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IU MPA students present feasibility study on hiring a town manager for New Harmony
Summary
IU MPA students presented a detailed feasibility study evaluating three options for providing New Harmony with professional municipal management and recommended further fiscal analysis and role delineation before any hire. Council thanked presenters and will follow up with questions.
IU MPA students presented findings of a feasibility study on whether New Harmony should hire a town manager, contract for the service, or use a shared-services model. Ashley Morgan, one of the student presenters, summarized the purpose: “We were tasked with evaluating the potential for a town manager role” and said the work included interviews, a review of Indiana law, and comparisons with similar towns.
The presentation outlined three implementation options: (1) a council-appointed town manager reporting to the council; (2) a consultant-plus-fellow mentor model that pairs an experienced municipal professional with a recruited fellow; and (3) a shared-services agreement with another municipality. Justin Gerbic described the core finding that the town’s responsibilities “have grown beyond the capacity of its current administrative structure,” and the students emphasized that a town manager would coordinate operations, administer grants, and advance long-term priorities without supplanting the council’s policy role.
Presenters flagged key trade-offs: recruitment challenges, startup costs, and statutory limitations on duties tied to the clerk–treasurer role. Dawn McEvoy noted comparable towns with town managers often relied on regional collaboration and external grants. Jeremiah closed by urging a fiscal analysis and written role delineations if the council pursues any option: “The selected approach should be accompanied by a detailed fiscal analysis,” he said.
Council members thanked the students for their work and agreed to review the hard copies provided. The council did not vote on any staffing change, but members asked for follow-up and additional detail before any formal action.
