Welcome to Town of Payson Town Manager Candidate Pre-Screen Portal
Your application materials have been reviewed, and we are eager to learn more about you. As part of our pre-screening process, we ask you to complete a short video interview. This will allow us to better understand how your qualifications align with those desired for our next Town Manager.
The Organization:
The Town operates under the council-manager form of government. The Town Council, which has policymaking and
legislative authority, consists of a mayor and a six-member council. The Town Council is responsible for, among other things, passing ordinances, resolutions, and adopting the Town’s annual budget. They also appoint committees and hire the Town Manager and Town Attorney. The Council is elected on a nonpartisan “at large” basis. Council members are elected to four-year staggered terms with three Council members elected every two years. The qualified electors of the Town directly elect the Mayor for a two-year term. The Town Manager is responsible for carrying out the policies, ordinances, and resolutions of the Council, and for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Town.
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The Town of Payson is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for its citizens by working hard to provide a superior level of service in the most effective and efficient manner while exercising fiscal responsibility.
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The Town is a full-service organization and includes the following Departments: Town Manager, Town Clerk, Financial
Services, Human Resources, Legal, Magistrate, Police, Fire, Community Development, Parks & Recreation, Information
Technology, Library, and Public Works which includes a municipal Water Department, Facilities Maintenance, Airport, Street Operations, Engineering, and a Transit system.
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For fiscal year 2024-2025, the Town has 210 full-time equivalent budgeted employees and an annual budget of $106 million. Local sales tax is the primary source of revenue for the Town.
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The Town of Payson's Strategic Plan outlines a roadmap for the Town's growth, address current challenges, and creates a
vision that reflects the aspirations of the community. The plan typically covers three-year work periods and is revisited
annually during the start of the budget process. The current strategic plan covers the period 2024 - 2028 and identifies five
goal areas: Technology, Public Safety, Neighborhoods & Livability, Infrastructure and Economic Development/Tourism & Economic Vitality. Priorities and strategies are specifically defined within these goal areas to help guide the organization.​​​
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The Community:
Payson is one of Arizona’s jewels, surrounded by the Tonto National Forest and nestled among the largest contiguous
stand of Ponderosa Pine in North America. You can experience the beauty of dramatic mountain vistas, the serenity of wide-open spaces, and a rich western rodeo heritage along with a variety of outdoor adventures and first-class accommodations and entertainment. The Town of Payson is situated in Gila County near the geographic center of the state just 90 miles north of Phoenix.
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Payson’s economy was originally based on logging, ranching, and mining. This western heritage still lives on through the
Town’s many festivals and events. The Payson Rodeo, now billed as the “World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo”, can be
traced back to 1884. Other events include arts & crafts fairs, classic car shows, Summer Concerts in the Park, farmer’s
markets, and the State Championship Fiddlers Contest. The region provides a wide array of outdoor recreational
opportunities from hiking through the vast Tonto National Forest to fishing and kayaking in one of Rim Country’s many
lakes; adventure is never far away in Payson. Payson’s dark sky ordinance makes it the ideal location for stargazing, with
the Northern Lights sometimes visible during solar flares.
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Due to its relatively moderate climate, almost every day offers ideal conditions for golfing at one of Payson’s three golf
courses. Industries indicating the highest probability of expanding or locating in Payson are tourism and hospitality,
healthcare, niche manufacturing (firearms/munitions manufacturing, wood products, computer and electronic products), software and information technology, business and financial services. Payson’s largest employers include the Payson Unified School District, Mazatzal Casino, Banner Payson Medical Center, Walmart, and the Town of Payson. Students in the community are served by the Payson Unified School District and a branch of the Gila Community College.
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The Position:
Payson’s next Town Manager will have the opportunity to lead an organization in the “Heart of Arizona”. Nestled below Arizona's Mogollon Rim at an elevation of approximately 5,000 feet, Payson enjoys a moderate four-season climate, providing residents with a truly superb quality of life.
Appointed by the Mayor and Town Council, the Town Manager serves as the chief administrative officer and is responsible for the oversight of the Town’s daily operations. The Manager works collaboratively with staff to implement policies set forth by the Town Council and provides organizational leadership for department directors and employees. The Manager provides elected officials with information and policy recommendations and regularly interacts with the media and the public. In addition, the Manager serves as the organization’s intergovernmental liaison and represents the Town at the local, state, and federal levels.
The Town Manager has seven direct reports, including the Deputy Town Manager-Internal Services, the Deputy Town Manager-Development Services, the Town Clerk, the Police Chief, the Fire Chief, the Parks & Recreation Director, and the Management Analyst.
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