GENEVA — City Manager Amie Hendrix has advised Mayor Jim Cecere that expectations may need to be modified, given her departure early next month.
At a special meeting June 16, Hendrix touched on priorities following her July 8 exit. Assistant City Manager Taylor Youngs will take over for Hendrix as acting city manager.
Those priorities were detailed in a memo to City Council in which Hendrix outlined what city management will be focused on for 2026.
“The organization has a finite amount of management capacity,” Hendrix told Council in her memo. “During any leadership transition, it is important to focus on the work that is most critical to the city’s financial stability, operational effectiveness, and long-term success.”
The modifications are needed, Hendrix said, for the administration to deliver the “2027 budget on schedule; support ongoing labor negotiations; maintain service levels for residents; continue progress on major housing and planning initiatives; and position the organization for a successful transition to the next permanent city manager.”
Some changes she outlined:
Paused until 2027: new grant application development, a Department of Public Works facility request for proposals and design study, and ad hoc committee recommendation-implementation planning.
Paused until at least 2028 is another Downtown Revitalization Initiative planning and application effort.
“Transitions naturally create questions about priorities, capacity, and the work ahead,” Hendrix wrote. “The recommendations outlined in this memorandum and guide are intended to provide a practical framework for maintaining momentum on the city’s most important responsibilities while ensuring organizational stability during this period.”
Hendrix noted that Council “will continue to receive regular updates on these efforts, and priorities can be revisited as organizational needs, opportunities, and challenges evolve,” saying she has “full confidence” in the ability of Youngs to guide Geneva through the transition to its next city manager.
Cecere appeared to take a more wait-and-see approach to what the city can and cannot do following Hendrix’s departure.
“The city manager provided a transition memo prioritizing the continuity of city services,” Cecere said a day after the meeting. “City Council recognizes this means the transition process will also result in constraints, given the acting city manager has other responsibilities. I’m now meeting separately with her, and am increasingly comfortable that her duties will be properly managed.
“It’s too soon to identify specific constraints, other than resources are limited. City Council will be working closely with Taylor and key staff to ensure both continuing and prioritization of new initiatives, including those by the ad hoc committees.”
Meanwhile, Cecere said there will be no search for a new city manager until he finishes his appraisal of the job.
“City Council has appointed me to take the lead on looking at the role and our management structure,” he said. “This is an opportunity for us to examine what works and where we can improve things. I expect this to occur over the next 30-60 days and then to commence a search.”