Former interim Administrator rehired for same position

Jim Ferguson is Winslow's pinch-hitting City Administrator. He was hired on June 14 on an interim basis for the second time. He also served as the interim City Administrator from Nov. 2000 through April 2001.

Ferguson, 59, said he was happy to return to Winslow, even if just for a short stint.

"I think it's got a tremendous amount of potential and I think it's beginning to realize that potential now," he said. "I see some things that have happened since the last time I was here that are very, very positive."

Ferguson drove up from his home in Phoenix to attend the City Council meeting on June 14 but was not expecting to be interviewed and hired that night.

"I knew that they were going to talk about whether or not they even wanted to go with an interim. But I had called to check and see what was going on. I wasn't even sure if I was going to spend the night. I figured it was a good opportunity to go up and see what was going on," he said.

Mayor Jim Boles said Ferguson's six months of previous experience in Winslow played a big part in filling the position so quickly.

"I think staff is very pleased. He had a good relationship with the staff before," he said.

Ferguson has a lifetime of experience in city politics big and small.

"I've been involved in cities with 8,000 and 100,000 (people) and in between," he said.

Ferguson is a former mayor of Provo, Utah and before he was hired in 2000, spent several years in Yuma's City Hall in a variety of positions including City Administrator, Human Resources and President of the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation. He summed up his jack-of-all-trades position as an in-house consultant, which is how he's spent the last four years.

He returned from Florida about a month ago after working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on issues associated with Hurricane Ivan. He's also a licensed real estate agent in Phoenix.

Having worked in city politics for most of his life, Ferguson said he chose to remain open to the possibility of interim work.

"In a position like city administration, you get involved in a community. There's a part of you there," he said. "You see projects go forward and you leave with projects still hanging and you kind of wonder how that turned out."

Council member Judy Howell said she remembered Ferguson from his previous employment when she was a private citizen.

"I don't know a whole lot about him, but I was very impressed for the six months he filled in," she said. "He is willing to compromise with you. He's willing to listen to you. That doesn't mean he's going to agree with you, but he will sit down and explain to you why his views differ instead of just saying 'no.'"

Ferguson said he is not considering a permanent position in Winslow. He and his wife of 12 years, Nina, moved to Phoenix about a year ago to be closer to their grandchildren. Nina also works full-time in the Valley.

Ferguson has nine children, some from a previous marriage, and seven grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his family, reading and playing golf. He's also into genealogy and has researched his family lineage to the early 1600s.

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