The Aurora City Council on Friday announced it has narrowed the field of city manager candidates to two: Nancy Freed, the city’s interim manager, and George “Skip” Noe, a management consultant from Corpus Christi, Texas.
Five candidates were interviewed behind closed doors Aug. 19. The council now will allow Aurora residents to submit questions to the two finalists.
The public also will have a chance to meet the candidates at a reception scheduled for Sept. 28 from 4-6 p.m. at the Aurora Municipal Center.
The council had a pool of 45 applicants after a nationwide search.
City spokeswoman Lori MacKenzie said the council expects to choose the new manager for the city of 315,000 people by the middle of October.
The new manager will be responsible for Aurora’s $615 million budget, 2,676 full-time employees and day-to-day operations of the city as directed by the council.
Freed has been interim city manager since Ron Miller retired in March after 13 years in the post. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Goucher College in Baltimore, and a master’s in public administration at the University of Denver.
Freed has been in public administration for more than 30 years. As Aurora’s deputy city manager, she was in charge of police, fire, library, neighborhood services, water, public works, planning and parks, recreation and open space. She also was interim and assistant city manager in Lakewood and served as executive director of the Lakewood Housing Authority.
In a news release, the city said Freed has been involved in many major projects and issues including balancing the budget during difficult economic times and redevelopment, including at Fitzsimons.
Noe became a management consultant in 2008 after 30 years in city management. He was city manager and deputy city manager for Corpus Christi between 1999 and 2008. He oversaw 3,300 employees and an annual budget of more than $500 million. He also worked for the city of Fort Collins, and for the Texas cities of San Antonio, College Station and Kingsville.
Noe earned a bachelor’s degree in English and political science from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. He also is a Labor Relations Fellow from the Labor-Management Relations Service in Washington, D.C.
Get a question in
Residents who have questions for the two city manager candidates may submit them online at or by mail to Kin Shuman, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora, CO 80012 by Friday.
A group of community leaders will select a number of questions to which the finalists will be asked to respond in a video that will be shown at a public reception, scheduled for Sept. 28, and on the city’s website.
Community members also may provide comments for the council’s consideration in the final selection.
Comments should be submitted no later than Oct. 1 online or in writing to Shuman.
