FINAL CITY MANAGER CANDIDATE QUIZZED

Cape Girardeau has two attractions for Jeffrey Broughton: its size and the fact it is a university town.

Broughton, 41, manages the city of Oak Ridge, Tenn. He is one of five finalists for the job of Cape Girardeau city manager.

The City Council interviewed Broughton at the end of the finalist's daylong visit.

Broughton was the last of the finalists interviewed by the council.

The council will meet Saturday morning behind closed doors at City Hall to choose a successor to retired manager J. Ronald Fischer.

Even if the council makes a decision, it won't be announced until an agreement has been reached on salary, Mayor Al Spradling III said.

If everything works out, the council could make an announcement next week.

Spradling said the council wants a new city manager to start by Oct. 1 at the latest.

Broughton's city of Oak Ridge has a 27,000-plus population.

Broughton wants to manage a city with a population of 35,000 to 40,000 such as Cape Girardeau.

He also prefers independent cities instead of suburban communities.

Broughton said a university adds a lot to a city. "It takes a small community and makes it a little livelier."

Broughton grew up in the Chicago area. He is vaguely familiar with Cape Girardeau, having attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Broughton received his bachelor's degree in political science from SIU in 1976 and his master's degree in public administration from the same school in 1978.

"I know how to manage a city," said Broughton, who has managed Oak Ridge's government for the past nine years.

He served as assistant city manager of Decatur, Ill., from August 1979 to October 1986.

The fact that the city of Cape Girardeau doesn't operate an electric utility is a plus for him.

Broughton said the city of Oak Ridge operates an electric utility.

"I don't want to do that again," he said, pointing out that municipal utilities have to deal with power failures and public complaints.

Broughton describes himself as a pragmatist with a straight-forward approach.

"I will cut to the chase maybe quicker than others might," he said. "It doesn't take me forever to make a decision."

A city manager must rely on his staff, Broughton said. "You can't operate a city by yourself."

Councils make decisions and city managers carry them out, he said. "A manager doesn't vote on anything."

Broughton has been criticized over a controversial city golf course and private residential development in Oak Ridge. The city bypassed the bond issue route and didn't ask for voter approval. Instead, it issued capital outlay notes and went ahead with the project.

Broughton said the decision was a good one in terms of economic development.

A city manager shouldn't be controlled by public opinion, he said. "If it is unpopular, the council needs to say no."