Next Springfield City Manager: ‘I am excited for the opportunity…’

The City of Springfield announced Wednesday they have named the next city manager.

Current Deputy City Manager Bryan Heck has accepted an offer to be Springfield’s next city manager.

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“I’m honored to have been selected by the city commission to become Springfield’s next city manager,” Heck said. “I am excited for the opportunity to lead this organization comprised of very talented and hardworking employees who are committed to making Springfield a great place to live, work and play.”

Heck was one of three internal and 18 external applicants for the job, which opened when City Manager Jim Bodenmiller announced his retirement in August.

Heck has served closely with Bodenmiller and is also part of the Economic Development team. The team has the authority to utilize various state and local incentives in an attempt to create jobs, retain current industries, and recruit companies to Springfield.

Heck’s office is located in the city manager’s department.

He said he looks forward to tackling some of the challenges Springfield has.

“Our neighborhood streets are a concern,” he said. “We want to be able to continue to pave and fix the streets in the community. We need to focus on the criminal activities and the drug issues we see in our community. We are doing some great, positive things with the introduction of our safe street task force, reinstating the neighborhood street program and other initiatives that I think are going to be very successful.”

Heck will move into his new position following Bodenmiller’s departure in January.

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“Bryan has the experience in public administration and vision for the future that we feel is the best fit to help lead Springfield in a positive direction,” said Springfield Mayor Warren Copeland. “We are pleased that Bryan has accepted this challenge and we look forward to working together in service to the people of Springfield.”

City Commission extended the offer to Heck following its regular Commission meeting Tuesday. The commission is expected to vote on Heck’s appointment at its next regular meeting Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. in the City Hall Forum, 76 E. High St.

Heck is a lifelong resident of Clark County and a graduate of Wittenberg University. He and his wife Bailey have two children.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to serve this community, a community I call home,” Heck said. “Springfield has been a part of my life for my entire life.”

Bodenmiller is set to retire on Jan. 31. Bodenmiller took over the city in 2008, a difficult time for Springfield during the recession.

“I’ve been pleased at the progress we’ve made in the past 10 years, especially in light of the tough economy,” Bodenmiller said. “Helping turn things in a positive direction for our community and stabilizing the city’s finances were important goals for me.”

Since 2008, there has been more than $400 million in downtown investment — much of it can be directly contributed to Bodenmiller’s work. Copeland also praised him for his work getting information out to the public to pass a city income tax levy last year.

Bodenmiller joined the City of Springfield as personnel analyst in February 1987, according to a press release announcing his retirement. He began working as the assistant city manager in 2000 and then was appointed city manager in 2009.

At 10 years, Bodenmiller is the second longest-serving city manager in Springfield’s history. Former City Manager Matt Kridler served for 20 years, the release states.

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