After 11 years of service as city manager of Cottonwood, Doug Bartosh announced on Thursday, Feb. 8 that he will retire in January of next year.Bartosh said when he took the helm as city manager, his main focus was on improving the quality of life in the city with a stronger code.
“We tried to emphasize making Cottonwood business-friendly,” he said. “I think we’ve always recognized Old Town Cottonwood as a diamond in the rough.”
Bartosh became the city manager in 2008 following a 30-year career in law enforcement. For those who have worked closely with Bartosh, his retirement did not come as a surprise.
“Doug has an incredible relationship with his family and especially his grandchildren, and I knew once he was vested it was only a matter of time before he retired so he could spend more quality time with them,” Cottonwood Vice Mayor Kyla Allen wrote in an email.
Allen said one of Bartosh’s most significant accomplishments was his efforts in helping to revitalize Old Town Cottonwood.
“I stood outside the Council Chambers recently, waiting for the doors to open for a meeting, and the amount of pedestrian and vehicle traffic we have through the area now is exciting to see,” Allen wrote.
Allen said that it wasn’t just Bartosh who brought forth the rebirth of Old Town, but it was his leadership and ability to collaborate with key players in the city that brought a thriving revitalization to the city.
“I believe it is that open communication and knowledge that Doug had a big picture plan for the area,” she said.
Bartosh acknowledged that his time as city manager did come with its fair share of hiccups, noting that the new Riverfront Water Reclamation Facility completed last month did have a history of controversy.
“Anything that is new and innovative is always going to meet some resistance,” he said. “In the long run, people will recognize the reclamation plant and that the idea of smaller package plants makes a lot of sense … people will think that was innovative thinking and that the city had the courage.”
Bartosh said he hopes to help the city realize its strategic plan in his final year. The city will begin looking for a successor shortly, and Bartosh said the new city manager will need to understand that Cottonwood is a center for retail and health care employment.
Being sandwiched between tourism hubs like Sedona and Jerome also plays into Cottonwood’s identity, Bartosh said.
“The new city manager will need to come in and reflect on that and continue to build on that kind of diversity,” he said.
Cottonwood Mayor Tim Elinski said the new city manager will need to have a love for the community and be an individual the whole council can work well with.
“It’s a very important decision,” he said. “I want to make sure we take our time with it. I want to make sure to fill that position as a decision-making body. I don’t want it to be my plan — I want it to be our plan.”
Kelcie Grega can be reached at 634-8551, or email kgrega@larsonnewspapers.com
