BREAKING: Piqua City Manager Finalist for Same Role in Hilliard
PIqua's City Manager since 2021 is one of three finalists for City Manager job in Hilliard
Breaking News from our friends at the Hilliard Beacon. Please consider subscribing to the Hilliard Beacon to support another local publication here in Ohio!
This post from the Beacon was released earlier this afternoon.
Hilliard City Council will interview three finalists for city manager during a two-day process that begins Wednesday, Feb. 4.
The process includes a public meet-and-greet of the finalists for city manager from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4 at The Well, 3993 Cosgray Road.
The three finalists are:
Barry Burton, county administrator, Pinellas County, Florida
Paul Oberdorfer, city manager, Piqua, Ohio
Joshua Rauch, city manager, Riverside, Ohio
The individual who Hilliard City Council selects will become the city’s second city manager, succeeding Michelle Crandall who on May 27, 2025 announced her resignation as city manager, effective July 25.
Crandall began serving as city manager Jan. 1, 2020 and was the city’s first-ever city manager as a result of a charter amendment that Hilliard voters approved in November 2018 changing the city’s form of government to a city manager from that of a strong mayor.
The move aligned Hilliard with most other central Ohio municipalities of comparable size that has an appointed city manager rather than an elected mayor as its chief operating officer, including Upper Arlington, New Albany, Worthington, Westerville, and Dublin.
Crandall resigned last year to accept a post as Chief Member Services Officer of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).
Crandall’s current contract, extended once since the initial contract, was through the end of 2026.
In December 2023, City Council approved a salary increase for Crandall.
Crandall’s annual salary in 2024 increased to $225,737 from $212,960, according to David Ball, a former director of communications for the city.
Hilliard Assistant City Manager Dan Ralley has been serving as Hilliard’s acting city manager since Crandall’s resignation and did not seek to be considered for the position of Hilliard city manager, nor did Kyle Kriddler, another assistant city manager for Hilliard.