The City of Keene, Texas is situated south of Fort Worth on the historic Chisholm Trail, located on US Highway 67 and FM 2280 (Old Betsy Road), six miles west of IH 35W. Keene also lies close to the southern terminus of the new Chisolm Trail Parkway which connects Fort Worth to Cleburne. Keene was established in 1890 and incorporated in 1955. Keene is known for its rich history in healthy living, education, and dedication to the service of others.

The Keene Independent School District is a small 3A district that offers a “big school experience in a small school environment,” offering a student‐teacher ratio of 13:1. Keene is the home of Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) which offers a variety of associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Founded originally in 1893 as Keene Industrial Academy by the General Conference of Seventh‐day Adventists as a school to train the youth of the church, the school progressed from a high school to a
junior college and ultimately to the university it is today.

Calicott Student Park, owned by the university, located adjacent to FM 2280, is a popular attraction to area residents for fishing, hiking, walking and jogging, tennis, bird feeding, and picnics.

Elisa Carver Park, owned by the City of Keene, is located in the heart of Keene and offers many amenities to include softball and soccer fields, a basketball court, a 3 1/4 mile walking trail, a playground, a picnic area, and a nine‐hole disc golf course.

Governance
The City of Keene operates under a Home Rule Charter adopted in 1999 and amended in 2014 which provides for a Council‐Manager form of government.

The City is governed by a City Council comprised of a Mayor and six (6) Council Members. One Council Member is elected from each of the three (3) wards, and the remaining three (3) are elected at large. All seats serve a two‐year term with elections held in November. The City Council appoints the City Manager, the City Secretary, the Municipal Court Judge, and City Attorney.

The Position
Under the City Charter, the City Council appoints a City Manager as the administrative and executive officer of the City, responsible for the day‐to‐day operations of the City. The City Manager appoints and removes all department directors, with prior notice and consultation of the City Council.

The City Manager oversees the operations of an organization with a Fiscal 2018‐2019 Operating Budget of $4,432,188.00 for the
General Fund and $3,502,317.00 for the Utility Fund. The total debt obligations for the 2018‐2019 fiscal year is $11,242,012.

Challenges:

Opportunities:

Departments
The City consists of 42 full‐time employees and six (6) part‐time employees. Employees are organized into departments including Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Police, Fire, Development Services, Economic Development, Municipal Court, Community Center, Code Enforcement/Animal Control, Court, Streets, Water, and Sewer.

Public Works
Solid waste collection and disposal is outsourced. The City draws water from seven (7) wells and also contracts with the Johnson County Special Utility District for surface water. The City of Keene operates a wastewater treatment plant.

Fire Services
Keene Fire & Rescue is a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters and provides fire and EMS services for the City of Keene and portions of Johnson County. The City has mutual aid agreements with neighboring cities.

Economic Development Corporation
The City has adopted a Type A and Type B economic development sales tax. The Economic Development Corporation has established an industrial park and is actively seeking new businesses. The City currently encompasses four and a half square miles
within the incorporated area and has a total potential area of 15 square miles including the ETJ.

The Ideal Candidate
Interested applicants should have a desire to become a part of our community, taking an interest in our city’s culture, history, and vision.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced public administrator, well‐grounded in the practices and principles of human resource
management, fiscal management, budget development, and staff leadership; ideally with municipal leadership experience in Texas.

The candidate should be a successful negotiator, familiar with employee contract negotiations, and embrace their role as the face of
the City. Keene’s next City Manager needs to be forthright, resilient and a strategic leader who demonstrates confidence, balanced with humility and empathy for others. Keene desires a community organizer and promoter with solid consensus building skills and who will operate within a strong ethical framework.

The ideal candidate must have adept communication and presentation skills, a desire to advance Keene’s development plan, be
financially savvy and be a catalyst for smart growth through economic development strategies that meet the community’s needs and goals.

Minimum Qualification Requirements
Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Management, Accounting, Public Finance or a closely related field; supplemented with four (4) to six (6) years of extensive, progressively responsible experience in municipal management or financial position.

Candidates must possess proven managerial and interpersonal skills to lead a dynamic, financially fit organization in a community with high customer service expectations, community activism and demand for government transparency.

Possess strong financial management abilities, including financial forecasting, revenue enhancement, capital improvement programming, and budget development and control.

Have a record of conducting thorough analysis and examination of issues, being fully prepared to assess the topic at hand, the implications of various courses of action, and when necessary take an unpopular position.

Employee Benefits
Retirement Plan
The City of Keene participates in the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS). Participants contribute 7% of their salary with a city match of 2:1. Retirement eligibility is based upon twenty‐five (25) years of service or five years of service and have reached the age of sixty.

Benefits
The City of Keene prides itself in the quality of benefits that it provides to its employees. Medical, dental and vision insurance for the employee and covers 70% of dependent care. The City also provides long‐term disability and basic life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance. Additional elective benefits are available for purchase.

Leave Benefits
The City provides to its employees ten (10) paid holidays, twelve (12) sick days per year, and tiered vacation tied to years of service, beginning with fifteen (15) days of paid vacation. In addition, the city provides bereavement, military, and jury duty leave.