This is an outstanding opportunity for a seasonedmanagement professional to live, to work and to raise afamily in a vibrant, micropolitan community located inwestern New Hampshire. The highly engaged City Council isseeking an experienced city manager to continue Lebanon’sdevelopment as one of the nation’s best places to live.

INTRODUCTIONThis Profile is intended for use as a resource in the search forthe City of Lebanon’s next City Manager, both to provideprospective candidates with key information and to providea framework for discussions between individuals involved inthe search process and prospective candidates.

Much information is provided herein but candidates areencouraged to learn more about the City of Lebanon on itswebsite: http://www.lebnh.net and are also encouraged toget more information at http://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/documents/upper-valley-onthemap.pdf

LOCATION The City of Lebanon encompasses approximately 40 squaremiles and is situated in the southwest corner of Grafton Countyon New Hampshire’s western border with Vermont. TheConnecticut River, New England’s longest river, runs adjacent tothe City and separates the two states. Lebanon is at thecrossroads of two important interstate highways: I-89 (NH/VT,with 4 exits in Lebanon) and I-91 (VT). These highways link

Lebanon with the major cities of New Hampshire and Vermont,as well as Boston, New York and Montreal. Boston is 2 hoursaway by vehicle or 45 minutes by air; you can drive to NewYork in 4 hours or fly and arrive in mid-town Manhattan in 2-1/2hours after a limo ride from White Plains; Montreal is a 3-1/2hour drive, or you can travel by Amtrak's Vermonter out of WhiteRiver Junction, VT (Lebanon's neighbor across the river). TheVermonter will also take you south as far as Washington, DC.The White Mountains can be seen from vantage points inLebanon, lakes and rivers abound, and the skiing nearby isamong the best in the Northeast.

HISTORYEarly settlement in the region was concentrated beside theConnecticut River in what is now West Lebanon, and in theMascoma Lake region near Enfield. Lebanon’s originalcharter was adopted in 1761. In the mid-1800s, a milldistrict developed along the Mascoma River between WestLebanon and Enfield, and at various times the districtsupported furniture mills, a tannery, woolen textile mills, aclothing factory, and several machine shops. This districtattracted many French-speaking workers from Quebec andbecame Lebanon center, while West Lebanon developedinto a railroad hub. As in many New England mill towns,these industries and the railroad declined in the 1950s and1960s. Lebanon incorporated as a city in 1958. In, 1964,the city center suffered a catastrophic fire that destroyed alarge portion of downtown. An urban renewal projectresulted in a new pedestrian district locally known as “TheMall,” which replaced the area destroyed by fire adjacentto Colburn Park, the heart of Lebanon’s central businessdistrict. The City then set about recreating itself, andembarked on a sustained process of commercialdevelopment and economic revitalization.

While Lebanon still has a friendly feel and architecturalappearance of a small New England town, it serves as thecommercial hub of the “Upper Valley,” a region that includesapproximately 170,000 people (both from New Hampshireand Vermont) serving needs that range from employment toretail shopping to first-rate health care.

LEBANON IN 2015There is a strong desire on the part of the City Council andresidents to better shape and control their future and not justcontinue to have it happen to them. Citizen engagement effortsare at an all time high. The most recent City Manager instituteda Citizens Academy (http://academy.lebnh.net) that providesinterested residents with an in-depth opportunity to learn aboutCity government and issues. This program has been wellreceived and, along with many other outreach programs, hasresulted in a better informed citizenry.

Economic vitality, excellent planning and communications remainin the forefront for the City, as both of its historic central downtown

LEBANON – AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY

business districts are targeted for continued revitalization in thecurrent Master Plan. More than 2M sq. ft. of private commercialand industrial development space has been approved by theLebanon Planning Board over the past 5 years. There are also twogrowing commercial corridors with plenty of retail and restaurantopportunities. Implementation of smart growth principles, mixeduse urban design, sustainability, resiliency, and preservation of aquality community life will be instrumental as this growth begins tobe realized.

The City’s Planning Department webpage contains a significantamount of useful information that candidates will find very helpfulin better understanding the City, including the City’s Master Plan, athttp://planning.lebnh.net.

DEMOGRAPHICS, BUSINESS,EMPLOYMENT & CULTUREIn relation to the economy of the Nation and the State of NewHampshire in general, Lebanon fares well in terms of income, age,and the unemployment rate. In 2012 the median householdincome was $54,628 and the median age was 39. Theunemployment rate is just over 2%, well below the state andnational averages.

The City’s resident population hovers around 13,500, but itsestimated daytime population is nearly 35,000 with regionalresidents entering the City to work, shop, eat, visit doctors, dentists,banks, exercise facilities, and friends and family. The nature of theCity’s largest employers create a transient resident population(staying three to five years on average) which presents a challengewhen trying to balance the needs and interests of the more transientresidents (and daytime population) with the desire of long-timeresidents to maintain the character and beauty of Lebanon as asmall town in New England.

The City’s largest employer is the renowned Dartmouth-HitchcockMedical Center (DHMC) and affiliated Geisel School of Medicine.DHMC is the largest medical facility north of Boston and is NewHampshire’s only academic medical center. Lebanon also has anexcellent community hospital (Alice Peck Day) with two affiliatedsenior facilities that provide independent and assisted living.Dartmouth College is located in the adjacent town of Hanover butemploys many Lebanon residents. There are many high-tech andadvanced manufacturing firms and research and developmentcompanies in the City. “Centerra” is the City’s first mixed-use,industrial-based “Planned Business Park.” It is home to firms such asLuminescent Systems, Adimab, Ansys/Fluent, and TomTom.Outside of Centerra, Lebanon is home-base for companies such asHypertherm, Timken Aerospace, Woodstock Soapstone, andMascoma Corp., and houses branch locations for companies suchas Fuji Film/Diamtix and Novo Nordisk.

The region provides a range of cultural opportunities not typicallyfound in rural areas. The 800 seat theatre in City Hall is operatedby the non-profit Lebanon Opera House and hosts a variety ofnational and local performances including the professional OperaNorth. The AVA Gallery and Art Center is also located indowntown Lebanon. Dartmouth’s Hopkins Center and HoodMuseum of Art attract world class shows and exhibits. Ourneighbors to the east (Enfield) and west (White River Junction) eachhost professional theatres (Shaker Bridge Theatre and NorthernStage), while Enfield is also home to the Shaker Museum andWhite River is home of the Center for Cartoon Studies.

GOVERNANCE MODEL ANDORGANIZATIONALSTRUCTUREThe City of Lebanon operates under a City Charter and a Council-Manager form of government. The City Manager is the chiefexecutive and administrative officer, appointed by and reporting toa nine-member City Council. Council members serve for staggeredtwo-year terms, and annual municipal elections are held in March.Once seated, the Council appoints one of its members to serve asMayor. The Mayor works with the City Manager to set meetingagendas, chairs Council meetings and engages in publicceremonial duties. All work of the Council is officially done by thebody as a whole. The City Manager takes part in discussion of allmatters coming before the Council, but does not vote.

The City has a workforce of 175 full-time equivalents, of which 118are represented by one of four unions. Police employees arerepresented by the NEPBA; public works employees by AFSCME;firefighters by the IAFF; and administrative staff by the LebanonProfessional, Administrative, and Salaried Employees (LPASE), aTeamsters affiliate. At the direction of the City Council, the currentCity Manager successfully renegotiated all four agreements and allfour will expire in 2016.

The following departments report to the City Manager:

• Police • Fire & EMS • Public Works • Planning & Zoning • Finance • Office of the City Clerk • Assessing • Human Services • Recreation • Library • Airport • Human Resources

The Lebanon School District is governed independently from therest of City government. The District is overseen by a 13-memberelected School Board and a Superintendent. Its annual budget isapproximately $40M. More information about the District can beobtained at http://www.sau88.net.

CURRENT VACANCY IN THEOFFICE OF POLICE CHIEF The next City Manager will be recruiting and hiring a PoliceChief. The position vacancy arose out of the Police Chief’sannounced retirement this year. The Police Department has ahistory of choosing its leaders from within the agency. Hiring forthis position to carry on the tradition of excellent leadership will bea challenge and an opportunity. The Mercer Group will beheading up this recruitment effort.

CITY BUDGET The City operates on a calendar fiscal year. The annual budget isadopted by the City Council in December. The budget for FY2015 is approximately $50.2M, including general operations,water treatment and distribution, sewage collection and disposal,solid waste disposal, and municipal airport services and activities,plus capital improvements. Taxes, including property taxes,account for about 40% of total City revenues. Fees, licenses andpermits generate about 36%; another 20% comes from theproceeds from issuance of long-term debt (for capital improvementsonly) and inter-fund transfers; and the balance derives from Stateaid, a few grants and miscellaneous revenues. New Hampshirehas no general sales tax or general income tax (taxing onlyinterest, dividends, and some income of business owners) andstruggles to balance its budget, so the revenue sharing portion ofaid to municipalities has been curtailed since 2009.

The General Fund makes up 51% of total revenues; CapitalImprovements Fund 26%; Sewage Collection and Disposal 9.6%;Water Treatment and Distribution 6%; Solid Waste Disposal Fund5.4%; Municipal Airport Fund 1.7%; and EmergencyManagement Fund 0.1%. The 2014 total property tax rate was$26.27 per $1,000 of assessed value. Broken down, the City’sportion ($9.07 per $1,000) was 37% of the total tax rate; thelocal school portion was 47%; the state school-funding portionwas another 10%; and the County portion was 6%. Theestimated 2015 Municipal Tax Rate is $10.04 per $1,000, a$0.34 or 3.5% increase over 2014.

The City's debt load is carefully controlled, and bonds are issuedthrough the New Hampshire Municipal Bond Bank utilizing theState's rate, so the City itself has no bond rating.

The City’s budget can be reviewed here:http://manager.lebnh.net/home/manager-docs/budget.

CHALLENGES,OPPORTUNITIES,EXPECTATIONS, ANDINITIATIVES

A set of Guiding Principles were adopted by the Lebanon CityCouncil on March 19, 2010 (amended on March 4, 2015) andset the course for the future of government decision making inLebanon. Operating under the core of these Principles, the nextCity Manager must:

• Build on the existing foundation – sustain the improvedalignment and publically praised level of customer service,community interaction and Council effort

• Continue in earnest relationship-building efforts with thecommunity at-large – including Citizens Academy,walkabouts, social media presence and real timecommunications

• Support excellent planning – sustain the focus forimplementation of the 2030 Master Plan

“All actions and policies ofthe government of the Cityof Lebanon shall, first and

foremost, benefit thecurrent residents of the

City of Lebanon.”

City of Lebanon GuidingPrinciple #1

• Develop, guide the process and implement a comprehensiveAirport Master Plan

• Further develop and budget for desired outcomes – continuethe joint partnership with the City Council to develop outcomebased goals and tracking of those outcomes

• Continue to build regional collaborations - to enhanceLebanon’s position and to benefit the city’s citizens

• Implement deliverables of 2015 Position Analysis Study

• Plan for succession in city departments

• Uniformly negotiate collective bargaining agreements

• Continue to improve workplace culture

• Strategize future capital improvement needs

• Work to sustain the efforts in place to create a shared sense ofplace and destination

• Continue transforming the words of the Guiding Principles andPrinciples for Sustainability into action

For additional information on the details of these Guiding Principlesand separate Principles for Sustainability, please contact Jim atjmercer@mercergroupinc.com

CHARACTERISTICS OF THENEXT CITY MANAGER The City Manager job description provides detailed informationabout the duties, responsibilities, education, experience, skills andabilities required. In addition to the specifications in the jobdescription, the ideal candidate for City Manager would also havethe following professional and personal attributes:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field, preferably a Master’sDegree or equivalent advanced degree, such as a Juris Doctor(J.D.)

• Ability to build relationships with the City Council, employees,and diverse community constituencies.

• Ability to partner with the City Council and others in creating,communicating, and implementing realistic and attainableshort and long-term goals for the City.

• Ability to attract and retain City employees, creating loyaltyand motivating superior performance.

• Creativity in solving complex problems and balancingcompeting needs while moving the City in a forward direction.

• An energetic, forthright, resilient, flexible and positivepersonality.

• A willingness to take a reasonable amount of risk andacknowledge errors or mistakes.

• A willingness to commit to the City for a significantperiod of time.

• An ambassador and advocate for the City with othercommunities, businesses, governmental officials and others.

• A fair-minded and ethical person in his/her professional andpersonal life.

• A good sense of humor and understanding of people.

• An appreciation and respect for the diversity of Lebanon’scommunity, cultural values and political views.

• ICMA membership or willingness/ability to become an ICMAmember upon hire.

• Demonstrated proactive planning skills

• Ability to continue implementing the current Lebanon MasterPlan

• Demonstrated skills in coalition-building, including awillingness to:

• Reach out to and foster relationships among residents,businesses, community groups, and other stakeholders.

• Continue to address neighborhood concerns through“walkabouts” and community conversations.

• Continue building public-private partnerships, includingcommitment to making the Economic Vitality Exchangeworking group successful.

• Understanding and interest in local human services and not-for-profit organizations

• Commitment to supporting public/private partnerships such asthose established through Friends of Lebanon Recreation andParks and the Lebanon Public Libraries Foundation

• A willingness to address transportation planning including theMascoma Greenway

• Demonstration of experience and understanding of the needfor resiliency in face of community challenges, such as thoseposed by natural or man-made disasters.

• Commitment to maintaining and improving local governmentcommunication and public engagement.

• Understanding for and support of the use of emergingtechnology to better processes and procedures.

• Commitment to continuing and making citizen engagementefforts such as the City’s Citizens Academy successful

• Demonstration of expertise and skills in providing backgroundand data to inform the Council’s discretion, promote Councilexcellence in policy setting, and facilitate more efficient andeffective governance.

SALARY AND BENEFITS PACKAGE The next City Manager will be paid commensurate with his or her experience andqualifications, in keeping with the overall salary structure of the City of Lebanon. Inaddition, the City of Lebanon offers a substantial employer retirement contribution and anoutstanding package of fringe benefits. A contract, with an appropriate performancereview, will be negotiated with the successful candidate. The most recent City Manager’ssalary was $130,000 with a monthly vehicle allowance of $600. The City currentlycontributes 10.77% towards retirement, which will increase to 11.17%, effective July 1,2015. Current contract language permits the City Manager to participate in the NHRetirement System or to enroll in the ICMA Retirement Corporation Section 457 DeferredCompensation or 401 Retirement Savings Plans.

Please note that the City Charter requires the City Manager to reside within the City ofLebanon.

APPLICATION PROCESSThis position is open until filled. First review of candidates will occur on June 15, 2015.

Confidential resumes should be sent by close of business on June 15, 2015 to:

James L. Mercer, President/CEOThe Mercer Group, Inc.5579B Chamblee Dunwoody Road, #511Atlanta, GA 30338

VOICE: 770-551-0403FAX: 770-399-9749E-Mail: jmercer@mercergroupinc.comWebsite: www.mercergroupinc.com

The City of Lebanon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The City of Lebanon does notdiscriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, sexualorientation, age, marital status, national origin, political ideas or disability inemployment or in the provision of services.