The months-long search for someone to replace Cottonwood City Manager Doug Bartosh, who is retiring after 11 years, is finally finished.
At a meeting on Dec. 4, the Cottonwood City Council unanimously voted to approve an employment for Ron Corbin to take over on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Corbin’s contract provides him with a starting salary of $150,000. He is expected to attend the council’s annual strategic retreat on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 11 and 12.
“I’m just super ecstatic. I’m excited about this opportunity,” Corbin said after his contract was approved.
“I think that Cottonwood is a beautiful community. I think it’s moving in the right direction, and I’m all aboard. I can’t wait to get on the train and help join this winning team. I really feel like they have a lot of stuff going for them. There’s a limited number of city manager jobs in Arizona and for the fact that they chose me I am honored and blessed.”
Corbin has spent the past four years in Yuma, where he is currently deputy city administrator. But he feels that even after living and working in a city of 100,000 people, he is a good fit for a small town like Cottonwood. Corbin grew up in Garfield, Ark., a small community with a few hundred residents and more cows than people. He said he sees municipal government work as sharing many of the same values, whether in a big city or a town like Cottonwood with 12,000 people.
“We actually provide pretty similar services,” Corbin said. “There are differences, but it’s kind of funny listening to the council meetings — you have zoning issues, they were talking light issues. We have those kinds of issues here. Noise issues — we have those kinds of issues here. So I may not have as many dollars to solve the problem as I do here, but even with the size of Yuma we do not have enough money to go around. So it’s smaller scale but a lot of the same problems.”
“As a government, it is smaller, and that sometimes means you have fewer resources,” Corbin said. “On my executive team [in Yuma] we have about 18 people that attend. We’re not going to have 18 senior officials in Cottonwood. That means you have a smaller bench of expertise, which means people have to wear more hats. So you often have employees who are more well-rounded.”
Corbin spent time in Yuma as human resources director, a position that the City Council viewed as a huge plus in selecting him for the job.
“Corbin just stood out because he presented a better plan to the council on what his first year in the position would look like,” Cottonwood Mayor Tim Elinski said. “Because of his background in human resources, he’s very familiar with all departments of the city. Human resources is the one department in the city that’s connected to every other departments. He’s got familiarity with all departments and I think he understands the council is looking for ways to find new efficiencies in the way we provide our services. I think he’s going to be better able to assist us with those goals.”
“I have a strong belief in building up employees, not tearing them down,” Corbin said of his HR experience.
“I just believe in working with employees to help them succeed. I really don’t believe I’m here because of any one thing I’ve done. I’ve made other people successful and when other people are successful, as a leader you probably get more credit than you deserve.”
In Corbin’s view, his experience in HR means that he understands well the numerous different departments of a municipal government that he has worked with, and is able to get involved with any of them as need be.
“My philosophy as HR director has always been that it is force multiplier. It’s a job of human resources to make other people successful.”
That view also extends to Corbin’s ideas about interacting with the city council. Though he of course views his coming position as city manager as one of leadership, Corbin also seeks to defer to decisions of the political body on the future direction of the town. He said that in his conversations with council, he had felt a desire to help Cottonwood grow while also maintaining its authentic small town feel.
“When I get a clear vision from council, that will determine which kind of direction we go, and the kinds of controls we will put into place over the next few years.”
Corbin’s wife, a dermatological physician assistant, and two dogs, are joining him in the coming move to Cottonwood. They hope to move shortly after the holidays. He has two children, a daughter who now lives in Arkansas, and a son in the Coast Guard in San Antonio.
Jon Hecht can be reached at 634-8551, or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
