Published: Monday, Feb. 18, 2013 / Updated: Monday, Feb. 18, 2013 04:56 PM
Finalists for Tega Cay City manager all similar in age, experience
TEGA CAY --
Tega Cay is down to four finalists for the city manager position. Below are the contenders looking to lead the city:
Andy Blondeau
Age: 37
Current role: assistant city administrator, City of Clemson
Education: Master of Public Administration from Clemson University (2009), Bachelor of Science in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from Clemson (1999)
Experience: program manager/capital improvement, community and economic development for City of Clemson; sales manager for the Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau; tourism director for the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce; operations manager Winston-Salem Events
Community involvement: former board member of the Foothills Area Family YMCA, Anderson County Arts Council and Leadership Pickens County; former Anderson chapter president of Professional Network Connections; elder at Fort Hill Presbyterian Church, member of several executive and leadership groups
Accomplishments: Oversaw Clemson City Hall expansion, construction of a new transit office and bus storage facility and a 300,000 gallon digester for the water treatment plant; updated Clemson’s five-year capital improvement program budget; managed a three-phase streetscape enhancement project; established a retail development program supporting and recruiting local business, assisted in preparation of city’s annual budget
Joe Cronin
Age: 32
Current role: assistant town manager and planning director, Fort Mill
Education: Master of Public Administration from University of South Carolina (2005), Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/History from St. John Fisher College (2002)
Experience: assistant town manager and planning director for Fort Mill; research division manager for county administrator in Richland County; intern in the city manager’s office for City of Columbia
Community involvement: Technical team member for the Rock Hill-Fort Mill Area Transportation Study; marketing committee chair for the South Carolina Strawberry Festival; former board member of the Midlands Workforce Development Board and Columbia Climate Protection Action Committee; graduate teaching assistant with USC political science department; intern with Rochester City School District board in Rochester, N.Y.; assistant coach with the Monroe County Youth Hockey Association
Accomplishments: Assisted in preparing Fort Mill’s more than $16 million budget; served as town’s planning director and zoning administrator; helped secure more than $2 million in transportation grants through RFATS; managed $5 million county hospitality tax program in Richland; coordinated a $521 million transportation plan
Charlie Funderburk
Age: 37
Current role: Operations director and interim city manager, Tega Cay
Education: Masters in Public Administration from Anna Maria College (2012), graduate of the executive development program at Clemson University (2007), Bachelor of Science from Winthrop University (2001)
Experience: Operations director and interim city manager for Tega Cay; parks and recreation director for Tega Cay
Accomplishments: Oversees public services including public works, parks and recreation, water/sewer, stormwater and the city’s beach and swim center; obtained funding for more than $1 million in C-Funds for street resurfacing, $800,000 in air quality grants, $500,000 for sidewalks and $320,000 in transportation enhancement projects; increased recreational program participation by 20 percent; nearly tripled park and recreation budget without tax revenue; obtained $200,000 to refurbish playground and bring them into safety compliance
Jeff Molinari
Age: 38
Current role: assistant city administrator, City of Goose Creek
Education: Master of Public Administration from University of South Carolina (2000), Bachelor of Arts from State University of New York College at Geneseo (1996)
Experience: Assistant city administrator for Goose Creek; active planning director for Goose Creek; graduate assistant/research associate for USC Institute for Public Service and Policy Research; intern with the South Carolina Energy Office and New York State Division of Human Rights
Community involvement: Currently serves on the Bushy Park Industrial Complex Community Advisory Panel, the Charleston Area Transportation Study Enhancement Committee and the Charleston Area Transportation Study Environmental Committee
Accomplishments: Supervises planning department, technology department and public information office; serves on Goose Creek’s Economic Development Advisory Committee; assisted with a five-year plan to make Crowfield Golf Club profitable; secured more than $800,000 for hiker/biker trials and $70,000 for passive recreation and green space; negotiated purchase of 14 acres for recreation space; planned, prepared and presented city budgets of up to $36.7 million; administered sign regulations and zoning ordinance.
Officials have not announced a target date for choosing a top candidate. Earlier, some have said they would like to hire a new city manager by the end of this month, but so far, no one has committed to a more specific date. At press time, no meetings were scheduled to discuss the candidates.