City selects new community and economic development leader

By Tory Brecht | Thursday, August 16, 2007

TODAY: (Updated 12:55 p.m.) An urban planner with experience in a major metropolitan area, suburban towns and the challenges facing cities in the Midwest has been hired as Davenport’s new community and economic development director.

Pam Miner, a senior planner with Olsson Associates of Edina, Minn., has accepted an offer from City Administrator Craig Malin. She will begin work Sept. 5 at a starting salary of $98,500 per year.

“She has a good mix of experience, and she had stellar references,” Malin said. “She is familiar with the region and has also worked in a larger city. She demonstrated that she understands the strengths of urbanity.”

Before working for Olsson, Miner was a planning supervisor for the City of Minneapolis from 2003-06.

Miner worked as community development director for the Western Illinois Regional Council — which is similar to the local Bi-State Regional Commission — in Macomb from 1988 to 2002.

She is a member of the International City and County Management Association and has undergraduate degrees from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She has a master’s degree from Western Illinois University.

Malin said her undergraduate degrees in elementary education and geography/cartography made her a unique candidate.

“She has the leadership capabilities of a teacher,” he said.

Miner also impressed the 12-member panel that assisted in the interview process.

“She was at or near the top of a clear consensus of the panel,” Malin said.

Clayton Lloyd, the outgoing community and economic development director, will work with Miner for a “number of months” before leaving, Malin said.

She has been asked to provide a strategic plan for the department within 180 days of starting work.

“There is a lot of talent in the department, and she will bring a fresh perspective,” Malin said. “So I expect we’ll see some changes in the department.”