Of almost 10,000 local governments in the U.S. that have hired a city manager, fewer than 4% are African American. Some current officials are working to change that by mentoring young municipal professionals.
Ann Arbor City Administrator Milton Dohoney Jr. and Washtenaw County Administrator Gregory Dill recently spoke to the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce about their positions. They discussed their roles in operating government entities and being African Americans in major municipal positions.
Dohoney says it’s important to help cultivate the next generation of managers.
“I’ve had some success with it, really helping people to achieve their aspirations, and I’m glad to invest time in people that want to do that.”
Dohoney says where more work needs to be done is in the ranks below the top. He says hires get made at the top, and people tend to get comfortable.
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