 62,000) in 2002 and 2010
Village Manager, North Palm Beach, FL (population 12,500) in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2012
City Manager, North Port, FL (population 55,800) in 2011
City Manager, Ocala, FL (population 52,000) in 2008
City Manager, Orange City, FL (population 10,000) in 2010
City Manager, Orange Park, FL (population 9,100) in 2010
CAO, Orlando, FL (population 197,000) in 2005
City Manager, Oviedo, FL (population 33,000) in 2008
City Manager, Palm Bay, FL (current population 101,000) in 2002
City Manager, Palm Coast, FL (population 71,000) in 2006
Village Manager, Palmetto Bay, FL (population 24,000) in 2003
City Manager, Panama City Beach, FL (population 12,018) in 2012
Village Manager, Pinecrest, FL (population 19,300) in 2011
City Manager, Pompano Beach, FL (population 101,000) in 2007
Town Manager, Ponce Inlet, FL (population 2,500) in 2001
City Manager, Portland, ME (population 65,000) in 2011
City Manager, Riviera Beach, FL (population 37,000) in 2009
City Manager, Roanoke, VA (population 96,000) in 2009
City Manager, Sarasota, FL (population 55,000) in 2012
City Manager, Satellite Beach, FL (population 10,100) in 2013
City Manager, Scottsdale, AZ (population 217,400) in 2013
Town Manager, Sewall’s Point, FL (population 2,000) in 2006
A-4
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
City/Town/Village Manager/Administrator (continued)
City Manager, St. Pete Beach, FL (population 10,000) in 2001
City Manager, Stuart, FL (population 17,000) in 2006
City Manager, Sunny Isles Beach, FL (population 17,000) in 2006 and 2011
City Manager, Sunrise, FL (population 84,400) in 2012
City Manager, Sunnyside, WA (population 16,054) in 2013
City Manager, Tacoma, WA (population 200,000) in 2011
City Administrator, Tavares, FL (population 11,000) in 2006
City Manager, Treasure Island, FL (population 7,500) in 2004
City Manager, West Melbourne, FL (population 15,000) in 2009
City Manager, West Park, FL (population 12,000) in 2005 and 2010
City Manager, Woodstock, GA (population 21,000) in 2008
City Manager, Yakima, WA (population 91,000) in 2011 and 2012
County Manager - Completed Searches
County Manager, Baker County, FL (population 27,000) in 2006
County Administrator, Bay County, FL (population 158,000) in 2005
County Manager, Brevard County, FL (population 536,000) in 2009
County Administrator, Broward County, FL (population 1,800,000) in 2006
County Administrator, Clackamas County, OR (population 383,900) in 2013
County Administrator, Clay County, FL (population 160,000) in 2005 and 2011
County Administrator, DeSoto County, FL (population 34,000) in 2005
County Manager, Flagler County, FL (population (83,000) in 2007
County Administrator, Hernando County, FL (population 172,800) in 2012
County Administrator, Highlands County, FL (population 98,000) in 2008
County Manager, Lowndes County, GA (population 92,000) in 2001
County Administrator, Martin County, FL (population 140,000) in 2005
Borough Manager, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK (population 85,000) in 2011
County Administrator, Monroe County, FL (population 80,000) in 2004
County Administrator, Nassau County, FL (population 60,000) in 2004
County Administrator, Okaloosa County, FL (population 183,500) on 2013
County Administrator, Okeechobee County, FL (population 39,000) in 2008
County Manager, Osceola County, FL (population 235,000) in 2003 and 2007
County Administrator, Polk County, IA (population 400,000) in 2007 and 2011
County Manager, Seminole County, FL (population 410,000) in 2006
County Administrator, St. Johns County, FL (population 162,000) in 2007
County Administrator, Sumter County, FL (population 70,000) in 2005
County Manager, Union County, NC (population 198,600) in 2010
A-5
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
Completed Searches – Assistant/Deputy Managers
Assistant City Manager / Operations, Corpus Christi, TX (population 308,000)
Assistant City Manager, Lake Worth, FL (population 37,000) in 2004
Assistant City Manager, Tamarac, FL (population 55,500) in 2001
Assistant City Manager, West Palm Beach, FL (population 101,000) in 2004 and 2013
Assistant County Administrator for Development and Infrastructure, Hillsborough County, FL
(population 1,000,000) in 2006
Assistant County Administrator for Human Services, Hillsborough County, FL (population
1,000,000) in 2004
Assistant County Administrator, Martin County, FL (population 140,000) in 2006
Assistant to the City Manager, Lakeland, FL (population 87,000) in 2004
Assistant Town Manager, Jupiter Island, FL (population 654) in 2010
Assistant Village Manager, Islamorada, Village of Islands, FL (population 7,500) in 1998
Deputy City Manager for Community Building, Durham, NC (population 220,000) in 2009
Deputy County Administrator, Hillsborough County, FL (population 1,000,000) in 2004
Deputy County Manager, Polk County, FL (population 500,000) in 2006
Completed Searches – City Attorneys
City Attorney, Roanoke, VA (population 96,000) in 2012
City Attorney, West Melbourne, FL (population 15,000) in 2008
Completed Searches – Community Development/Growth Management/Planning
Assistant Director of Community Development, Largo, FL (population 74,000) in 2004 and 2005
Community Development Director, Miami, FL (population 408,000) in 2008
Community Development Director, Safety Harbor, FL (population 18,000) in 2006
Community Development Director, Tamarac, FL (population 55,500) in 2007
Development Services Director, Daytona Beach, FL (population 65,000) in 2005
Director of Capital Projects, New Orleans, LA (population 323,000) in 2008
General Manager, North Sarasota Redevelopment District, Sarasota (population 53,000) in 2008
Growth Management Director, St. Lucie County, FL (population 261,000) in 2005
Growth Management Manager, Wellington, FL (population 55,000) in 2009
Housing and Community Development Director, West Palm Beach, FL (pop. 101,000) in 2007
Planning Administrator, Daytona Beach, FL (population 65,000) in 2007
Planning Director, Osceola County, FL (population 235,000) in 2005
Director of Planning, Building and Development, Roanoke, VA (population 96,000) in 2012
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
A-6
Completed Searches – Economic Development / Redevelopment
Economic Development Director, Charlotte County, FL (population 170,000) in 2007
Economic Development Director, Collier County, FL (population 328,000) in 2012
Assistant City Manager for Community Building, Durham, NC (population 220,000) in 2009
Economic Development Director, Roanoke, VA (population 96,000) in 2012
Director, Office of Economic & Workforce Development, Durham, NC (pop. 220,000), 2009
Economic Development Director, Loudoun County, VA (population 326,000) in 2010
Redevelopment Director, Daytona Beach, FL (population 65,000) in 2007
Economic Development Director, St. Johns County, FL (population 162,000) in 2011
Executive Director, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, GA (serving a population
92,000+) in 2006 and 2011
Executive Director, Technological Research and Development Authority, FL (serving a
statewide population) in 2006
Completed Searches – Engineers
Assistant City Engineer, Melbourne, FL (population 75,000) in 2008
County Engineer, Polk County, FL (population 500,000) in 2006
Deputy County Engineer, Martin County, FL (population 140,000) in 2006
City Engineer, Gulfport, MS (population 90,000) in 2008
City Engineer, Sunny Isles Beach, FL (population 17,000) in 2006
Engineering, Public Works & Utilities Director, Hallandale Beach, FL (population 39,000), 2013
Engineering Manager, Sumter County, FL (population 70,000) in 2005
Staff Engineer, Wellington, FL (population 55,000) in 2009
Completed Searches – Facilities Management
Centroplex Director, Orlando, FL (population 197,000) in 2004
Lakeland Center Director, Lakeland, FL (population 87,000) in 2004
Landscaping Director, Weston, FL (population 65,300) in 2013
Completed Searches – Finance and Budget
Budget and Financial Services Director, Polk County, FL (population 500,000) in 2006
Budget Director, St. Petersburg, FL (population 248,000) in 2009
Chief Financial Officer, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, FL (population 1,000,055) in 2005
Chief Financial Officer, City of Orlando, FL (population 87,000) in 2005
Controller, City of Orlando, FL (population 197,000) in 2007
Finance and Administration Director, Roanoke Regional Airport, Roanoke, VA
Finance Director, Altus, OK (population 19,800) (background check) in 2012
Finance Director, Daytona Beach, FL (population 31,860) in 2012
Finance Director, Fort Walton Beach, FL (population 20,000) in 2006
Finance Director, Lauderdale Lakes (population 32,000) in 1998
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
A-7
Completed Searches – Finance and Budget (continued)
Finance Director, Miami, FL (population 408,000) in 2013
Finance Director, Oregon City, OR (population 31,860) in 2012
Finance Director, St. Petersburg, FL (population 248,000) in 2010
Finance Director, Sunny Isles Beach, FL (population 17,000) in 2010
Finance Director, Surfside, FL (population 5,700) in 2012
Finance Director, Tamarac, FL (population 55,500) in 2005 and 2009
Finance Director, West Palm Beach, FL (population 101,000) in 2007
Management, Budget and Accounting Deputy Director, Orlando, FL (pop. 197,000) in 2004
Management and Budget Manager, Lake Worth, FL (population 37,000) in 2010
Management & Financial Services Director, Loudoun County, VA (population 326,000) in 2012
Treasurer, Miami, FL (population (408,000) in 2013
Completed Searches – Housing/Building
Assistant to the County Administrator – Affordable Housing, Broward County, FL (population
1,800,000) in 2004
Building Official, Jupiter Island, FL (population 580) in 2005 and 2010
Building Official, Miami Beach, FL (population 91,000) in 2005
Building Department Director, Osceola County, FL (population 235,000) in 2005
Assistant to the County Administrator – Affordable Housing, Broward County, FL (population
1,800,000) in 2004
Building Official, Jupiter Island, FL (population 580) in 2005 and 2011
Building Official, Miami Beach, FL (population 91,000) in 2005
Building Department Director, Osceola County, FL (population 235,000) in 2005
Building Official, Sewall’s Point, FL (population 2,000) in 2006
Building Official, Tamarac (population 55,000) in 2008
Housing and Community Development Director, West Palm Beach, FL (pop. 101,000), 2007
Completed Searches – Human Resources
Human Resources Director, Boca Raton, FL (population 84,000) in 2006
Human Resources Director, Cape Coral, FL (population 154,300) in 2013
Human Resources Office, Loudoun County, VA (population 326,000) in 2011
Human Resources Administrator, Martin County, FL (population 140,000) in 2007
Personnel Director, North Miami, FL (population 56,000) in 2001
Human Resources Director, Osceola County, FL (population 235,000) in 2006
Human Resources Director, City of Sarasota, FL (population 55,000) in 2002
Human Resources Director, West Palm Beach, FL (population 101,000) in 2013 and 2014
Personnel Director, Fulton County, GA (population 992,000) in 2010
Personnel Director, Vero Beach, FL (population 17,900) in 2003
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
A-8
Completed Searches – Human Services
Assistant County Administrator for Human Services, Hillsborough County, FL (population
1,000,055) in 2004
Director, Health and Human Services, St. Johns County, FL (population 162,000) in 2010
Executive Director, Juvenile Welfare Board, Pinellas County, FL (population 950,000) in 2005
Completed Searches – Information Technology
Information Technology Director, Lakeland, FL (population 87,000) in 2004
Information Services Director, Lauderdale Lakes, FL (population 32,000) in 1998
Information Services Director, Palm Beach County Tax Collector (population 1,300,000) in 2012
(partial search)
Completed Searches – Parks/Recreation/Libraries
Director, Parks, Recreation, & Conservation, Hillsborough County, FL (pop. 1,000,055) in 2004
District Manager, Holiday Park Recreation District (population 1,400) in 2007
Library Services Director, St. Johns County, FL (population 162,000) in 2007
Director, Parks and Recreation, West Palm Beach, FL (population 101,000) in 2006
Completed Searches – Public Safety
Executive Director, South Sound 911 (serves a population of 808,000), Tacoma, WA
Fire Chief, Cape Coral, FL (population 154,300) in 2013
Fire Chief, Daytona Beach, FL (population 65,000) in 2006
Fire Chief, Lauderdale Lakes, FL (population 32,000) in 1999
Fire Chief, West Palm Beach, FL (population 101,000) in 2005
Police Chief, Daytona Beach, FL (population 65,000) in 2006
Police Chief, Golden Beach, FL (population 355) in 2011 (partial search)
Police Chief, Lauderhill, FL (population 66,900) in 2011 (partial search)
Police Chief, Melbourne, FL (population 76,000) in 2011 (partial search)
Police Chief, Sewall’s Point, FL (population 2,000) in 2007
Police Chief, St. Augustine Beach, FL (population 6,200) in 2012
Police Chief, Sunny Isles Beach, FL (population 17,000) in 2010
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
A-9
Completed Searches – Public Works
Engineering, Public Works & Utilities Director, Hallandale Beach, FL (population 39,000), 2013
Executive Director, Environment/Infrastructure, Pinellas County, FL (population 917,000), 2012
Public Works / Capital Projects Director / City Engineer, Sunny Isles Beach, FL
(population 17,000) in 2007
Public Works Director, Chandler, AZ (population 250,000) in 2007
Public Works Director, Fort Lauderdale, FL (population 183,000) in 2004
Public Works Director, Polk County, FL (population 500,000) in 2005
Public Works Director, Tamarac, FL (population 55,500) in 2003
Assistant Public Works Director, Sunny Isles Beach, FL (population 17,000) in 2008
Solid Waste Director, Hillsborough County, FL (population 1,000,055) in 2005
Vice President, Public Works & Operations, Ocean Reef Community Association (population
2,000), Key Largo, FL, in 2001
Completed Searches – Transportation
Chief Financial Officer, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, FL (population 1,000,055) in 2005
Director of Traffic Engineering, Polk County, FL (population 500,000) in 2002
Executive Director, Lakeland Area Mass Transit District, FL (population 87,000) in 2005
Executive Director, Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority, FL (population
1,000,055) in 2007
Completed Searches – Utilities
Environmental Services Director, Largo, FL (population 74,000) in 2006
Executive Director, Des Moines (IA) Water Works (serves a population of over 500,000) in 2012
Executive Director, Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, Key West, FL (pop. 90,000) in 2003
Executive Director, Escambia County Utilities Authority, FL (90,000 customers) in 2002
Executive Director, Onslow Water & Sewer Authority (Jacksonville, NC) (pop. 160,000) in 2009
Executive Director, Environment and Infrastructure, Pinellas County, FL (population 917,000)
in 2012
General Manager / CEO, Orlando Utilities Commission, FL (190,000 customers) in 2004
General Manager, Tampa Bay Water (population served 2,400,000) in 2008
Utilities Director, Charlotte County, FL (population 170,000) in 2007
Utilities Director, Daytona Beach, FL (population 65,000) in 2004
Utilities Director, Lake Worth, FL (population 37,000) in 2009
Utilities Director, Palm Bay, FL (population 101,000) in 2005
Utilities Director, Polk County, FL (population 500,000) in 2004
Utilities Director, South Martin Regional Utilities (population 22,000) in 2013
Water (Wastewater) Resources Director, St. Petersburg, FL (population 248,000) in 2008
Watershed Management (Water and Wastewater) Director, DeKalb County, GA (population
691,900) in 2011 and 2013
Governmental Search Assignments (continued)
A-10
Completed Searches – Work Force Management
Executive Director, South Florida Workforce, FL (service area pop. of 3,000,000+) in 2005
Director, Office of Economic & Workforce Development, Durham, NC (pop. on 220,000), 2009
Completed Searches – Other
City Clerk, Lauderdale Lakes (population 32,000) in 1998
District Manager, Sun ‘n Lake Community Development District, FL, (population 5,000) in 2005
Director, Registrations and Elections, Fulton County, GA (population 992,000) in 2009
Environmental Resources Director, St. Lucie County, FL (population 261,000) in 2009
Executive Director, Lakewood Ranch Inter-District Authority (population 15,000) in 2011
Executive Director, Northern Palm Beach Improvement District, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
(population 200,000) in 2003
Executive Director, South Sound 911 (serves a population of 808,000), Tacoma, WA
General Manager, Sun ‘n Lake Improvement District, FL (population 7,500) in 2002 and 2005
General Manager, Holiday Park Recreation District, FL (population 4,500) in 2007
Director, Landscaping, Weston, FL (population 65,300) in 2013
Special Projects Coordinator, Islamorada, Village of Islands, FL (population 7,500) in 1998
Appendix B
Sample Brochure:
City Manager Search, Satellite Beach, FL
B-1
B-2
B-3
B-4
B-5
B-6
B-7
B-8
Appendix C
Sample Candidate Report
Sample Candidate Report
[Note: The following materials are provided with the permission of the candidate.]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
RESUME 1
CB&A INTERVIEW 5
BACKGROUND CHECKS 11
REFERENCE NOTES 13
INTERNET SEARCH 28
Christopher Morrill
Resume
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-2-
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Christopher Morrill
CB&A Interview
Christopher Morrill
-5-
Education
Master of Public Administration, University of North Carolina
Bachelor of Arts, College of the Holy Cross
Experience
Assistant City Manager, City of Savannah, GA 2001 – Present
Senior Municipal Finance Advisor, Research Triangle Institute, RTP, NC 1999 – 2001
Research and Budget Director, City of Savannah, GA 1994 – 1999
Peace Corps Volunteer, Ukraine 1992 – 1994
City of Savannah, GA 1988 - 1992
Research and Budget Director (two years) and Senior Management
Analyst (two years)
Senior Budget Analyst, Catawba County, NC 1986 – 1988
Downtown Project Manager, Lynn, MA 1984 – 1985
Background
The population of Savannah is 143,000 people. The City has 2,600 employees and Mr. Morrill
supervises 220. The total budget is $280 million while the general fund component is $180 million.
The three most important issues that face Savannah:
Financial impact of the recession. Revenues have declined yet the demand for services
remains high;
Citizen engagement. Citizen participation in local government, and indeed awareness of
what it is doing, has declined. Governments need to find new ways to engage and inform
their residents; and
Balancing the economic development with environmental goals while maintaining a high
quality of life.
Interview Comments
Mr. Morrill has been an Assistant City Manager for eight years in Savannah, GA. Although he
feels no need to leave his position, he sees the City Manager position in Roanoke as an opportunity
that he cannot pass up. Roanoke is a progressive community and has some of the same challenges
Savannah has. He notes that over the past 20 years, Savannah has made many significant changes
for the better and he wants to bring not just his skills, but what he has learned, to Roanoke. He
feels he can make a difference and help Roanoke become not just a better city but a better
community. From a personal point of view, it is also one of few cities Mr. Morrill would consider
moving to and living in. He enjoys the mountains and would be closer to family.
Christopher Morrill
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On a day to day basis, Mr. Morrill’s management style is to promote collaboration. Teamwork
and unity is important. He empowers his staff to accomplish their goals but provides the guidance
to be successful. He is not a micromanager but gives his staff both the responsibility to get the job
done but also the authority. Accountability is important as well. In times of crisis, Mr. Morrill
will take full command and make the decisions that are necessary. He has a good understanding
of when it is appropriate to guide and when he must lead.
Employees who have worked with Mr. Morrill would say he is enjoyable to work with and is a
good mentor. He guides his staff and helps them develop. As they set priorities together, he is
there to give them the resources and support they need. They would also note that it is not just
business. He has a good sense of humor and attempts to make the workplace pleasant. Finally, he
feels it is important to celebrate their successes.
The elected officials would say Mr. Morrill is a strong leader. He is proactive, assesses problems
quickly and resolves them. He is a good manager and a team player. With the downturn of the
economy, Mr. Morrill has taken more of a leadership role. Everyone recognizes that finance is
one of his specialties and they tend to lean towards him for advice. He closely monitors the budget
and keeps the elected officials well informed of the City’s financial status.
Mr. Morrill’s greatest strength is in financial planning. He has a strong finance background and
is well experienced with budgets. In fact, he served as a resident advisor to the National Treasury
of South Africa for about two years. He knows how to build a strong management and financial
team. He enjoys learning, tackling new problems and resolving issues. He listens to people so he
can understand their issues and learn from them. He is patient and sympathetic.
In terms of weakness, Mr. Morrill recognizes he focuses more on the big picture than the details.
To combat this, he surrounds himself with good people who are detail oriented. By doing this,
they help him see the details. It also allows him the freedom to pursue the projects and efforts that
he and the City Manager feel will lead to improving Savannah.
Mr. Morrill’s biggest achievement has been a recent budgeting change in Savannah. Specifically
he introduced a new budgeting philosophy called Budgeting for Outcomes to the staff and the City
County. He had learned about the approach at a government finance conference in 2007 and
thought it would be particularly appropriate in difficult financial times. The idea is to allocate
funding to those services that are a priority to the residents instead of focusing on cuts in each
department. As such, the City focuses on funding the services with the greatest positive outcomes.
It took some effort but he has now educated the staff and Council. Everyone has embraced the
idea and last January the Council set the City’s seven priorities for the next year. Then teams were
created to address the priority teams. In all it involved 70 employees from different departments
serving on seven teams. These teams have researched best practices from across the nation and
followed examples in Washington and Iowa where the same philosophy has been implemented.
They are ninety percent the way through the conversion. The result has been that they have found
ways to maintain the core services and reduce costs. The effort has also lead to an increased level
of collaboration within the government and in sharing services.
Christopher Morrill
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The teams will make a presentation to the Council on November 30th where they will report their
progress.
When asked about mistakes, Mr. Morrill spoke of an area just outside of downtown Savannah that
was to be developed as a public park and for some other uses. It was a great project that would
have had a very positive impact on the neighborhoods in the area. However, the City did not do
the leg work upfront to keep the neighborhoods apprised of the nature of the project nor the benefits
that would result from the project. As a result, the residents fought the project and it was cancelled.
He learned the importance of involving the community early on in a project so they are informed,
supportive and can provide input to make the project better. The City missed an opportunity to
develop a great area because it assumed the community would support it. The central lesson was,
“Do not assume the community members will see and embrace the vision of a project if you do
not spend the time educating them.”
As the City has changed to Budgeting for Outcomes, it has provided a new way of measuring the
performance of the organization. They are able to compare their outcome with other cities across
America. Funding is provided to those services that have had clear outcomes of meeting priorities.
Mr. Morrill still monitors the individual performance of each employee. At the year’s beginning,
he discusses their strengths and weaknesses with them and makes a plan to accomplish their goals
for the year. Their progress is checked periodically and another formal meeting is conducted at
midyear.
When asked about terminating employment, Mr. Morrill noted he has terminated the employment
of several employees during his career. He tries to work with those who have performance issues
through coaching and mentoring. Sometimes no improvements can be made. The person is simply
in the wrong job from the point of view of skills or personality. It is hard to let people go under
these circumstances but it has to be done. Ideally you can find a position in the organization that
does suit the individual but that is not always a possibility. Those employees who misuse their
privileges or break the law are very easy to let go. On one occasion he had to fire an individual in
the parks department who was misusing public funds.
Mr. Morrill sees the challenges facing the next Roanoke City Manager as:
Encouraging economic development that is a good fit with the community;
Finding ways to help the poor climb out of poverty rate;
Working with the school board to improve the City’s schools;
Working with the community to improve the neighborhoods; and
Addressing code enforcement issues.
If given the opportunity to serve as the next Roanoke City Manager, Mr. Morrill would spend his
first six months doing the following:
Examining City’s issues;
Learning the history of the City and its neighborhoods;
Listening to the Council Members’ goals and vision;
Christopher Morrill
-8-
Familiarizing himself with staff’s strengths and weaknesses; and
Assessing the City’s financial position. Getting a proposed budget together quickly for the
2010 – 2011 fiscal year will be a priority.
Mr. Morrill feels the new manager must be out in the community and transparent if he/she is to
earn the trust of the community. When things are wrong, one must acknowledge that. They also
need to be fixed without, to the extent possible, assigning blame. Citizens respect honesty. Also,
good citizen engagement helps the residents feel they have a voice in the community. Mr. Morrill
mentioned a citizens’ academy that Savannah offered. It was an eight week course that focused
on the different departments of the city government. He felt after this program the citizens had a
better understanding and respect for the city government. They could see all the work that went
into maintaining the City and the service the staff rendered in their behalf.
Mr. Morrill has a good relationship with the media. In his current position as Assistant City
Manager, he is not in the media much. However, when needed, he has stepped in for the City
Manager. He has worked with both television and print. He understands the media play an
important role. He is honest and straightforward with his answers.
In his leisure time, Mr. Morrill enjoys being with his family, reading, biking, hiking and
swimming. On occasion he has been a judge at swim meets.
Reason for Wanting to Leave Current Position:
Mr. Morrill is happy where he is but would like the opportunity to become a City Manager. He is
in the peak years of his career and is ready to lead an organization. He has had the opportunity to
work for and be mentored by an outstanding City Manager. He has also participated in the rebirth
of Savannah. He wants to put what he has learned into practice in Roanoke. He just feels it is a
great community, a community that has not realized its potential and a community he wants to live
and work in.
Most Recent Base Salary
$150,000 base salary
Adjectives or phrases Mr. Morrill used to describe himself:
Enjoys working with people,
Visionary,
Progressive,
Good sense of humor,
Values relationships, and
Builds consensus.
Christopher Morrill
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Interviewer’s Impressions
Energetic, experienced, competent, congenial, and straightforward. Intelligent and creative with
a good sense of humor. Has an easy laugh and ready to be a City Manager.
Interviewed by:
Tiffany Gremmert
Colin Baenziger & Associates
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Christopher Morrill
Background Checks
-11-
Background Check Summary for
Christopher P. Morrill
Criminal Records Checks:
Nationwide Criminal Records Search No Records Found
County
Chatham County, GA No Records Found
Durham County, NC No Records Found
State
Georgia No Records Found
North Carolina No Records Found
Civil Records Checks:
County
Chatham County, GA No Records Found
Durham County, NC No Records Found
Federal
Georgia No Records Found
North Carolina No Records Found
Motor Vehicle
Georgia No Records Found
Credit Excellent
Bankruptcy No Records Found
Education Confirmed
Employment Confirmed
-12-
Christopher Morrill
Reference Notes
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Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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Michael Brown, City Manager, City of Savannah, GA, (912) 658-3523
Mr. Brown hired Mr. Morrill in 1988. He recognized his strong skill set and wanted him to be a
part of his management team. When Mr. Morrill went overseas to perform international services,
Mr. Brown thought so highly of him that he held positions open for him. He simply wanted him
back and on his team.
Mr. Morrill is a very skilled manager and a remarkable person. He combi nes precise analytical
skills with an upbeat and optimistic personality. He is diplomatic with those he serves and
considerate to their wants and needs. Mr. Morrill’s background makes him a strong candidate. He
was in the Peace Corp for two years in Ukraine. He also spent time in Northern Ireland, Peru, and
South Africa with the Kellogg National Leadership Program. He wrote a local government finance
law for South Africa cities and modeled if after what local governments do in the United States.
Mr. Morrill has led many redevelopment projects in Savannah. The redevelopment of Ellis Square
is a recent one and involved redeveloping one of Savannah’s squares that was first established in
the 1700’s. At some point, the square had been turned into a parking lot. Mr. Morrill noted that
the lease was expiring and suggested the City redevelop the area as community square. He took
the lead on the project and coordinated with developers and city groups. He also oversaw the
financing of the project. The new community square is a huge success and is surrounded by shops
and restaurants, and includes an underground parking structure.
Another project Mr. Morrill headed was Savannah River Landing, a fifty-four acre undeveloped
tract adjacent to the historic downtown. Mr. Morrill coordinated with the developers to include an
expansion of the river walk, retail stores, two hotels, single family homes, restaurants, and office
buildings. He was the manager of the public part of the project. He forecast the cost of the
necessary infrastructure, worked with the developers, rallied the support of the County and
schools, and also sold the tax allocation district proposal to the voters. The project is underway
and is much anticipated by the community.
Mr. Morrill listens well and is able to identify the essence of what someone is trying to say. He is
a good communicator. He also is empathetic and patient. Often the City Council prefers to speak
with him rather than the City Manager. He is easier to talk to and knows how to hold his ground.
He is a good public speaker. He took a private sector speaker training course that monitored,
criticized and improved his speaking skills. He is comfortable presenting.
Mr. Brown, as the City Manager, spends most of his time working with the Council to keep their
interests on track. They are often difficult and demanding. He is not able to do much of what he
used to do as City Manager. The Metro Police Department also demands much of his time and
attention. As a result, he has turned over much of the day-to-day management of the City to Mr.
Morrill. That includes projects, budgeting, pension plan changes, and policy initiatives. Although,
Mr. Morrill has not officially held the title of City Manager, in reality he has had more
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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experience in urban city management than some City Managers in other cities. He has dealt with
a high poverty rate, a large area of public housing, and many inner city problems.
Mr. Morrill is an ICMA (International City/County Management Association) Credentialed
Manager. Through the ICMA he worked with an area in Indonesia to develop their tourism and
the historical preservation of the Sultan’s Water Palace Complex. This effort was to preserve and
restore 50 acres of historic land. He helped the City get grant funding to restore the area. He also
helped them write the first historical preservation ordinance. Along with the restoration of the
Water Palace, a beautiful shopping corridor was created. Working with the largely Muslim
country of Indonesia has educated Mr. Morrill. He was able to associate with the U.S. Ambassador
to Indonesia and experience governmental processes in another country.
Again, even though Mr. Morrill does not hold the official title of City Manager, he has the
experience and skill set to take this position. Mr. Brown highly recommended him although it
would be a huge loss to him personally and to Savannah to have Mr. Morrill leave.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Strong family man,
Diplomatic,
Considerate,
Articulate,
Humble,
Well traveled,
Bright, and
Optimistic.
Strengths: Analytical skills, financial ability and diverse experience.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Lise Sundrla – Executive Director, Savannah Development and Renewal Authority, Savannah,
GA – (912) 651-6973
Ms. Sundrla has known Mr. Morrill since 2001. They have worked as colleagues. The Savannah
Development and Renewal Authority is not a city department. As a separate entity they have
coordinated economic development in the downtown area of Savannah.
Mr. Morrill has been a critical component for much of the redevelopment in downtown Savannah.
He has engaged the City and partnered with other agencies. He was integral to the planning efforts
of Ellis Square. This area had been a historical square but was developed into a parking lot. He
spent several years cobbling together the funding to restore the area to its original purpose of a
public space. An underground parking lot was constructed along with several shops, restaurants
and businesses. He was a guide and a mentor to the developers and to
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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the Renewal Authority on several issues and concerns regarding the project. He also spent many
hours working with the Council to gain its support.
Mr. Morrill created strategic goals to focus on revitalizing the Martin Luther King corridor, once
a premier historical African American neighborhood bustling with life. The placement of an
overpass on I-16 stunted the growth of the area and limited the access to other areas. He has
pressed for the overpass to be removed. By doing so, our lost street connections and nine acres of
developable land would be reclaimed. He has negotiated local option sales tax and capital
improvement dollars to fund the project. He coordinated the efforts of the City, the Renewal
Authority and other private entities to stimulate the integral corridor. Already, a full size grocery
store has opened in the area.
Another major project Mr. Morrill has orchestrated was Savannah Landing located in eastern
downtown Savannah. The area has been underdeveloped since 1909. He secured the funds and
involved the necessary agencies. The development links and compliments the historic downtown
area. It also opens up connections to six lost streets and expanded the river walk 2,000 feet. Public
squares were donated back to the City. Mr. Morrill petitioned for the first tax allocation to be used
to support the economic development of the area.
Oddly, when it is time to make a presentation to the City Council , the person who is best is Mr.
Morrill. They often try to do things that are not in the best interest of the City. They rely on Mr.
Morrill to give them honest criticism and advice. He can speak on their level.
Ms. Sundrla trusts Mr. Morrill implicitl y, which she considers a bold statement. She has
approached him with personal and political issues. He has offered guidance and solutions to
support her efforts. He is gifted with people. He respects others and in turn is well respected. He
has excellent communication skills and is an attentive listener.
Mr. Morrill would be a fine choice for City Manager. He is well qualified. He has the skills and
the character to lead.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Reliable partner,
Thorough planner,
Engaging,
Mentor,
Respected, and
Gifted with people.
Strengths: Team building, vision, people skills, and communication skills.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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Lester B. Johnson III – Assistant City Attorney, City of Savannah, GA – (912) 238-5100
Mr. Johnson has known Mr. Morrill since 2001. Mr. Morrill has a fine personality and a calm
demeanor. He has a good rapport with the citizens of Savannah. He also has a good working
relationship with his staff and with the elected officials.
Mr. Morrill oversees the financial and budget concerns. He keeps a meticulous budget. One of
the results is that the City has not needed to use any of its reserves since Mr. Morrill became the
Assistant City Manager. As another of his responsibilities, he oversees the Recorder’s Court. He
makes sure the Court is making more money than the operating budget. He has worked closely
with Mr. Johnson to find ways for the Court and the Judge to be more efficient.
Mr. Morrill also oversees all problems with ordinance violations. One of the trickier situations
involved the some wealthy and very powerful residents of an historic district and the Savannah
College of Art and Design. The neighbors were not happy about having the School in their
neighborhood and complained it violated the parking ordinance. The ordinance required that a
certain number of off street parking spaces per building were required if the building was to be
used and the school did not have enough spaces. Mr. Morrill investigated ever y building in the
area and the school was not the only building without enough parking spaces. To preserve the
historic district, satellite parking lots were developed. Students were shuttled from them to the
school buildings. Mr. Morrill communicated frequently with the neighbors and calmed their
concerns. He demonstrated to them the financial importance the school to the City and how it
brought millions of dollars to the community every year. He showed them that it was vital that
they worked together. He was a good mediator between these two strong willed entities and was
able to find a reasonable compromise.
Mr. Morrill is well respected by the public. He often speaks in town meetings regarding the
financial state of projects. A major project was underway to solve the City’s drainage issues. He
spoke often in the town meetings explaining the project’s finances. Many citizens were concerned
the funds would run out before it was completed. Mr. Morrill explained in clear terms the financial
condition of the project and the status of the contingency funds. He responded well to the large
crowd, spoke in simple terms and reassured them that the money was there to complete the effort.
Mr. Morrill is designated to take over the City Manager’s position when he is absent. He is also
on call for every Council meeting to answer any questions or provide any financial information.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Strong family man,
Competent individual,
Calm demeanor,
Good rapport with others,
Easy personality, and
Responsible.
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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Strengths: Financial skills, problem solving skills, and building relationships.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Kenneth Sadler – Former Alderman, City of Savannah, GA (912) 661-0484
Mr. Sadler has known Mr. Morrill since 2000. Mr. Sadler was an Alderman for four years.
Mr. Morrill is bright and well educated. Even though finance had been his primary background,
he has developed skills in other fields through his position as Assistant City Manager. He is a
good leader and provides strength to his staff. Many of them lean on his expertise and ask for his
advice. He mentors his staff and helps them grow.
Mr. Morrill’s primary skills are in finance and planning. He knows how to maintain the long term
financial health of the City and has helped it weather the financial downturn. He did so through
sound financial practices and thorough planning. He actually anticipated the financial problems
and adequately prepared the City for them. He understands how to spend money responsibly and
which services are capable of producing revenue.
Mr. Morrill has a good relationship with each member of Council. He is responsive to their
requests. They are willing to delegate to him because he follows up on projects and keeps them
informed. He is straightforward and easy to talk to. Frequently Mr. Morrill has been easier to
contact and work with than the City Manager.
Mr. Morrill focuses on people. Whether it is a Councilman or a citizen of the community, he will
take time to listen to the issues they raise and look for a solution. He has an optimistic demeanor
that puts people at ease. He has a good grasp of city issues and a sensitivity to their importance.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Smart,
Capable,
Good planner,
Strong financial background,
Understands communities, and
Relates well with people.
Strengths: Organization skills and financial background.
Weaknesses: None identified
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
-18-
Carol Bell – Central Services Director, City of Savannah, GA (912) 651-6401
Ms. Bell has known Mr. Morrill since 1994. They were colleagues when he was Budget Director
and she now reports directly to him in his position as the Assistant City Manager.
Mr. Morrill is a dedicated public servant. He focuses on serving the people and is often a voice
for the underprivileged. He volunteers his time to support agencies which help needy citizens.
The City has benefited from his strong financial background. He has improved the financial
operations by utilizing his analytical skills and thinking beyond the norm. Mr. Morrill is a member
of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), has written finance articles and taught
classes for the Association.
Mr. Morrill is people oriented. He develops good relationships with entities outside the city
government. He makes time to speak with residents and is well respected by them. He is an
excellent communicator who can take technically complex issues and easily explain them to the
common citizen.
Mr. Morrill has been a fantastic liaison between the City and the County helping facilitate the
merger of police departments. Both agencies had their own police departments and had been
policing much of the same territory which was not very cost efficient. In 2003, it was decided to
formally merge the departments within a year. The merger was complex and Mr. Morrill was a
major factor in its success. He focused on the commonalities and the benefits this partnership
would provide for the citizens. The two separate departments combined to become the Savannah-
Chatham Metropolitan Police in 2005.
Mr. Morrill is team oriented. He has been able to break down barriers, form unlikely partnerships
and is creative. An example is a budgeting strategy he introduced to the City called Budgeting for
Outcomes. Each department’s budget is evaluated and projections are made based on priorities
and results. Priorities were established by Council and Mr. Morrill then created seven results
teams. Each team consisted of a broad base of global thinkers along with an expert member. For
instance, the public safety team might have a member of the Fire Department or Police Department
as an expert member. However, the team could also have members from Parks and Recreation, or
Social Services. The result has been to bring the departments and their staff members together to
accomplish the common goal of cutting costs and carrying out the elected officials’ goals.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Analytical,
Encouraging,
An advocate for the underprivileged,
Involved,
Experienced, and
Knowledgeable.
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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Strengths: Dedication to serving the public. Strong background and experience in local
government. Excellent people skills.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Jim Burgess - Mayor, City of Social Circle, GA (770) 464-3366
Mr. Burgess has known Mr. Morrill since 1996. He works as a lobbyist for the City of Savannah
and is also the Mayor of a small town in Georgia.
As Mr. Burgess lobbies on behalf of Savannah to State Legislature, he relies on Mr. Morrill to
provide him with pertinent financial information. Mr. Morrill gives him impact research and
analysis reports related to specific pieces of legislation. He creates slides, charts, and graphs for
Mr. Burgess to present to the State. He is quick to respond to Mr. Burgess’ needs and provides
him with thorough information.
Mr. Morrill is bright and well educated. His staff members have a high regard for him and value
his high morals. He has strong people skills and is not overbearing. He is very easy to work with
because of his first-rate personality.
Mr. Morrill has a good relationship with the governing body. He is very astute about political
relationships. They may often disagree, but Mr. Morrill knows when to push and when he must
submit. The Council can sometimes be more involved in day to day operations than they should.
Mr. Morrill has successfully managed working with this group of individuals.
Mr. Morrill has worked on several successful projects in the community. He focused on cleaning
up certain rundown areas and providing renewal in low income communities. One downtown
renewal project included a parking facility, the expansion of the river walk, and added retail space.
His financial acumen has been a big asset in making these projects successful.
Mr. Morrill has worked under a superb City Manager. He has been fully exposed to his skills and
learned much from emulating them. He has academic training and has managed a diverse city.
Advancing to City Manager would be an ideal step for him, and the timing is right.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Good personality,
Strong academically,
Not overbearing,
High morals,
Bright, and
Quick to respond.
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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Strengths: People skills.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Dick Evans - CFO, City of Savannah, GA (912) 651-6440
Mr. Evans has known Mr. Morrill since 2001. They have worked together monitoring the finances
of the City. Mr. Morrill has a strong background in budgeting and knows how to balance a budget.
He is very precise and concerned with numbers.
Mr. Morrill is very good at keeping others informed. He is open, clear, and direct in his
communications. He knows how to word financial reports in ways that are understandable to
anyone. He is a good consensus builder. He welcomes the input of his staff, keeps them informed,.
He then creates the appropriate solution to the problem.
Mr. Morrill pitched the idea of a new budgeting process to the City. It is called Budgeting for
Outcomes. He authored this process of establishing priorities first, then budgeting to finance the
services which address those priorities. This new process has had the added bonus of organizing
all departments to work toward a common goal.
Mr. Morrill developed good relationships with other entities outside the city government including
the Chamber of Commerce, the historic community, developers, and other organizations. He
represents the City well and has high standards.
Mr. Morrill would make a very good City Manager.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Methodical,
Personable,
Analytical,
Technically strong,
Competent, and
Works well with people.
Strengths: Financial skills.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Reference Notes
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Chris Miller – Creative Economy Consultant, Savannah, GA (912) 484-7192
Mr. Miller is a resident of Savannah and an entrepreneur. He has known Mr. Morrill since 2001.
Mr. Morrill has proven a tremendous support and vital contact for Mr. Miller. He helps facilitate
Mr. Miller’s efforts by being accessible and getting involved in his projects. Mr. Morrill returns
calls and follows up. He is open to new ideas and is supportive whenever he feels it will benefit
the community. He focuses on results, not on politics. He takes on a role beyond simply handling
the paperwork. He sees the whole community as a team. He uses his influence in the government
to help outside projects succeed, projects that benefit the community. He understands that, if he
helps outside agencies better the community then the pressure on the City to provide these services
or changes will lessen or, alternatively, there will be more money to ay for the services.
Mr. Morrill is very patient. He has a pleasant approach to handling difficult situations. Whenever
issues become politically charged, he is able to calm the waters, allowing the real issues to become
clear. He listens willingly and is open to reconsideration of any preconceived ideas. His goal is
to align the community so it can be the best it can be.
At times, Mr. Morrill has had to work with people who do not have the best interests of the City
in mind. The options in dealing with such people are either: refuse to work with them, or work
with them and realign their interests. Mr. Morrill has been a very positive influence and has a
talent for turning negative intent into positive results.
As an example, the Savannah River landing is a 100 million dollar project proposed for the
development of 54 acres in the downtown area. The developer had planned to create a gated
community of single family homes. Mr. Morrill recognized the importance of developing this
area. However, he did not feel a gated community would adhere to the historical sense of the area,
nor would it be the best use of the land. He was able to convince the developer to make changes
which would benefit them and the City. The project now consists of a 5-star hotel and spa, several
luxury condominium towers, 17 single family riverfront homes, 11 blocks of single family town
homes, retail stores, restaurants, art galleries and office buildings. Also, the public squares were
donated back to the City. Both the developers and the City will greatly benefit from this project,
which is currently under construction.
Mr. Miller knows of a major developer out of Atlanta who has taken a special interest in Savannah.
He expressed to Mr. Miller that he has chosen Savannah primarily because Mr. Morrill has always
been willing to talk to him about his investments. He returns his calls and helps him solve his
problems. Encouraged by his interactions with Mr. Morrill, the gentleman will keep investing in
the region.
Mr. Morrill deserves the opportunity to move up from his current position as an Assistant City
Manager. He needs the freedom to bring about good things. It will be a large loss for the City of
Savannah if he is chosen by another municipality, but he will make an excellent City Manager.
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Knowledgeable,
Resourceful,
Efficient,
Possessing integrity,
Professional, and
Timely.
Strengths: Ability to work with outside agencies and create cohesion.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Beth Robinson, Human Resources Director, City of Savannah, GA, (912) 651-6925
Ms. Robinson has worked with Mr. Morrill since 1995 and reports directly to him.
Mr. Morrill’s strength is in finance. He is well respected and has been nationally recognized for
his work by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). He has also been a member
of various committees in the financial community. Although finance is his specialty, he has shown
himself able to learn skills in many areas and to contribute in those areas.
Mr. Morrill is a team player. Rather than receive all the credit, he wants to see his whole team be
praised for their efforts. He values his staff and their talents. As a manager he knows how to help
redirect those who are not team players so they learn to collaborate. He is sincere, concerned, and
involved. He is a visionary. He can see where the City needs to go and how to get there.
One of the most significant changes Mr. Morrill has made is called Budgeting for Outcomes. He
has been the driving force and visionary behind this new method of doing business. It has taught
the City to look at its services form the citizens’ perspective and understand what services they
value. Mr. Morrill has also set up the priority teams. He chose individuals whose vision went
beyond their immediate area. He was very successful in identifying their strengths and values. He
ensured the teams were a truly representative of all citizens: young and old, male and female,
African American and Caucasian. The new budgeting process helped bridge a 15 m illion dollar
shortfall.
Customer service is important to Mr. Morrill. He focuses his team’s efforts on providing good
service and lives up to that expectation himself. He does not use his position as Assistant City
Manager to avoid serving individuals. He takes time to speak with citizens and to help them. He
does not like conflict, but knows how to deal with it. He handles problems head on.
Mr. Morrill is a good presenter. He is comfortable in front of employees, citizens, and the Board.
Reference Notes
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Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Sincere,
Involved in the community,
Professional,
Articulate,
Genuine, and
Earnest.
Strengths: Team building, vision, and good management skills.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Jenny Payne, Management Services Coordinator, City of Savannah, GA, (912) 651-6420
Ms. Payne has known Mr. Morrill since 2005. She reports directly to him. He has been a strong
leader and is the heart of the organization. He allows his employees to grow without boundaries.
He trusts them and encourages them to do their work. He creates an environment in which the
staff want to work hard for him and produce their best work. He is a very qualified individual and
often acts as the City Manager when that person is absent.
When making a decision Mr. Morrill collaborates with his team to make the best decision for the
community. The results may not always be successful based on some traditional measures of
achievement, but they do represent the best interests of the whole community. That is his focus.
The City Council respects Mr. Morrill. They seem to respond to him better than they do the City
Manager. Mr. Morrill speaks to each of them using their proper title. He understands they are the
most important decision making body in the community so he addresses them professionally and
with respect.
Mr. Morrill is very responsive. He quickly returns phone calls. He spends time with residents,
often listening to their issues when the problem could possibly be handled by someone else. He
is sensitive and in tune. When holding a discussion with someone, he will get up away from his
desk to sit at a table, without his phone or Blackberry, so they can talk without distractions.
Mr. Morrill often plays the role of mediator. In one instance, some time ago, the Economic
Development Authority was having an awards ceremony in a public place. Savannah Gay Pride
group was also in the area handing out flyers. Police who were monitoring the ceremony asked
the group to leave. Mr. Morrill was called regarding the situation. Although the Police Chief
should have been the one to handle the situation, Mr. Morrill understood the political sensitivity
needed. He met with the group and the Police Chief to explain and monitor the discussion. He
helped the group understand that the police would have asked any group to leave the venue had
the situation been reversed. The request of the Police was meant as an attack against their
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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specific group. He was successful in calming this group. He even arranged for the Economic
Development Authority to follow up with the group and express its regrets.
As explained in earlier references, Ms. Payne mentioned his implementation of Budgeting for
Outcomes. This new program has led to collaboration across departments. Another project Mr.
Morrill facilitated was a 54 acre development of land adjacent to the historical downtown district.
As also previously noted, the owners of the land had wanted to create a gated community. Mr.
Morrill was able to convince them that sort of development would not be the best use of the
property or nor would it be fit well with the historic downtown area. Together they came up with
a plan to develop the area for mixed use, including single family homes, the extension of the river
walk, retail spaces, and public squares. A tax allocation district was created, and forty percent of
the land was donated back to the community. The owners of the property are very happy with the
plan and how it will best meet the needs of the community. The project is in development now.
The Master Planning for this project received the 2009 Charter Award from the Congress of New
Urbanism and the 2009 Excellence in Government Finance Award from the Government Finance
Officers Association of the United States and Canada.
Mr. Morrill has been the Chair for the Leadership Savannah Board of Directors since 2007.
Leadership Savannah is an organization that sponsors community leadership, networking, and
training. Each year a group of thirty people is selected to participate through an application
process. The group reflects the diversity of the community and consists of people from every
sector. Mr. Morrill is well respected in this arena. He makes it a priority to participate in their
events.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Leader,
Encouraging,
Team player,
Genuine,
In tune with people, and
The heart of the organization.
Strengths: Leadership skills and people skills.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Robert “Bob” Bartolotta, City Manager, City of Sarasota, FL, (941) 954-4109
Mr. Bartolotta has known Mr. Morrill since 1989. He was the Assistant City Manager in Savannah
when Mr. Morrill was the Senior Management Analyst to his office.
Reference Notes
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The City has greatly benefited from Mr. Morrill’s financial skills. He negotiated a Local Options
Sales Tax shares for Savannah along with those of Chatham County, and six other municipalities.
He has devised employee incentives measured by productivity, and authored a bonus plan. He is
an excellent writer and has published several articles regarding finance. He is a dedicated worker.
Mr. Morrill knows how to simplify complex issues. He can diffuse a heated situation through his
patience and calm demeanor. He has a strong moral compass and stands firm in what he believes.
He is an advocate for customer service. He has provided training to his staff in customer service.
He listens to citizens’ complaints and will work with them to solve their problem. He follows up
with each citizen to check on the progress of the solution.
Mr. Morrill’s communication skills are excellent. He is very talented at talking people through
issues and building consensus. He has a excellent vision of the big picture and how to coordinate
the efforts of his team.
Mr. Morrill is well prepared to be a City Manger. He manages eleven department heads including
Budget, Audit, and Information Systems. He interacts with the Council every day and is well
respected by them. He has excellent people skills.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Visionary,
Consensus builder,
Focused on people,
Hard worker,
Ethical, and
Excellent writer.
Strengths: Diplomatic skills, people skills, vision, and customer service oriented.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Gregg Schroeder, President, United Way, Savannah, GA, (912) 308-3810
Mr. Schroeder has known Mr. Morrill since 2002. Mr. Morrill is an active member of the United
Way Board of Directors. He is very enjoyable to work with because he has a genuine personality.
Mr. Morrill has been a good partner to the United Way. He has been a key player in the success
of several projects. One such project involved addressing the need for quality early childhood
education. Savannah has a high drop out rate. To combat the problem, the United Way wanted to
create a positive educational path for young children through use of a child care center.
Reference Notes
Christopher Morrill
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The community did not have one. United Way teamed up with a local construction equipment
company, JCB Inc. to develop a nationally accredited child care center. Mr. Morrill joined with
them as a City representative. JCB and United Way provided the funding for the project, and the
City provided the infrastructure for the center. Mr. Morrill shared the same vision as the United
Way and used his resources and talents to bring their projects to successful completion.
Mr. Morrill is a key person in the city government. Often staff or citizens will approach him rather
than the City Manager. He takes anyone’s call and listens sincerely. He is very likable and easy
to work with. He has masterminded the financial stability of the City. His implementation of the
Budgeting for Outcomes method has been a great success.
In town hall meetings, Mr. Morrill is very good on his feet. He treats others with dignity and
respect. He patiently listens to their complaints. Even when Mr. Morrill has to bring bad news to
neighborhood associations, he is able to explain the reasons in a manner that helps them
understand. He has good rapport with the general public because he responds to their needs.
Mr. Morrill is experienced and well qualified to be a City manager. He is a hard worker and a
positive person to be around.
Adjectives or Phrases Used to Describe Mr. Morrill:
Thorough,
Accomplished,
Outcomes focused,
People oriented,
Optimistic, and
Realistic.
Strengths: Team player, vision and dedication to serving the community.
Weaknesses: None identified.
Prepared by: Tiffany Gremmert
Colin Baenziger & Associates
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Christopher Morrill
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
November 6, 2009
ENMARK, CITY TO TRY FOR COMPROMISE
Author: LESLEY CONN
A rezoning request for a planned Enmark station is being delayed two weeks so city officials and
Enmark representatives can try to develop a compromise to appease residents dead-set against the
station. Poplar Place residents are worried the rezoning will allow Enmark to build a convenience
store and pumps at White Bluff Road and Hampstead Avenue, which will further push commercial
development into their residential neighborhood.
Several City Council members at Thursday's meeting expressed their support for Enmark, which
has promised to build a store that would use subdued colors, low signage and other design elements
to better blend with the residential neighborhood. Alderwoman Edna Jackson said she disagreed
with City Manager Michael Brown's initial recommendation to deny the rezoning. "That corner
has been an eyesore for years," she said. "Anything would be better."
Aldermen Tony Thomas, Van Johnson and Jeff Felser concurred. As council members debated
the rezoning, Alderman Clifton Jones repeated and expanded on an allegation from one of the
residents. He stated that Ben Farmer, a local real estate agent and member of the Metropolitan
Planning Organization, had an agent who had sold the property to Enmark. Alderman Van Johnson
called the allegation "very unsettling," and Mayor Otis Johnson directed city staff to investigate
the claim. He was uncomfortable that the statement had been made publicly, he said, and said if
found untrue, it would be corrected publicly.
Farmer, reached after the meeting, said the claim was untrue. He once had a listing on the property,
but it expired with no sale. "We had nothing to do with that transaction. If I had I would have
disclosed it." Farmer and Jones spoke late Thursday, and the alderman said he will issue a public
apology. "I'm prepared to do that at our next meeting," Jones said.
In other action, the council:
- Did a first read on a revised, proposed ordinance that would require mandatory alcohol server
training, registration and permitting. The council had been struggling with how broad the
ordinance should be, and after discussion determined it would not expand the requirement to
include all hotels, restaurants and other businesses that serve alcohol. Most of the problems with
underage drinking center in nightclubs, they agreed, so other establishments would only be forced
to comply if they were cited for alcohol-related issues.
- Because of lower sales tax revenues, the city is anticipating receiving $33 million less in special
purpose local option sales tax money, which helps fund projects like the Forsyth fort renovation,
drainage projects, park improvements and similar work, Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill
told council during its workshop.
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The city had been expecting $160 million, but more likely will receive about $130 million. That
will require reviewing the city's list of projects and delaying some of them, Morrill said. Council
members did a preliminary review of dozens of projects, but will do a more detailed review of
projects at its upcoming budget retreat, which is scheduled for Nov. 30.
Morrill also showed council that because of lower revenues, the city is reducing by several million
dollars the amount of money it sets aside in its general fund for capital improvements. From 2006
to 2008, the city spent about $5 million. This year, it set aside no money in the fund, and for 2010,
plans to set aside $1.6 million. Because of the reduction in funds, the city will concentrate only on
needed maintenance projects with those monies.
- The council got an overview of the proposed Historic District Ordinance. Once passed, it will
provide specific guidelines for building height, design standards and the approval process for new
structures in the district. Brown called the public input and review process "one of the most
exhausting" the city has undertaken.
Council will consider the ordinance on first reading at its Nov. 19 meeting.
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
September 25, 2009
BEST, WORST OF TIMES
LOCAL ECONOMY 'RIGHT IN SYNC' WITH REST OF STATE, NATION
Author: ARLINDA SMITH BROADY
Economic growth in the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Chatham, Bryan
and Effingham counties, significantly slowed in 2008, according to data released Thursday by the
U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Out of 366 metropolitan areas, Savannah ranked 144 with a Gross Domestic Product growth rate
of 0.2 percent. "These statistics suggest that the Savannah area profile is right in sync with the rest
of the state and the nation," said Jeffrey Humphreys, director of the University of Georgia 's Selig
Center for Economic Growth. "This recession was really tough on the entire region, and recovery
will be slow."
The slowdown in economic growth didn't just affect this region, data showed. About 60 percent of
metropolitan areas saw economic growth slow down or reverse. Real Gross Domestic Product
growth slowed in 220 of the nation's 366 metropolitan statistical areas last year, from 2 percent in
2007 to 0.8 percent in 2008.
Downturns in construction, manufacturing, finance and insurance restrained growth in many
metropolitan areas, including Savannah, with government spending showing the most growth.
"No one was really surprised by the data," said Chris Morrill, Savannah assistant city manager.
"We knew the recession hit us harder and later than a lot of areas." And although it's down from
previous years, the city is doing better than the state as a whole, which saw slightly negative growth
at -0.6 percent. "We're investing our very limited resources in economic growth and quality of
life," Morrill said, "and what's a more important quality of life issue than jobs?"
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Business in Savannah (GA)
September 16, 2009
CITY PROJECTS WOULD HELP DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS
Author: ARLINDA SMITH BROADY
During a meeting of the Downtown Business Association last week, Savannah Assistant City
Manager Chris Morrill outlined developments designed to help the association's members and
others. The first step in unifying economic development efforts was to unify the city logos,
Morrill said. So the city commissioned a new logo based on the city squares. "It's uniquely
Savannah, and it ties all the departments together," Morrill said. Another important step, he said,
was to grow population. So the city annexed enough land to increase its area by 40 percent. "W e
were losing population for the past 30 years," Morrill said. He compared Savannah's fate to
Detroit, where residents moved to the suburbs, causing the city to raise taxes to fight crime and
urban blight.
Now, several plans are in the works, including developments around Ellis Square and the fort
under construction in Forsyth Park. The Whitaker Street Garage, which lies beneath the square,
has been in use since October 2008. To break even for operations and debt service, the garage
must make $1.3 million this year, said Sean Brandon, director of the city's Mobility and Parking
Department. By the end of July, revenue figures for the Whitaker Street Garage are at $766,000.
"We'll probably make our projections," Brandon said. "It's feast or famine. ... Some weekends we
clear as much as $10,000, and others the garage is nearly empty."
The above-ground portion promises to be people friendly. "It will be the only square with a
building on it," Morrill said. There will be a hospitality center and permanent restrooms. One of
the most fanciful features is the fountains with 12-foot water jets that can project 260 colors of
LED lights. Those fountains can be turned off, and the square is wired to accommodate concerts
and other forms of outdoor entertainment. It can hold about 1,000 people and will have tables and
chairs instead of benches. "Benches aren't good for interaction," Morrill said. "We want this to
be a place to gather and be with friends and family."
As for the fort at Forsyth Park, a temporary band shell will accommodate concerts, plays and other
events but can be disassembled for everyday use. When the band shell isn't in use, fountains
similar to ones at Ellis Square will be in place. "We envision a very family-friendly atmosphere
where kids can play and parents can relax," Morrill said.
A restaurant leased by the Kessler Group, owner of the Mansion on Forsyth, and "the best
bathrooms in town" will be another draw. These projects and others are part of the city's plan to
partner with businesses to create a prosperous region. "We need to move away from the mentality
that citizens and businesses are customers," Morrill said. "We need to work toward partnerships.
The way to get out of this recession faster is to build community relationships."
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
September 9, 2009
MORE CITY BUDGET CUTS COMING
AS REVENUES FOR 2010 LOOK LOWER, TEAMS OF SAVANNAH CITY
EMPLOYEES PROPOSE CUTS TO SERVICES, DEPARTMENTS
Author: LESLEY CONN
The city of Savannah is looking at further reducing staff, merging offices and ending some services
- decisions that will be made in the coming weeks to trim another $3 million in spending by the
end of the year. The bleak prospect for 2010 will further spur spending cuts. City budget analysts
already see a $10 million decline in general fund revenue compared to 2009, sales tax revenue
remains unpredictable and property assessments that generate the bulk of city income have been
ordered frozen until 2011 by the legislature.
One of the more visible city services being evaluated: Ending the Savannah-Chatham police
department's mounted patrol unit. Officers would be rotated into patrol cars to fill vacancies.
"We're questioning everything," said Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill. "If it was just about
today, we'd be OK, but the problem is we don't know about revenue for the rest of the year."
A lower city revenue base, he said, is likely going to stay lower for the next 10 years, which will
require the city to re-examine its spending. The city already has reduced spending by about $12
million this year to offset lower revenues. That largely has been accomplished by leaving non-
essential jobs outside public safety vacant. Nearly 200 of the city's 2,600 positions are unfilled.
Bret Bell, the city's director of public information, said the city is continuing to look at eliminating
positions, but "we're not looking at mass layoffs."
BUILDING A BUDGET
Many of the spending cuts for the 2009 budget will be implemented immediately and will be
handled as part of day-to-day operations. Others, such as a proposal to end the mounted patrol
unit, have evolved as teams of city workers participating in a new budgeting process for 2010
evaluate city services. The teams are evaluating services under a variety of umbrellas, such as
neighborhood vitality, public safety, health and environment, poverty reduction and economic
development. City Manager Michael Brown will use their recommendations to build the city's
proposed budget in October. That will be presented to City Council members, who will evaluate
the proposal and can mandate changes before approving the budget in a series of public hearings.
That, too, shows a lean year ahead. The proposals the teams received for city services totaled $221
million, but the projected revenue available for them equaled $214 million.
LOOKING FOR SAVINGS
Among some of the other cost-saving measures:
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- A employee task force created to find savings in city mowing services identified $627,000 in
cuts.
Some was achieved by notifying citizens who had "tree lawns" - grassy strips between their street
and sidewalk - that the city no longer would trim them. But larger savings were found by not
hiring seasonal staff, reducing mowing frequency along streets, cutting back on plantings and using
in-house staff to maintain Laurel Grove Cemetery rather than fill a maintenance contract. Small
outlying parcels will be contracted out, Bell said, which will cost less than hauling the city
equipment as far south as Coffee Bluff to trim a small lot.
- Consolidating fire and police dispatch services by Jan. 1. The primary reason, Morrill said, is to
improve services, but some cost-savings are anticipated.
- Merging offices and employees.
The Citizen Office, which coordinates public notices to neighborhoods during large city projects
and other city initiatives, will merge with the Public Information Office.
Susan Broker, director of the Citizen Office, is filling an administrative position in the city
manager's office left open since Sean Brandon, the former assistant to the city manager, became
the city's director of mobility services and parking in April 2008.
Three staffers under her will move into Bell's office, and by November, the city no longer will pay
rent at an office on Oglethorpe Square.
Annual savings: $15,000 in rent.
"There are talks about doubling up other offices, and even though there may not be a personnel
reduction, there are reductions in rent, in office equipment and other resources," Broker said.
"Basicall y, everyone in the city is going through their budget and looking to see what they can do
without at least for the next year."
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
June 19, 2009
CITY STANDS BY RIVER PROJECT
OFFICIAL SAYS $20 MILLION OBLIGATION FOR SAVANNAH RIVER LANDING
STILL A 'GO' DESPITE FLAGGING ECONOMY
Author: LESLEY CONN, 912-652-0326, lesley.conn@savannahnow.com
The city of Savannah isn't backing away from its commitment to Savannah River Landing, even
as the economy challenges the waterfront development and the city budget. At a City Council
workshop session Thursday, Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill outlined the $20 million in
road, drainage and other improvements the city will undertake. That money will come from
revenue collected from a special tax allocation district established around the riverfront
development.
Alderman Tony Thomas was the first to question why the city was proceeding during the uncertain
economic times, especially given that from a public safety standpoint, President Street and General
McIntosh Boulevard have been issues for years. He said he supports the project but added: "This
raises a question for me. I've never seen us push an issue this hard."
The improvements, Morrill said, are about more than public safety. "Savannah River Landing
cannot really have any economic development until we deal with President Street," he said.
Aldermen Van Johnson and Jeff Felser later said they believe the city is sending mixed messages
about the development. "It was always my understanding of them as being mutually exclusive
projects," Johnson said. "Today I got the impression they are tied together."
Savannah River Landing's developers have invested $60 million in site improvements, Finance
Director Dick Evans said, and the $1.4 million in debt service the city is paying annually is still
manageable and worth it to honor the private developer's investment.
The mixed-use residential/commercial and retail development has a total estimated price tag of
$800 million, and it promises to redefine more than 40 acres of the waterfront just east of the
Marriott Savannah Riverfront hotel. As part of the original development agreement for Savannah
River Landing, the city had signed off on elevating and widening President and General McIntosh
and straightening a section of McIntosh. A second phase of President Street improvements, which
include building a bridge over railroad tracks, was not part of the agreement. In trying to secure
federal stimulus funds for that phase, city officials emphasized its hurricane evacuation and
improved safety features. "I saw no difference in the plan as it was proposed all along,"
Alderwoman Mary Osborne said. "That's a major development. Nobody's going to walk away from
that."
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The improvements along President help not only Savannah River Landing but also other planned
commercial and residential developments on the south side of the road, Osborne and city officials
said.
Should Ambling Cos., the developer, fail to move forward on its investment, City Manager
Michael Brown said, the city would have a site with improved roads, drainage, a riverwalk and
established water and sewer lines. He and other city officials said they were confident Savannah
River Landing would remain viable and were confident vertical construction would begin next
year, as company officials have stated.
Savannah River Landing continues to operate from trailers on the site. On Monday, the project
plans to unveil a new Web site, said Kate Freeman, the company's marketing and co mmunity
relations manager.
Sales efforts continue on the residential, commercial and retail front, but she said she could not
disclose any information about whether any new commercial or retail clients had been signed up.
"The economic times have certainly been a lesson in patience for us," she said. "But we're still
committed to the original vision of the project."
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
March 27, 2009
SAVANNAH TIGHTENING ITS BELT
COUNCIL TOLD BUDGET COULD BE SHORT BY $9 MILLION
Author: LESLEY CONN, 912-652-0326, lesley.conn@savannahnow.com
One out of every 10 city positions is going unfilled as the city of Savannah deals with declining
revenues expected to total $9 million. The city has left open 250 positions and by year's end
expects to have 330 positions vacant, said Chris Morrill, the city's assistant city manager over
financial services. Those openings so far have saved the city $1.6 million. A team of city
administrators reviews any job positions to determine if it needs to be filled. Only lower-level
police and fire department jobs are exempt from review so that public safety needs will continue
to be met. The city employs about 2,500 workers. Other teams of employees are examining key
aspects of city operations to look for further cost-cutting measures, but city leaders cautioned the
City Council on Thursday that the shortfall could be higher than anticipated.
One factor that could change the financial projections is any changes the state legislature may pass
regarding property and sales tax collections. "Bottom line, we may need to cut $10 million to $15
million," City Manager Michael Brown said. "I hope it's not $20 (million)." Revenue reports from
the first two months of the year show collections down in some key areas, Morrill said.
February sales taxes are down $388,000 from the same time in 2008, and hotel/motel taxes for
February are down $191,432. Building inspection fees are down $169,113. Some key areas are
doing better than expected. Recorder's Court fees were $142,148 above projections, and water and
sewer tie-ins - an early indicator of new building - are about $100,000 above projections. In
February, the city collected $600,000 in tap-in fees.
Morrill's budget presentation came during a council workshop. During council's regular session,
they took the following action:
- Passed a resolution to be sent to the Georgia Department of Transportation restating the city's top
priorities for transportation projects. None of the city's priority projects was included in the first
round of federal stimulus projects the state selected. Their top item for the second round will be
the widening and elevation of President Street, a $36 million project. Council members also asked
that local congressmen and groups such as the National League of Cities get a copy as well so they
could see that stimulus money was not making its way past Atlanta.
- Asked city staff to return within 60 days with recommendations for instituting a registration and
card system for bartenders and servers, as well as stiffer penalties for minors who try to buy
alcohol.
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- Approved a contract for $1.5 million for curbs, gutters, underground storm drainage and
pavement improvements in Fernwood, a neighborhood near Savannah State University. The
project has been on the city's to-do list for several years.
- Granted a liquor license to the owners of Sweet Melissa's, 35 Whitaker St. Owner Denise White
Pipkin agreed alcohol would be served only to dine-in customers. City officials had been worried
customers would be allowed to drink and congregate outside, which would contribute to pedestrian
traffic problems at the busy intersection.
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
February 25, 2009
CITY PREVIEWS STIMULUS SPENDING
COUNCIL MEMBERS LIST $422 MILLION IN ELIGIBLE PROJECTS, RANGING
FROM TRANSPORTATION TO JOB TRAINING AND DAY CARE
Author: LESLEY CONN, 912-652-0326, lesley.conn@savannahnow.com
The city of Savannah has identified $422 million in local projects and programs that could be
funded under the federal stimulus package.
Entries include $50.7 million for widening and elevating the President Street Extension, $30
million to upgrade Savannah-Chatham police headquarters on Habersham Street, $182,300 for a
downtown day care center and $100,000 for an electricians training institute.
Now city leaders have to determine which projects should have the highest priority - and which
will have the greatest chance of being deemed worthy by the 13 federal departments that will award
funding to competing projects that will pour in from across the nation.
All the projects under review are considered "shovel-ready," meaning work - and the workers who
would be hired - would start quickly.
Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill said the city was ahead of the game because of its five-year
capital improvement planning, which would drive what the city submitted. "It's a shotgun
approach," he said. "Those who will be successful will be flexible ... and will be able to mold their
project to fit the criteria."
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
February 24, 2009
CITY, COUNTY DISPUTE JAIL BILL
SAVANNAH, CHATHAM WORK TO RESOLVE $600,000 IN CHARGES
Author: ERIC CURL, 912-652-0312, eric.curl@savannahnow.com
The time it takes Savannah to reimburse Chatham County for costs associated with housing jail
inmates has some county officials concerned. City officials say extra time is needed to scrutinize
the county's error-filled monthly bills. According to an intergovernmental agreement, Savannah
is supposed to pay the county $35 per day for each inmate arrested in the city. Bills are to be sent
and paid monthly, but a back and forth between the two governments regarding certain charges
has delayed the process. The delays have been a recurring challenge and county officials are trying
to speed up payments, said County Manager Russ Abolt. "It's money we feel we're due," Abolt
said. Some county commissioners voiced concerns after no reimbursements were received after
the first quarter and only a small portion of the amount budgeted had been received after the second
quarter, which ended Dec. 31. Abolt attributed the delay to the time the city takes checking the
bills. On average, it takes two to three months from the time the Sheriff's Department sends an
initial list of jail fees until the final bill is sent, said Linda Cramer, county finance director.
A final bill for August, September and October did not get sent until January, Cramer said. Once
the bill is sent, Savannah typically pays in two to three weeks, Cramer said. Savannah paid the
county about $1.3 million last year for inmate housing, she said. About $404,000 has been received
this year. "When we have an accurate bill, we pay it," said Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill.
But accuracy is not typically the case, Morrill said.
Between 2003 - when the agreement became effective - and 2007, more than $640,000 worth of
errors were discovered, Recorders Court Director Prince Johnson said in a memo regarding the
issue. An average of 10 percent, or almost $10,700, worth of errors is found each month, Johnson
said. Sheriff Al St Lawrence and Jail Administrator Col. McArthur Holmes said there are
disagreements regarding certain charges. The city may refuse to pay for a city inmate once another
jurisdiction places a hold on that inmate, Holmes said. The city should still pay the bill, he said.
The day an inmate is "bound" to the courts is also commonly a matter of dispute. City officials
say inmates are often classified as city prisoners when the arrest actually too k place in the
unincorporated county. The county has no similar complaints from the other municipalities, St
Lawrence said. Other municipalities may return their rosters more quickly, but their bills consist
of only a small fraction of the bookings reviewed by Savannah, Johnson said. Savannah typically
reviews an average of 930 inmates and more than $100,000 in charges, while Garden City was
invoiced an average of about $5,600 in charges for the first 10 months of 2008. The county
proposed having the city pay an average advance each month to speed up the process. Depending
on the actual expense, the city would later be credited or charged. City officials declined. The
county should work on fixing the errors before the city should have to pay an incorrect bill, Morrill
said.
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Entrepreneur
August 2008
GFOA's new president-elect and executive board.(Government Finance Officers
Association) (Paul A. Macklem, Catherine R. O'Connor,)
The Government Finance Officers Association is governed by an 18-member executive board,
which consists of 15 members-at-large serving staggered three-year terms, the current president,
the previous year's president, and the president-elect. At the association's annual meeting in June,
GFOA members voted for a slate of nominees for president-elect and five new members-at-large,
each of whom is profiled below.
[Note: We have included only the information for Christopher Morrill
who was appointed as an at-large board member.]
CHRISTOPHER P. MORRILL
Assistant City Manager--Management and Financial Services
City of Savannah, Georgia
Chris Morrill has been a GFOA member for 17 years. He is a member of the GFOA Committee
on Economic Development and Capital Planning and also served on the GFOA Committee on
Governmental Budgeting and Fiscal Policy from 1994 to 1999. Morrill has been an instructor for
various GFOA training seminars including Budgeting for Budget Analysts, Capital Budgeting, and
Best Practices in Budgeting. He also reviews budgets for the GFOA's Award for Distinguished
Budget Presentation Program. He has spoken on issues including economic development at GFOA
annual conferences as well as at Florida and Georgia GFOA conferences. He has also written
articles for the Government Finance Review.
Morrill shares his expertise internationally He was a municipal finance advisor to the South
African National Treasury and a Peace Corps volunteer in public finance in Ukraine. He is a Fellow
of the Kellogg National Leadership Program. In Savannah, he instituted annual five-year financial
planning and five-year capital planning, reducing the tax millage rate by 27 percent in 10 years.
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
July 19, 2008
CITY MULLS HIKE ON TAX REVENUE, RISING FUEL COSTS
GAS PRICES, LOWER REVENUE BEHIND SAVANNAH'S CONSIDERATION
AGAINST ROLLING BACK PROPERTY TAX FOR FIRST TIME IN A DECADE
Author: ERIC CURL, 912-652-0312, eric.curl@savannahnow.com
High city fuel costs and less consumer spending mean some Savannah property owners will pay
more in property taxes this year. City Manager Michael Brown recommended during a City
Council workshop Thursday that the board not roll back the property-tax rate as it has done for the
past 10 years. "We could reduce it, but there are several reasons not to," Brown said. "We're
recommending you stick with what you got at the moment." Maintaining the tax rate at its current
level of 12.5 mills - or $12.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value - means the owner of a
$125,289 home will pay $19 more than in 2007 due to increased property value, said Assistant
City Manager Chris Morrill.
Those same property owners would only pay $9 in additional property taxes if the tax rate was
rolled back to the recommended level. Savannah officials contend the extra money is needed
because the city is facing a projected $1.1 million shortfall in sales-tax revenue and about $800,000
in unexpected fuel costs. Much of the revenue decline comes from a drop in food, automobile,
home and lumber sales, Morrill said. A larger-than-expected increase in property-tax revenue is
enough to cover the difference but only if the tax rate is kept flat.
Commercial and residential properties that are not primary residences could see more of an
increase because they're not protected by the Stephens-Day Homestead exemption, which
essentially freezes a home's taxable value but factors in consumer price index fluxuations. There
have been some positive developments during the year, Morrill said. Property-tax revenue is
expected to increase 3 percent more than the city originally anticipated, which would bring in an
extra $1.9 million. More than 60 percent of the growth in property value, about $228 million,
comes from new development as opposed to reassessed values of existing property. "This is the
type of growth we want," Morrill said. The implementation of energy savings programs in city
buildings last year, such as new heating and air-conditioning controls and weatherized buildings,
has resulted in a reduced power bill, Morrill said. "It's the first time I can remember we are
actually spending less on electricity," he said. Hotel and motel tax revenue appears likely to come
in even or slightly above the budgeted amount. "Savannah has been amazing the last five years,"
Brown said. "A lot of these (hotels) are running around with 70, 80 percent occupancy." Still, the
tax rate needs to stay where it is to cope with the ongoing "recession," Morrill said.
Mayor Otis Johnson said he was concerned Georgia lawmakers could limit the amount of property-
tax revenue the city takes in after making unsuccessful tax reform measures this past legislative
season. "So I think we have to take a very conservative approach to what we do," Johnson said.
"The question is will we ... get caught up in the trend of the day and want to get o n the rampart
and say we cut taxes. If we cut taxes, what are we going to cut in services?"
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
May 1, 2008
LNG NEVER PAID FIRE FEES
SAVANNAH OFFICIALS WANT TO COLLECT MORE THAN $500,000 IN UNPAID
BILLS
Author: SCOTT M. LARSON, 912-652-0397, scott.larson@savannahnow.com
The El Paso Corp. made more than $1 billion last year, in part from the liquefied natural gas plant
it owns on Elba Island. But the company refuses to pay nearly $500,000 the city of Savannah
claims the company owes in fire protection fees from the last three years, plus $178,000 due in
October. "I can't imagine $178,000 to protect the community that they are located in would be a
real financial hardship for the company," said Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill.
In fact, in its 30-year existence on the island, the multi-national corporation has never paid for fire
protection.
It never has paid for the eight calls to which Savannah Fire & Emergency Services has responded
since 2001. But the city still covered the plant, including a freebie on Sept. 24, 2001, to rescue four
people working at the site who got trapped in a basket 80 feet in the air. Now, the plant is in the
middle of a fire protection controversy. After the city went to the company about the past due bill,
El Paso decided to sign a contract with Southside Fire & Emergency Services. "I'm not sure what
their thinking is, but I can tell you if they want real fire protection for an industry, the city of
Savannah is the only entity that can provide that level of service," Morrill said. "So it must be
about money."
El Paso spokesman Bill Baerg would only say that Southside is a better fit, although city officials
say Southside doesn't have the same capabilities. Fire aside, the plant and oth ers like it are
concerns for environmental activists and politicians alike. Area activists argue that the plant poses
a serious fire and explosion threat. Liquefied natural gas is a natural gas cooled to minus -260
degrees, but it won't burn in its liquid state. Industry officials say that means it won't explode and
level houses for miles as opponents claim. The Elba Island facility opened in 1978 but closed two
years later. It re-opened in 2001 and has never had any incident with the 200 ships that have
delivered cargo there since.
The U.S. Congress is worried about terrorists attacking liquefied natural gas ships. Last week, the
House of Representatives passed a bill requiring the Coast Guard to enforce security zones around
arriving tankers. El Paso's Savannah site is approved to nearly double to 15.7 billion cubic feet by
2012.
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
March 26, 2008
LOGO UNITES CITY SERVICES
LOCAL DESIGN FIRM CREATES UPDATED BRANDING FOR CITY ON MODEST
BUDGET
Author: EMILY GREEN, For the Savannah Morning News
You've probably seen it around town. The subtly scripted "Savannah" prominently placed in black
beside a tilted, abstract version of the city's historic green squares. The city of Savannah's new
logo is gradually showing up on everything from maintenance vehicles and parking meter receipts
to letterhead and envelopes. "It was important that the design be timeless, not trendy, so it would
not go out of style," Morrill said. "This should be a viable design for decades."
Don't let the simplicity of the logo fool you into thinking it is just another pretty design.
Months of research and proposed sketches by local design firm brightwhitespace, partnered with
an identity design committee made up of city employees, went into the production and
implementation of the updated logo, now visible all around Savannah.
IDENTITY CRISIS
The plan for rebranding the city of Savannah's image began during a conversation concerning the
more than 40 individual logos that represented various service departments. Film Commissioner
Jay Self and Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill discussed a need for one unifying look to
represent the city as a single entity and thus began the initial stages of rebranding.
The many existing department logos were not coherent or recognizable as part of the city of
Savannah. Some didn't even represent the intended service to the public, creating potential
confusion for citizens wondering which services their tax dollars supported.
"We have thousands of employees, thousands of vehicles out there doing work all day and people
don't think about them all being the city of Savannah," Self said.
THEY GET SAVANNAH
The city hired Ariel Janzen and Rigel Crockett of brightwhitespace to work on the project in stages.
Their previous experience with identities for the Liberty Parking Shuttle and Tourism and Film
Department provided some established trust, but more importantly, the committee chose the local
firm because they "get" Savannah.
"There's so much about Savannah that's so subtle," Morrill said. "You really have to live here to
get it. Having a local company rather than some big national firm come in was important to the
process."
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From studies and surveys to sketches with various colors, typography and imagery, the two teams
collaborated throughout the process.
PLACE BRANDING
"With so much competition for businesses, for visitors, you have to put out a positive image,"
Morrill said. "You have to put out an image that says 'we have our act together.' "
Janzen and Crockett researched other cities with successful rebranding and conducted surveys with
Savannah residents, which they used to help compile a list of identity requirements, design
specifications and branding goals with the committee.
"As with any identity problem, the challenge was one of perception," Crockett said. "Many city
employees did not feel good about their outdated 1950s-style, institutional business cards.
Additionally, because each of the city's departments had a unique logo, citizens were not always
able to identify which services the city was actually delivering."
WHAT'S IN A NAME
"We realized that the word 'Savannah' itself has a very positive message in it," Self said. "It's a
beautiful name to visitors and to locals alike. Instead of minimizing that, the word 'Savannah' is in
the center of the logo."
Deciding on an accompanying icon proved more taxing than choosing the main part of the logo.
After considering numerous icons, the committee selected one of the city squares tipped on poi nt
because of its messages. The committee realized Savannah means different things to different
people, however, the one thing unique to the city when compared to others is the public city
squares.
"The central core of the Oglethorpe plan and the ward is the square, the open space, the green
space, the sense of public," Morrill said. "For us it's the simplicity of the symbol and the allusion
to the public city squares," Crockett said. "This is important because the square not only represents
Savannah's beauty and livability, but it reminds us that the city has always been responsible for
their care."
The official design brief explained that the shading of the city square "creates a positive forward
motion." The use of green does justice to the countless parks and trees while emphasizing an
environmental focus, and the feminine serif font of "Savannah" captures the welcoming spirit.
"Even though the symbol is kind of a downtown symbol, those values radiate throughout our
community," Self said, "not only in public land planning and public spacing but also with access
and involvement."
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A SOFT ROLLOUT
The city purposely did not plan an official unveiling of the new logo mainly with the taxpayers'
best interest in mind. Instead, it opted for a soft rollout, which means using up supplies that
contained the old logos and waiting until vehicles are replaced. From start to finish the rebranding
cost totaled just less than $25,000, a cost virtually unheard of in most rebranding projects.
"We wanted to roll it out more organically so that people would subtly discover it," Morrill said.
"Externally, the whole rebranding as an organization shows that we're one organization, we have
core values that we work toward."
Public safety services such as the police and fire departments were not required to switch to the
new logo because of their widely recognized existing logos. Appointed city officials such as the
mayor and legal counsel will continue to use the more formal historic seal.
Brightwhitespace created a 42-page stylebook with specific guidelines for city employees to use
in order to avoid relying on outside vendors for printing. The stylebook contains color variations
of the logo in files formatted for Web and print and lists suggestions on how to use the graphics.
With city employees having access to the files, they can print on an as-need basis instead of having
to order in bulk.
"We thought there would be a lot of push back (internally) because it's difficult to implement
change in any organization," Self said. "But to my knowledge it has been universally accepted
because we rolled it out in a way for our people that made it as easy as possible for them to embrace
it."
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Augusta Chronicle, The (GA)
August 20, 2004
PROPOSAL BENEFITS TOURISM GATEWAY
Author: Scott M. Larson and Mary Carr Mayle, Morris News Service
SAVANNAH, Ga. - The tourist boulevard along Savannah's quaint River Street will expand soon
with the construction of a $570 million mixed-use development that city officials say will
transform a chunk of land - next door to downtown Savannah - that resembles a wasteland.
"If you look at it right now as you drive in, it's one of the gateways to Savannah, and it's ugly
looking," said Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill. "There are not many large sites in the city
so close to downtown where you could really do a quality development that could extend the
Historic District."
In the past, the site has scared off developers because of extremely poor drainage.
City officials said that, in the past couple of years, six or seven developers have met with the city
about the property but couldn't make anything work.
Mr. Morrill and John Hutton, the city's acting inspections director, are more optimistic about this
proposal because three developers, including a group building a mall just to the south, are working
together to address the big issues, such as drainage.
"All of a sudden, you are looking at doing something for one-third of the cost," Mr. Hutton said.
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
October 15, 2002
SAVANNAH OFFICIALS TO STAY IN INDONESIA
THREE CITY EMPLOYEES TO CONTINUE GOODWILL VISIT DESPITE VIOLENCE.
Author: Savannah Morning News
Friday, three Savannah city officials departed for Indonesia on a goodwill mission to offer their
expertise to a sister city across the globe.
The next day, while the group was in midflight, a bomb exploded in a Bali nightclub.
Sunday, the Savannah trio landed in Indonesia as thousands of Westerners attempted to flee the
island nation.
The three - acting Revenue Director Buddy Clay; Development Services Administrator John
Hutton; and Public Development Coordinator Cindy Boyette - were given the option of returning,
but decided to stay, despite a U.S. embassy order evacuating all nonessential personnel.
The city they are visiting, Yogyakarta, is located on the main island, they reasoned, and they are
being accompanied at most times by Indonesian security. As an extra precaution, they have
canceled planned media events to lower their visibility.
"They feel safe and they are going to stay," said Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill. "If the
situation changes, we will get them out quickly." Morrill, City Manager Michael Brown and
Finance Director Richard Evans visited Yogyakarta in March to establi sh the sister-city
partnership as part of a program funded by the International City/County Managers Association.
Hutton, Clay and Boyette will spend the week helping Yogyakarta improve its revenue system and
inspections process.
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
September 13, 2002
LOST SOLUTION MAY BE FOUND
NEGOTIATORS TENTATIVELY AGREE HOW TO SPLIT ABOUT $45 MILLION A
YEAR, BUT THE COUNTY COULD BLOCK THE PLAN TODAY.
Author: Jennifer Moroz, Savannah Morning News
After months of bitter back-and-forth, negotiators for Chatham County and eight municipalities
have reached a tentative agreement on how to split up millions of dollars in sales-tax revenue.
Under the proposed distribution of the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), the cash-strapped county
would get about $2.3 million a year more than it does under the current arrangement. County
Commission Chairman Billy Hair and representatives of the municipalities, including Savannah,
agreed the deal was a fair compromise. But some county commissioners say that it does not go
far enough, and their voices count: The proposal needs the stamp of the majority on the nine -
member commission to become final.
The commission is expected to consider the matter at its regularly scheduled meeting this morning.
Pooler Mayor Buddy Carter was confident: "We've got five votes lined up." County Commissioner
Frank Murray, one of two designated negotiators for the county, wasn't so certain.
"I don't think it's an offer that has the support to pass," he said.
Murray himself is against the proposal, which was hammered out over the last few days between
Hair and Savannah Mayor Floyd Adams Jr. Representatives of the other seven municipalities,
which have teamed up with Savannah in the negotiations, have signaled their approval. "I think
we're getting close," Murray said, "but I don't feel the offer is where it needs to be right now."
Proceeds from the 1-percent sales tax represent a major source of revenue for local governments,
which use the money to fund services - and lessen the property-tax burden on homeowners.
Over the next 10 years, the tax is expected to generate about $500 million. About 35 percent, or
$175 million, of that comes from tourist spending. The proceeds are divided based on a number
of criteria, including population, level of services provided by each government, and where the tax
is generated. The first split is between the county and the municipalities as a group; the
municipalities then decide how to divvy up their share. Under the current distributi on formula,
negotiated in 1995, the county gets 19.22 percent of the annual proceeds - about $8.3 million last
year. Savannah gets the bulk at 68.73 percent - about $30 million last year. Over the last three
months, county officials have argued that they have lost millions a year as a result of the 1995
deal, when they picked up the cost of housing municipal prisoners in return for a slightly larger
piece of the sales-tax pie.
Commissioners, who just finished closing an $11.7 million hole in the county's operations budget,
have blamed a large part of the county's ongoing financial woes on the prisoner issue.
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Municipal officials countered that the county has overestimated its losses, using faulty figures to
calculate prisoner costs.
Under the proposed new agreement, the county would get 17.6 percent of the sales-tax revenue -
an amount equal to about $7.9 million next year. It would charge the municipalities $30 a day for
each municipal prisoner housed in the county jail. The county would pay for municipal prisoners
not yet bound over to the state court system after 28 days.
County officials estimate those prisoner fees will bring in an extra $2.7 million a year. "I think
we've come to an agreement we can all live with," said Garden City administrator Tom Gates. "We
tried to do what was fair and right and protect the tax to make sure it continues to exist." If an
agreement is not finalized by Dec. 30, the tax expires. Up until last week, negotiations appeared
deadlocked.
County officials had originally been asking for 18.6 percent of the tax proceeds, plus $45 a day for
each municipal prisoner.
City negotiators in return offered the county a 15.51 percent cut of the sales-tax pie, with no help
to maintain the county jail.
Savannah Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill said the proposed deal was especially sweet for
the county. "They started at 18.6 percent and $45 (a day per prisoner) and look where this
agreement is," Morrill said. "This is a good deal for them." The city, which last year got about
$30 million of the proceeds and didn't have to pay to house its prisoners, would lose about
$600,000 a year. Morrill said he did not yet know how officials would make up the lost revenue.
If county commissioners ratify the agreement, the municipalities would decide how to divide the
remainder of the sales-tax proceeds. That division is usually based on population, which would
give Savannah 67.37 percent, or about $30.3 million next year. Bloomingdale would get 1.37
percent; Garden City 5.78 percent; Pooler 3.2 percent; Port Wentworth 1.68 percent; Thunderbolt
1.2 percent; Tybee Island 1.74 percent; and Vernonburg .07 percent.
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
February 1, 2002
SAVANNAH AGREES TO IMPROVE ACCESS
SETTLEMENT WITH JUSTICE DEPT. COMES ALMOS T 2 YEARS AFTER AUDIT
FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ADA
Author: Kate Wiltrout
Navigating Savannah's streets - and its bureaucracy - will soon get a little easier for disabled
people. The city is one of 21 state and local governments that settled Wednesday with the U.S.
Department of Justice regarding compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Now
almost 10 years old, the act requires that public facilities be made accessible to all people.
Chris Morrill, an assistant Savannah city manager, said the 11-point agreement should take about
two years to complete. He estimated it would cost about $300,000, and that money would be found
in the budget for the improvements.
Some of the changes are easier than others. For instance, all letters sent from city offices will have
a central TTY telephone number on them, so hearing-impaired residents can contact the city.
City Council chambers will be fitted with listening systems for the hard-of-hearing, as will
Grayson Stadium and the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena at the Civic Center.
Others are more labor intensive. The city agreed to physical modifications so that "parking, routes
into buildings, entrances, doors, elevators, signage, public telephones, restrooms, dressing rooms,
locker rooms, service counters, drinking fountains and swimming pools are accessible to people
with disabilities."
Carol Bell, Central Services director, said the city would go beyond what's required.
"We don't really have any qualms with the agreement," she said. City Hall will get one wheel-chair
accessible bathroom, though it was technically compliant already, with bathrooms in the nearby
hospitality center on River Street, said city architect Thomas Perdue.
"God only knows whether the original City Hall even had bathrooms," Perdue said. "The city
occupies a lot of buildings that are very historic and very old, and most of those are the ones we
have problems with."
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
November 13, 2001
NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ALL OVER THE MAP
Author: Kate Wiltrout
Chris Morrill started his job as assistant city manager for management and financial services in
August. The position is new to him - but City Hall isn't. Before spending two years in South Africa
working for the U.S. Agency for International Development, Morrill was Savannah's research and
budget director for seven years. That job was interrupted with a two-year Peace Corps gig in
Ukraine, where he advised the city of Lviv on finance, management and privatization issues.
Morrill, who works out of an office in the top corner of City Hall, filled the spot left when Bob
Bartolotta moved last October.
Here's what Morrill had to say during a break from last week's budget workshops:
What are some of your goals as an assistant city manager?
"First, to ensure that our city employees are well-trained, that they have a good work environment
and they have the support services (they need). ... Next is to maintain the city's strong financial
foundation, particularly through a possible recession."
He also wants to improve the city's use of technology, both for services and to get information out
to citizens. Another top priority is getting citizens more engaged with local government.
How has your work overseas affected your views about local government?
"In the Peace Corps (in Ukraine), I experienced government at its worst, where it's designed to
control and keep track of people rather than provide services. It really makes me want to focus on
the positive role government can play. In South Africa, post-apartheid, it was seeing that to really
have democracy you have to have citizen involvement. It impressed me how diligent they were at
that."
How do you think Savannah changed while you were in Africa the past two years?
"I think what I saw coming back was a lot more economic development, downtown and in the
neighborhoods. Areas like off East Broad Street that I thought were hopeless have all of a sudden
come back. ... I personally have seen a much greater police presence in my own neighborhood
(Ardsley Park), and the city seems a bit cleaner."
What can Savannah residents expect if the economy goes into a prolonged recession?
"If the recession is longer term and systemic, then we really need to look at prioritizing the services
we provide and actively look at our revenue sources. I think an increase in property tax would
probably be a last resort."
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Savannah Morning News (GA)
June 8, 2001
SAVANNAH HIRES NEW ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
Author: Bret Bell
Chris Morrill has spent much of the past five years helping to privatize the Ukraine and create a
new financial framework for local governments in post-apartheid South Africa.
With that kind of background, City Manager Michael Brown figures he will have little trouble
coming up with a budget for little old Savannah. Brown announced Thursday that he hired
Morrill, who helped create annual budgets for the city of Savannah for the better part of a decade,
as assistant city manager for management and financial services.
Considered one of the top three most powerful positions in city government, Morrill fills a position
that had remained vacant since October, when Bob Bartolotta left to run the city of Jupiter, Fla.
Finance Director Richard Evans served as assistant city manager in the interim.
Morrill will start work Aug. 13 with a $98,000 annual salary.
While working for the city from 1990-1992, and again, from 1994-1999, Morrill led an eight-
member team that prepared and monitored a $170 million budget.
"Chris made many improvements in our budget and financial management systems, as well as in
the quality and clarity of our presentation and public information materials," Brown said.
In his new position, Morrill will oversee 10 city departments, including vehicle maintenance,
finance, human resources, purchasing, central services and parking services.
Bartolotta drew some heat from city employees during his tenure when Vehicle Maintenance
Department employees claimed abuse and unsafe working conditions. The department's director
later resigned during a city investigation.
Some of those worker complaints led to the unionization of service employees earlier this year.
CHRIS MORRILL'S RESUME
WORK HISTORY
1999-present: senior municipal policy adviser for the National Treasury of South Africa -- United
States Agency for International Development
1990-1992, 1994-1999: research and budget director, city of Savannah
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1997-2000: fellow, Kellogg National Leadership Program -- studied community building in
countries throughout the world
1992-1994: Peace Corps volunteer -- advised the city of Lviv, Ukraine, on finance, management
and privatization issues
1988-1990: senior management analyst, city of Savannah
1986-1988: senior budget analyst, Catawba County, N.C.
1984-1985: downtown project manager, Lynn, Mass.
EDUCATION
Master of Public Administration, 1987 -- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Bachelor of Arts, 1984, political science major -- College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass.
Certificate in county administration, certificate in budgeting and financial planning -- North
Carolina Institute of Government
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Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (GA)
October 14, 1996
GEORGIA BRIEFS
Author: From wire reports
City to be compensated for Olympic security costs
SAVANNAH -- Savannah will receive $57,308 from the Legislature to compensate for
nonpersonnel security costs incurred during Olympic yachting events.
``The request was passed by the state legislature earlier on, and the governor's office gave it final
approval late last week,'' said state Rep. Tom Bordeaux, D-Savannah. ``The city is getting
everything it asked for, which is a good sign for Savannah and its planning department.''
The money is coming from a $500,000 governor's discretionary grant fund approved by the
Legislature so cities hosting satellite Olympic venues -- such as Savannah with yachting or
Columbus with softball -- could be compensated for security costs.
Savannah's budget director, Chris Morrill, said the money is welcome, even though all Olympic
costs are already covered by the city's $88.5 million general fund budget for 1996.
``It's like getting a bonus at work -- you don't go out and spend it right away,'' Morrill said.
ACOG already paid Savannah $290,000 to help defray police overtime in a deal negotiated earlier
this year by Mayor Floyd Adams Jr. The city still incurred an additional $244,000 in police
overtime during the Games, although all of it was budgeted by city officials.
Savannah requested compensation for computers, police vehicle maintenance, bulletproof vests
and extra barricades and other items needed around the venues.
Research Completed by: Vanessa Garner
Colin Baenziger & Associates
Appendix D
St. Johns County Resolution Thanking
CB&A for Its Outstanding Service
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