BC planner unanimous selection for manager

Friday, July 18, 1997 | 9:15 a.m.

There are three components to municipal government -- the workers, administration and elected officials.

John Sullard has been a worker, from a city planner to a department head; and an elected official, from a city councilman to a mayor. But, he's never run the show as a city manager. Until now, that is.

The Boulder City Council on Thursday passed on two other finalists with city manager experience to give Sullard, the city's planning and community development director for the last 15 months, a shot at the one job in municipal government he has never done -- and, quite frankly, did not intend to do.

"It was never my intention to come here and be the city manager," Sullard said Thursday, minutes after receiving a 5-0 vote from the council at a special morning meeting. "I only applied after people approached me and talked to me about it."

Sullard replaces Eppley

Sullard, who turns 54 on Wednesday, replaces Don Eppley, who resigned under pressure last November. Since that time, Robert Boyer, the finance director/assistant city manager, has been running things as interim director. He resumes his old post.

Eppley was accused of supporting measures that would promote or encourage growth. It often is joked about Boulder City that folks there consider growth a four-letter word.

"I would like to define what 'no-growth' means to the people," Sullard said, regarding one of his goals during his tenure. "Certainly if you are talking about a lot of houses, people in Boulder City have clearly said they don't want that.

"But does that mean no new hangars at the airport? No potential of a veterans home? We have to look at things like that."

Sullard said he plans to take an active role in finalizing the comprehensive plan, which he calls "a common vision for the community, so that everyone understands where Boulder City is going in the next 10 years."

He also sees the town's beautification project as another main issue.

"No question quality of life is the No. 1 issue in Boulder City," said Sullard, a former city councilman and mayor of San Buenaventura, Calif., in the 1980s.

"But quality of life also includes (having the money for) adequate police and fire protection and parks and recreation."

The council still has to decide his salary. Sullard currently earns $76,000 a year. His predecessor earned $86,826. A recent salary study says the Boulder City manager should receive $101,000 -- the figure Sullard says he wants.

"This is not a money thing, though," Sullard said after being given the job. "Right now, I'm just overwhelmed at being selected. I guess I'm just shocked."

Boulder City Mayor Robert Ferraro said Sullard's experience ranging from a city worker to mayor of another town along with his feel for Boulder City were strong reasons for selecting him.

"When I asked him why he wanted the job, he said, 'I like Boulder City,'" Ferraro said Thursday. "He's aware of the conditions in Boulder City and has done an admirable job in the post he has held.

"And I have received a number of letters and calls in support of him getting the city manager's job."

Ferraro said that Sullard's experience in economics -- he has a master's degree from the University of California at Riverside -- and his past office-holder positions are invaluable to his new job.

"He knows the importance of working with a balanced budget and limited finances," said Ferraro, who when not mayoring is the director of customer relations at Pepcon/Halotron.

"Being a former councilman and mayor absolutely is a plus. I think he'll do a fine job."

Of the 130 applicants, a citizen's committee narrowed the field to three. The other two finalists were Mark Fitzgerald and Gary Suiter. Fitzgerald is a city administrator in Burlington, Wis. Suiter, a graduate of Valley High School, is the town manager of Snowmass Village, Colo.

University of Colorado graduate

Born in Kansas, Sullard was raised in Colorado and earned a bachelor's of economics and political science degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Sullard began his career in city government as a staff planner in California, before leaving to go into private planning for four years. He was encouraged to run for the City Council in San Buenaventura in 1982, winning in his first try at any office.

He was re-elected as mayor in 1984.

"I got that out of my system," Sullard joked, noting that he has no designs on the seats held by those at whose pleasure he will serve.

"But the experience of being an elected official was good because it is always best when you have a chance to stand in someone else's shoes and see what they see."