By Kalin Krohe, Panhandle Post
The Alliance City Council held a special meeting on Feb. 23 and voted to hire Jeff Hecksel as the new Alliance City Manager. Hecksel has recently withdrawn as a candidate for the position.
Council voted 4-1 last month to hire Jeff Hecksel of Oregon for the position.
"Jeff Hecksel has withdrawn his application," Alliance Mayor Mike Dafney said. "He and his wife, after much discussion, feel the timing is not right for them."
Jeff Hecksel is currently the County Administrator for Hood River County.
"My decision to withdraw was not in any way shape or form related to my experience in the City of Alliance either with the city council or city staff ," Hecksel said. "Both of those experiences with the staff and city council were great. I would also say that I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the community."
Hecksel said he felt Alliance was a nice community.
"I would further say it was not the offer in and of itself that the city made to me," Hecksel said. "I felt like the city made a really good offer. It was in the realm of my expectations. For myself and my family at this particular point in time it's important that both I work and my wife works. In order for this to work for us my wife would have needed to secure employment within a reasonable amount of time at or close to the level at which she is employed now. After spending a fair amount of time looking into opportunities it was pretty clear that would not work. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for us and that's a huge disappointment."
Hecksel said he appreciated Mayor Mike Dafney and city staff.
"I was very appreciative of the mayor and his candor and that of everyone else as well," Hecksel said. "I felt that everyone was really good. My experience in Alliance was really good."