Glendale Gets New City Manager
The city of Glendale has chosen a candidate from Washington state as its next city manager, city officials announced Friday.
Kevin Phelps currently serves as Pierce County deputy executive. He was also a Tacoma City Council member and deputy auditor for the state. Before that, Phelps was a business owner. He said the experiences will make him a more effective city manager.
“I think signing the front side of paycheck — rather than just the backside — really helped me value, how to run an organization, how to make good financial decisions, how to prioritize where you invest your resources at,” Phelps said.
With the city also searching for a new Gila River Arena manager, Phelps inherits questions about whether the Arizona Coyotes will stay in town. The Coyotes have confirmed they’re in discussions with several different groups about moving to another part of the Valley.
Hosting golf’s U.S. Open this year will help Phelps run a city that’s made huge investments in sports entertainment, he said.
“I think my efforts will be spent on trying to find out is there a way where a relationship can be crafted between the Coyotes and the city that is beneficial to both parties,” Phelps said. “And I would like to believe there is a path forward there.”
A recently revised agreement allows Glendale to replace the Coyotes as the arena manger in July. The same deal says the team will play in the West Valley until 2017.
Phelps will take over for Dick Bowers, Glendale’s interim city manager, who served since earlier this year when Brenda Fischer resigned after serving about 18 months. Phelps said he’ll provide stability to a city that’s had four managers in three years. At age 60, he hopes to work in Glendale for five to seven years.
Phelps is expected to start work in Glendale on Feb. 1. The City Council will likely make his selection official on Tuesday.
Updated 3:12 p.m.
