ROCKLAND — The Rockland City Council held a special meeting in Council Chambers at Rockland City Hall to talk about the search for a new city manager on Monday, September 19. The meeting was billed as a forum, and for the purposes of hearing the thoughts of citizens as Rockland commences yet another search for the position of city manager.

Audra Caler-Bell, Rockland’s interim city manager, who was promoted to the position from assistant city manager when James Chaousis abruptly resigned in June was not in attendance.

The community forum was attended by the city’s councilors and a hand full of citizens voicing their opinion on what the city should seek in its search for a city manager.

The forum was moderated by Rockland City Mayor Louise MacLellen-Ruf, who had set the meeting length at one hour and kept it to that.

Citizens delivered several suggestions about important city manager qualities.

As a side note, councilors wanted clarification of the role of council and staff when communicating with media outlets. It was a philosophical question, in the words of the mayor, and not a question for a new city manager, but on that deserved discussion at a later date.

Participants all agreed that a new manager should:

• Have knowledge of the working waterfront;

• be articulate;

• support diversity;

• understand economic priorities;

• be receptive to Rockland and its history;

• stay for seven to 10 years; and,

Mayor Louise MAcLelle-Ruf said the city will establish a search steering committee. That committee will act as a consultant to to the council in the city manager search process.