By the Toledo Trubune
Tonight, under the watchful eye of civic duty and the steady hand of governance, the Toledo City Council inches forward in its quest to secure an Interim City Manager. The name before them: David Clyne, ICMA-CM1—a man whose résumé speaks in measured tones of experience, leadership, and the weight of public trust.
For more than four decades, Clyne has walked the corridors of municipal power. A credentialed manager, a legal mind, and a negotiator by trade, he has shepherded cities through both storm and calm. He has been a Deputy City Manager, a Senior Advisor, a board member, and—by all accounts—a steady hand in the delicate art of governance. His career extends beyond city hall, into the realm of law, consultation, and even water and wastewater management, proving that in the business of running a city, no detail is too small to escape notice.
His credentials are many: a Master’s in Public Administration, a law degree, a lifetime membership in the ICMA and OCCMA. He has brokered agreements, untangled bureaucratic knots, and brought order where disorder threatened. Those who have worked alongside him call him a mentor, a communicator, a team player, and perhaps most importantly—a man who listens.
This decision was no hurried affair. It follows deliberate conversations held on February 19 and February 26, moments when the council weighed its options, examined its course, and sought a path both responsible and prudent. Candidates for the position stepped forward on February 26, their voices and visions heard in a public meeting. When the discussion was finished and the votes cast, Clyne emerged as the choice. The City Attorney was granted authority to negotiate a contract, a process still underway, though soon to be placed before the public for review.
The matter of compensation follows precedent. Historically, an interim city manager has been paid in line with their predecessor, a structure that, when accounting for PERS and family health insurance, has resulted in savings for the city. But Clyne has offered a different approach—one that speaks to both efficiency and principle. Rather than a set salary, he will bill the city only for the hours he works.
A contract remains to be signed, a final approval yet to be given. The ink is not yet dry, but the direction is clear. The complete details of his qualifications can be found in the February 19, 2025, Toledo City Council Packet, available at: https://www.cityoftoledo.org/media/12311.
For now, Toledo watches. And waits.
Good night, and good luck.
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