KINGMAN – Interim Kingman City Manager Grady Miller toured municipal facilities and infrastructure and spent time meeting department heads and key staff members once he began his new job Sept. 25. Miller has no major reforms in mind but understands Council direction regarding one local government service sector.

“The one area that I think Council identified as a concern before I was hired was the

whole development services arena, the building, safety, plan reviews and inspections and so I’m kind of focusing on those areas right now,” Miller said Wednesday. “What I appear to see so far is competent staff but there are some work processes that I’m likely going to be making some adjustments to.”

Miller said tweaks can ensure that plan reviews are completed in both a thorough and timely fashion. He said leadership will come from a new position that council authorized during the summer budgeting process.

“I went ahead and authorized us to move forward on the Development Services Director recruitment and I will likely be the one involved in the hiring decision,” Miller said. “I think it’s important for that position to get going on maybe implementing and instituting some of these adjustments.”

Miller said he also embraces the council wish to push forward on the Interstate 40 Kingman Crossing and Rancho Santa Fe Traffic Interchange (TI) projects. He said he’d be meeting with private sector parties (KDP Manager and Kingman Regional Medical Center) this week and next to ensure ongoing communication and that “everyone’s on the same page.”

Miller said both TIs are near the 95% design completion point though he didn’t want to speculate about timetables associated with putting the projects out to bid and groundbreaking.

The contract employing Miller through Jan. 25 can be extended, but he believes a forthcoming national recruitment campaign will result in a selection and hiring, and a new city manager coming on board sometime next Feb. or March. “I want to make the organization ready for the new manager so that the new manager can be as successful as possible,” Miller said.

KINGMAN – Interim Kingman City Manager Grady Miller toured municipal facilities and infrastructure and spent time meeting department heads and key staff members once he began his new job Sept. 25. Miller has no major reforms in mind but understands Council direction regarding one local government service sector.

“The one area that I think Council identified as a concern before I was hired was the

whole development services arena, the building, safety, plan reviews and inspections and so I’m kind of focusing on those areas right now,” Miller said Wednesday. “What I appear to see so far is competent staff but there are some work processes that I’m likely going to be making some adjustments to.”

Miller said tweaks can ensure that plan reviews are completed in both a thorough and timely fashion. He said leadership will come from a new position that council authorized during the summer budgeting process.

“I went ahead and authorized us to move forward on the Development Services Director recruitment and I will likely be the one involved in the hiring decision,” Miller said. “I think it’s important for that position to get going on maybe implementing and instituting some of these adjustments.”

Miller said he also embraces the council wish to push forward on the Interstate 40 Kingman Crossing and Rancho Santa Fe Traffic Interchange (TI) projects. He said he’d be meeting with private sector parties (KDP Manager and Kingman Regional Medical Center) this week and next to ensure ongoing communication and that “everyone’s on the same page.”

Miller said both TIs are near the 95% design completion point though he didn’t want to speculate about timetables associated with putting the projects out to bid and groundbreaking.

The contract employing Miller through Jan. 25 can be extended, but he believes a forthcoming national recruitment campaign will result in a selection and hiring, and a new city manager coming on board sometime next Feb. or March. “I want to make the organization ready for the new manager so that the new manager can be as successful as possible,” Miller said.