The Nati

Maybe I'm crazy, but this sure sounds like a process reverse-engineered to back into a candidate already in mind. Newport is looking for a new city manager. Someone to run the day to day, and handle everything from Police and Fire to Economic Development. Newport obviously isn't a huge city, but some of the plans in the works are definitely large.

Commissioner Jan Knepshield is leading the group (or at least he's the only one that really ever makes public comments) to select the next city manager. This quote says a lot to me:

"It will be from the inside out," Knepshield said. "We will look locally first,
because we have some really talented people locally; then we will expand to
regional, then national, if necessary."

That last part 'if necessary', to me is telling. Perhaps I'm reading to much into it, but I'd be willing to be a nickle that they don't go beyond the list of candidates from Newport for the job.

And finally, there is another interesting comment:

"Knepshield said experience should include a deep knowledge of city history."

Doesn't that pretty much eliminate anyone not from here? And history is important, but is that really the key ingredient to a successful city manager? I just feel like this is a bad case of 'Yur not from 'round here are ye?'. And I also feel like a big part of this decision is going to come down to who the 4 incumbent commissioners can best control... they're looking for a yes man/woman. But I guess we'll see, perhaps they'll prove me wrong.