Scappoose selects new city manager

The Scappoose City Council has taken the next step to hire a permanent city manager, as they have selected Ben Burgener as their preferred candidate for the position, and he has signed a letter of intent.

The Columbia County Chronicle & Chief reached out to Scappoose Mayor Joe Backus for an update on where things are in the process and how they landed on Burgener.

“We are now putting together an employment agreement for Ben to sign and if that all goes well we will vote to appoint Ben as the Scappoose City Manager at a special city meeting on July 8 and then hope to vote on the employment agreement,” Backus said.

Backus said the four finalists were strong candidates but that the city went with Burgener for a variety of reasons.

“I believe that we went with Ben because we felt the experience of being a City Manager for a growing city in Oregon, combined with his passion for parks and recreation, made Ben a really good fit for our city,” Backus said. “He also has extensive experience in various positions that had him dealing with large budgets, management of other employees, and dealing with highway and transportation issues which will all help him be successful in Scappoose.”

Burgener is currently the City Manager with the City of Stanfield (OR), a position he has held since September of 2019. He began his public service career in 2017 as the Finance Manager and Administrative Services Manager for the State of Utah, Department of Transportation and then as City Administrator of Ada,(MN). He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Brigham Young University.

Upon negotiating an employment agreement, Burgener will take over the role from interim City Manager Larry Lehman. Lehman was appointed to the role when the previous City Manager, Alexandra Rains, departed the city for the Assistant City Manager role at Oregon City in February of this year.

On getting Burgener up to speed, Backus said the strong department heads within the city will work to get him up to speed quickly upon his hiring. Backus said Burgener would be able to learn about the city, start building relationships with key stakeholders, and “see where his experiences of the past can help our city.”

“The process is definitely a learning experience, and it takes time to do a good job. Fortunately we have a lot of good people in the city on council, on staff, and in the community that help make sure we get the job done right,” Backus said. “I am excited to get Ben and his family to town so they can learn just how special Scappoose is, and I am excited to help him get up to speed on the job so he can help keep it that way.”