The search for a city manager for the City of Alliance begins yet again after Jeff Hecksel withdrew his application for city manager.
Mayor Mike Dafney said Hecksel announced his decision on Monday night.
“He took it from last Thursday through the weekend, and ‘til (Monday), then he finally called late, and said he had been struggling with it,” said Dafney. “He had been visiting with his wife, and they decided that the timing just wasn’t right for them right now. He had now qualms with the city, the council, the department heads, salary or anything like that. It’s a bad deal. I think he would have been a really good fit, but that’s how it goes.”
At a special meeting last Tuesday, the Alliance City Council voted to offer Hecksel the position after interviewing two candidates the previous week. Hecksel, who is the County Manager for Hood River County, Ore., has had more then 34 years of experience working for four different municipalities.
The motion to offer Hecksel the position came from Council Member John McGhehey, authorizing Dafney and Finance Director Randy Waggener to negotiate a deal with Hecksel. The council voted 4-1 to approve the motion.
Alliance has been without a city manager since former city manager Jeff Sprock resigned in September 2020, with City Clerk Tarrah Johnson and Waggener splitting the duties of city manager in the interim. Dafney said the council will continue the search.