Douglas bid in Fairmont should benefit Raeford

Raeford City Manager scored well - final two out of 25 applicants

Fairmont interview process offers window on innovative approaches

by Tom McKinney

Raeford City Manager Richard Douglas saw a unique opportunity when the city manager position in Fairmont, near his parents' home in Bridgeport, became available near the end of 2007. In addition to being close to his parents' home, the job offered new challenges in a larger city. "I like Raeford and my current job," he points out.

Douglas scored well in the interviews and, out of 25 initial job candidates, finished as one of the final two candidates.

Douglas' experience should help him, and other city officials, as they tackle a variety of concerns, including the challenges of growth related to BRAC.

Several community leaders in Fairmont have remarked that a complex and lengthy interview process provides a great opportunity for self-reflection and learning. In addition to private interview sessions conducted by Fairmont's city department heads and council members, a public interview session with the community provided an interesting and unique challenge for all of the job candidates.

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