The city of Buckeye is far from hiring a new city manager after its previous one resigned, according to a city spokesperson and the League of Arizona Cities and Towns guidance.
Buckeye’s city manager, Dan Cotterman, resigned in late March, days after the Arizona Department of Child Safety informed Buckeye’s police department of allegations against him, according to a statement released by the city.
The Buckeye City Council named Deputy City Manager Dave Roderique as the city’s interim city manager during an Executive Session on March 21. During the meeting, the council also elected to place Cotterman on paid administrative leave for a period not exceeding 60 days.
According to the League of Arizona Cities and Towns' executive recruiting guide, the timeframe from exploring a permanent replacement to having that person arrive in the position can take up to six and a half months. The guide also outlines two options for hiring a replacement: either external recruitment with a hiring firm or selecting someone internally.
“The job hasn’t been posted yet, so we are not sure the level of interest in the position at the moment,” Buckeye spokesperson John O'Halloran said.
The League of Arizona Cities and Towns stresses patience in the process.
“First and foremost, local government officials must avoid acting impulsively and succumbing to the temptation to hurriedly appoint a new permanent manager,” it writes in its guide. “Local government officials need an interim period to carefully select the best possible successor who meets their criteria.”
In 2022, Buckeye hired Cotterman after interviewing three external candidates for the position, citing his experience with water management and development in Goodyear.
Cotterman was the city's top-paid employee in 2024, earning about $389,000. Roderique, the deputy city manager, made around $271,000.
Michael McDaniel can be reached at [email protected]. We invite our readers to submit their civil comments or opinions on this or any issue. Email [email protected].
