City staffer named Globe city manager

Brent Billingsley, director of developmental services, has been selected as Globe’s next city manager.

“I’m excited,” Billingsley said. “It’s something I’ve considered throughout my career.”

Billingsley said although he’d been offered similar positions in the past and turned them down because he thought he was too young, he now thinks the time was right “to see if I’m cut out for it.” Billingsley is 49.

His last official day with the city is Dec. 29. His salary with Maricopa is $100,491.

Billingsley’s first day as Globe city manager will be Jan. 2, but for now his family will be staying in Maricopa.

“Nothing’s going to happen for at least six months,” Billingsley said. “The last thing I want to do is uproot my family.”

He said during those six months both he and the Globe City Council will be able to see if the position is a good fit for all parties involved.

Billingsley said working for a city council will be different from working for a city.

“It’s different reporting to a council,” Billingsley said, adding that at any time he is four votes away from being out of a job.

He said his wife Maria, a recreation coordinator for Maricopa, enjoys her job and he doesn’t want to pull his kids out of school and away from their friends.

Tuesday was Billingsley’s last city council meeting, during which he bid the council and city staff farewell.

He said he was saddened to “leave my family that is the city staff behind, because I’ve become very close with a lot of the staff members.”

He also said he was disappointed he couldn’t fulfill a promise he made to Vice Mayor Ed Farrell to finish a list of projects by 2013.

Still, Billingsley said, “I’ve done my best to get those projects in motion, to make sure that they’re very high-quality facilities and done as inexpensively and as professionally as possible.”

Each of the council members complimented Billingsley on the work he has done for the city.

Councilwoman Julia Gusse said he would be “dearly missed.”

Newly appointed Councilwoman Peg Chapados said she had spoken with Billingsley often as a citizen and appreciated his willingness to answer questions.

“You are a wealth of information,” Chapados said.

Farrell said, even as a member of the committee that hired Billingsley, his expectations were exceeded.

“You have been an amazing asset to the city and have raised the bar so high I really feel sorry for the next development services director (because) they’ve got some huge shoes to fill,” Farrell said.

Billingsley joined the city staff in 2005 and rose through the ranks from transportation director to director of development services.

“He has seen us go through all the growth,” City Manager Brenda Fischer said. “It’s just been very honorable to work with him for the past 18 months.”

Billingsley in turn acknowledged the staff and city council.