Ridgefield expected to name city manager tonight

Ridgefield city councilors tonight are expected to name one of two high-profile candidates as the next city manager.

Clark County Commissioner Steve Stuart, a Democrat, and Vancouver Assistant Police Chief Chris Sutter are the finalists for the job, which involves directing day-to-day operations in Clark County’s fastest-growing city. Ridgefield has about 5,500 residents, but annexations of industrial land near Interstate 5 and homebuilding activity have greatly increased growth in a formerly sleepy town that still lacks a major supermarket.

Mayor Ron Onslow said this morning that the City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m., then go into an executive session to discuss the merits of each candidate. Then they will convene a public meeting and vote on a contract offer to the finalist. He expects the process to be wrapped up by about 7:30 p.m.

The council has already interviewed both Stuart and Sutter, and had some private discussions.

Sutter, 52, served as Vancouver’s interim police chief for about a year after former Chief Cliff Cook resigned amid a number of controversies. Last fall, Sutter applied to fill the position permanently, but the city went with James McElvain instead.

Stuart, a 42-year-old Ridgefield native, is the lone Democrat among Clark County’s three commissioners. He’s served on the board for a decade. In November, Stuart announced he wouldn’t run again, expressing his disillusionment and frustration with the job.

A third finalist, Port of Woodland Executive Director Nelson Holmberg, withdrew after he accepted a private-sector job with a Vancouver land-use and development consulting firm.

The new city manager will earn a salary in the range of $105,000 to $125,000.

Coincidentally, Ridgefield’s school board is also looking for a new leader this year to succeed Superintendent Art Edgerly, who has announced plans to retire. A decision on a successor could come this month.