Following a successful visit by local government officials to Cloverdale, Calif., Nina Regor has been officially hired as the new Camas city administrator.
Mayor Scott Higgins and current City Administrator Lloyd Halverson spent two days in the northern California city located in Sonoma County conducting a site visit and background check on Regor, who has been the Cloverdale city manager since 2007. In December, Higgins gave her a conditional job offer that was subsequently approved by the City Council.
According to Higgins, the site visit was a chance to confirm what they had been told by Regor during the interview process and through reference checks, and also investigate her reputation in the community.
“Things went really well,” he said. “It was a good trip.”
Higgins and Halverson met with a Sonoma County commissioner, the city manager from a neighboring jurisdiction, as well as current and former members of the Cloverdale City Council. There were also visits to the local newspaper, chamber of commerce and police dispatch center, and conversations with citizens.
“We confirmed the things we already knew, and got a chance to see how she was respected by the county folks,” Higgins said. “People really had nothing but high praise for her. The bottom line is we didn’t hear anything we didn’t expect to hear.”
Regor, born in Clark County, previously served as the deputy city manager in the City of Spokane Valley, Wash., and as assistant city manager, executive assistant to the city manager and a budget analyst in the City of Gresham, Ore. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., and a master’s degree in public management and policy from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Although the city typically conducts background and reference checks with each new employee, this is the first time that a site visit has been part of the hiring process.
“It had been suggested to us in our last department head hire [Fire Chief Nick Swinhart] that it would be a good thing to do,” Higgins said. “I think we will be seeing a little more of this when it comes to hiring for key positions. I think this kind of cautious approach is one we will be using in the future.”
Regor, 51, has now signed an employment contract with the city, and is set up on the city’s email system. Her salary will be $10,651 per month, plus benefits. Her first day on the job will be Friday, Jan. 25, the kickoff to the city’s annual planning conference. It will begin at 1 p.m., at City Hall.
Higgins said Regor’s role during that event would be mainly observational, but there are plans for her to lead at least one section of the agenda—a strategic planning activity.
“It is a strength of hers and something I think she is proud of,” he said. “It will be the most visible part of her work [during the planning conference] and the thing I think will be a benefit to everyone.”
During her first few weeks on the job, Regor will attend meetings with Higgins and Halverson, be introduced to the community, and get up to speed on city issues. Halverson, who has been city administrator for 23 years, will work in a part time capacity until his retirement at the end of March.
“[Regor] is doing a lot of prep work now, but there will be a learning curve,’ Higgins said. “She knows it could get a little bit crazy, especially with it likely being one of the busiest years for the city. It’s a lot, but it’s as good a time as any for [the change in city leadership] to happen.”
