Mount Pleasant City Commission release names of three city manager finalists

Mount Pleasant's City Commission announced the names of three finalists vying for the city manager position at its regular meeting on Monday.

Finalists for the position are Interim City Manager Nancy Ridley, Robert Bruner of Mount Clemens, and Pete Olson of Yorktown, Ind.

Aside from Ridley, who was announced publicly as a candidate early in the search, Bruner and Olson opted to remain anonymous throughout the process. The revelation of their names comes two weeks after commissioners voted to schedule three dates later this month for a public reception and interviews.

Olson currently serves as the town manager of Yorktown and was appointed to that role in 2009. Previously, Olson served as the deputy town manager in Yorktown, the city manager of Union City, Ind., as well as holding down a city administrator position in Sutton, Neb. Olson earned his undergraduate degree in political science in 1997 from Fort Hays State University in Wichita, Kan. He earned his master's degree in public administration in 2002 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

In 2010, Olson became a credentialed member of the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA).

Bruner, the third candidate, is the interim city manager of Mount Clemens. Previously, Bruner served as city manager in such cities as Birmingham and Ferndale, but also in assistant city manager positions for Ypsilanti and Oak Park. Bruner graduated from Albion College in 1999 with an undergraduate degree in political science and government. He earned a doctorate degree in the same field from Wayne State University in 2009.

The Mount Clemens manager is a credentialed member of the ICMA, as well, but also boasts a 2011 Crain's Detroit Business 40 Under 40 award.

Aside from fulfilling her duties as Mount Pleasant's stand-in city manager, Ridley holds the position of assistant city manager and the director Finance and Administrative Services. She has been doing both jobs since her appointment as interim manager in January. Ridley has worked for the city since 1997, and previously held multiple Finance and Administrative Services positions with Central Michigan University since 1985.

Ridley is a CMU alumna, earning both her baccalaureate and graduate degrees in business administration from the university. If she is not chosen for the position, Ridley said she would return to her role as assistant city manager.

The three candidates will be introduced to city officials and the citizens of Mount Pleasant during a public reception on June 23. City Commission will hold public interviews with the finalists starting at 9 a.m. on June 24, and finally, will hold a public meeting on June 25 to announce its next manager.

Check back with cm-life.com later this week for more stories on the finalists.