Waterville post draws wide range of resumes

3/20/2002

From across the country and around the globe, people are lining up for the chance to serve as Waterville's next municipal administrator.

Among the nearly 30 applicants: a former Maumee mayor, a former Holland councilman, and the mayor of Woodville. Resumes have come from California and Kansas as well as Germany (a serviceman who is looking for a job when he returns to civilian life).

Steve Pauken's name is perhaps the most widely known in the stack of resumes. “My abilities and qualifications are comparable to the position you offer,” wrote Mr. Pauken in his letter to Mayor David Myerholtz.

As town administrator in Berthoud, Colo., “I was the Chief Administrator of all of the town's projects and operations, which include 32 fulltime employees and a $8.6 million budget,” Mr. Pauken wrote, noting that when he was “chief administrator and chief executive” for seven years in Maumee, he managed 162 full-time employees and a $25 million annual budget.

“I have accepted every challenge, large and small, and have never failed to produce positive results,” Mr. Pauken said in his letter.

However, when contacted about his application, Mr. Pauken said he is “not going to comment on that right now.” He did say that he is being considered for three city-manager type jobs in communities in Colorado.

Jan Busdeker, who has been mayor of Woodville for a little over two years, is employed fulltime at Brush Wellman in Elmore. He served as a councilman for 14 years in Woodville before he became mayor. Woodville's population was 1,977 in 2000, said Mr. Busdeker who was born and raised in Gibsonburg.

He described problem solving as one of his strengths. “I feel I am capable to defuse a situation and work with the proper authorities to solve an issue that may or may not benefit the residents in question,” he stated in his application letter.

Robert Kolasinski, who was a councilman in Holland, has 21 years of experience as a police officer, he said in his letter to Waterville council. “I possess the knowledge needed to be an effective administrator and leader of your progressive community,” he stated.

A search committee is looking over the applications and narrow the field to a few top choices. Deadline for submitting resumes is March 31, said Kirk Kern, assistant municipal administrator. Mr. Kern has not applied for the job to replace Thomas Mattis who left in January to become city manager in Kyle, Texas.

In Waterville, Mr. Mattis was paid about $65,000.