Erie’s next town manager will inherit more than a rapidly growing town. The new manager will face major water and infrastructure decisions, financial pressure and a Town Council whose own members described themselves Tuesday night as “split” and “divided” on some critical issues.

Three finalists — La Porte, Texas, City Manager Corby Alexander, Greeley Deputy City Manager Kelli Johnson and Littleton Deputy City Manager Kathleen Osher — appeared before the Erie Town Council on Sept. 29 for nearly three hours of public interviews.

Although the candidates brought different backgrounds and approaches, council repeatedly returned to the same questions: How should Erie manage growth without losing its small-town character? How should it pay for infrastructure and secure water? How can town government operate more efficiently? And what role should the next manager play in improving communication among council, staff and residents?

The interviews are the final stage of a national search that began after council terminated former Town Manager Malcolm Fleming’s contract in February. Fleming had led the town since 2019. Council subsequently appointed Meredyth Muth as interim town manager while conducting the search. Erie received 60 applications before a review committee, working with consulting firm Raftelis, narrowed the field to six semifinalists and then three finalists.

The hire will also arrive amid another transition at Town Hall. Mayor Andrew Moore announced earlier this month that he will resign after adoption of the 2027 budget, currently scheduled for Nov. 10. The Town has said Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Bell will become mayor when Moore’s resignation takes effect. However, former Erie Home Rule Charter Commissioner Ashraf Shaikh raised a question during public comment about whether the charter instead requires the mayoral vacancy to be declared immediately upon receipt of Moore’s written resignation. 

La Porte, Texas, City Manager Corby Alexander

Alexander has served as city manager of La Porte, a community of roughly 38,000 southeast of Houston, since 2012. He previously worked in municipal management in Bonham, Jefferson and College Station, Texas.

Alexander emphasized clearly separating council’s policymaking authority from the manager’s responsibility for day-to-day operations. He said staff should provide council with complete and timely information — including information members may not necessarily want to hear — before carrying out whatever policy council ultimately adopts.

“I’m always a good soldier,” Alexander said. “Once we’ve got the policy directive in place, we’re going to carry out and we’re going to do our dead-level best to make sure that whatever that policy directive is, is successful.”

On water, Alexander acknowledged a significant difference between Erie and the Texas communities he has managed.

“In Texas, or at least the cities I’ve served, we’ve never been in short supply of water,” Alexander said.

He said Erie would need to rely on water experts while considering a wide range of options, including partnerships with neighboring communities and potentially additional reservoir storage.

Greeley Deputy City Manager Kelli Johnson

Johnson has worked for Greeley since 2019, first as director of communication and engagement before becoming chief of staff and, later, deputy city manager. Her current portfolio includes community and economic development, housing, homelessness, parks and recreation and communications and engagement.

Johnson repeatedly framed Erie’s problems as interconnected. Economic development requires infrastructure, infrastructure requires money and development itself depends on adequate water.

“When everything’s a priority, nothing is a priority,” Johnson said.

She argued that the manager’s role should include presenting council with the full costs, risks and trade-offs behind its decisions rather than simply recommending individual projects.

Johnson also pointed to her work on a large downtown redevelopment effort in Greeley involving the city, Weld County, the school district and private development. She said the project required land exchanges and coordination among multiple governments while keeping major public employers downtown.

Littleton Deputy City Manager Kathleen Osher

Osher, meanwhile, has worked for Littleton since 2018 and currently serves as deputy city manager. Her previous positions with the city include manager of innovation and performance excellence, community services director and assistant city manager. Before joining Littleton, she was executive director of Denver-based Transit Alliance.

Osher proposed a more formal framework for some of Erie’s largest decisions. Using water as an example, she suggested council could identify priorities such as supply, affordability and local control, determine how heavily each should be weighted and evaluate alternatives against those values.

She also emphasized avoiding surprises between the manager and council.

“If a single member of council has a question, that question is captured, answered and released to all of council,” Osher said.

Some of the night’s most revealing answers, however, did not come from the candidates.

During his opportunity to question council, Alexander asked members to describe a critical trait the next manager should possess. Answers included proactive, considerate, efficient, listener, inclusive, negotiator and communicator.

He then asked members to describe the council itself.

“Split,” one member answered.

“Passionate,” said another.

Another described council as “divided” on some critical issues, while others offered “engaged” and said members cared deeply about the community despite having different ideas.

Alexander followed by asking members to describe their ideal council. This time, the answers included collaborative, transparent, thoughtful, visionary, compassionate, fair and open to conversation.

The difference caught his attention.

Alexander asked what it would take to move the current council closer to the body members had just described. Council members pointed to listening, psychological safety, curiosity, finding common ground and approaching discussions without predetermined positions.

“I don’t think we always make enough of an effort to get there,” one council member said.

Alexander told council that, from an outsider’s perspective, its differences did not appear insurmountable.

That issue surfaced repeatedly throughout the night. Johnson said she would want to help council members build relationships with one another while ensuring all seven members receive information consistently and equitably. Osher similarly emphasized sharing information across the entire body rather than allowing individual members to operate with different sets of information.

Bell described the manager as a “chief problem solver” connecting elected officials, staff and the public.

Whoever takes the job will also inherit significant infrastructure and financial decisions.

Erie’s 2026 budget totaled approximately $393 million across all funds and included major capital projects such as a new water treatment plant and expansion of the Public Safety building. Town officials acknowledged reduced revenue projections and economic uncertainty while developing the budget. Water priorities included additional treatment capacity and continued work with regional partners involving the Northern Integrated Supply Project and Chimney Hollow Reservoir.

Council pressed each candidate on government efficiency, including whether Erie should continue funding two deputy town manager positions when one is currently vacant.

None committed to immediately filling or eliminating the position.

Alexander said vacancies provide an opportunity to determine whether a position remains “mission critical.” Johnson said she would first examine the organization’s structure, workload and responsibilities. Osher similarly said she would spend her first months assessing how the organization functions before recommending structural changes.

Council also questioned candidates about hybrid work, an arrangement some town employees expressed concern could change under new leadership.

All three were broadly receptive. Alexander said he was flexible about scheduling as long as employees provide excellent public service. Johnson said she would first determine whether hybrid work was negatively affecting residents before changing a system employees appear to value.

Osher was the most explicit.

“I’m super supportive of hybrid work,” she said, while adding that organizations need clear and consistent standards for managing remote employees.

The three finalists had already met residents during a public meet-and-greet Monday and underwent additional interviews with town leadership before appearing before council. Erie has said feedback from residents, employees, leadership and council will factor into the selection process.

After the public interviews, council entered executive session to discuss personnel matters, candidate feedback and its negotiating position for a potential employment agreement.

No candidate was publicly selected Tuesday night.

Whoever emerges from those negotiations will enter a Town Hall already preparing for changes beyond the manager’s office. Moore’s coming resignation, Bell’s move into the mayor’s seat and November council elections mean the next manager will have to build relationships with a governing body that will itself soon change.

Throughout the interviews, council members repeatedly returned to what they wanted that relationship to look like: transparent communication, the same information delivered to everyone, trust between council and staff and a manager capable of turning competing priorities into action.

As Alexander’s questioning of council made clear, the next town manager may be tasked not only with managing Erie’s government, but with helping the people governing it work together.