Brown Deer chooses new Village Manager

Brown Deer - After a nearly six-month long search, Brown Deer has found a new Village Manager.

The Village Board approved an employment contract Monday with Michael Hall, most recently the city administrator in Shawano.

The search began in mid-August after 14-year Village Manager Russell Van Gompel resigned to take over as city manager of Eau Claire. Beginning with a pool of 40 applicants, the Village Board and its Personnel Committee met numerous times, interviewing 10 of the applicants and eventually arriving at Hall.

"He's bright and communicative, and we all wound up thinking he is going to be a good fit," Village President Carl Krueger said. "He seems to be very enthusiastic, and that was a large part of our decision-making process."

Hall graduated from Colorado State University in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in political science and later received a master's in public administration from the University of Utah-Salt Lake City in 2006.

Hall spent 10 years in the private sector before working for the city of West Jordan, Utah, between 2007 and 2011. Between May 2011 and July 2012 Hall was the city administrator of Shawano.

"I think the best thing I can do is learn from the staff," Hall said in a phone interview. He said his plan upon taking office is to talk with the Village Board, staff and community before making a list of potential changes and growth opportunities.

"I can help them make that happen," Hall said.

Having worked in government in West Jordan, a suburb of Salt Lake City with a population of nearly 106,000, and then rural Shawano with its population of about 9,000, Hall said he feels ready for the near-city atmosphere of Brown Deer.

"I think I have a lot of experience dealing with metro areas," he said.

When he resigned, Van Gompel was paid $103,896 annually with $34,378.07 in benefits. According to the employment agreement approved by the board, Hall with start Feb. 18 with an annual salary of $101,000 and the same benefits offered to village department heads.