By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


Contract negotiations continue with the man that Howell city council wants to be the next city manager.

Following a ten hour online interview session earlier this month, council selected Paul Debuff as their top choice. Currently the Director of Administrative Services in the Celina, Texas, DeBuff is also a certified Government Finance Officer who brings six and a half years of municipal experience.

Interim Howell City Manager Erv Suida says DeBuff was in town over the weekend, met with council members, key staff, other community leaders and several local business owners. He says they were able to tour the community and all its amenities, including the Opera House. Suida said DeBuff was, “very impressed with Howell.” As to a contract, he says the city is in the process of working on that with hopes to have it ready for Council approval at the May 4th meeting.

If a deal is worked out, DeBuff will take over from Suida, who has been holding down the interim position since former City Manager Shea Charles resigned last May. Charles has since moved on to become the CEO at the Michigan Municipal Services Authority in Lansing. Council had originally selected John Light from Des Plaines, Illinois to replace Charles, but he backed out of consideration in December, forcing the city to begin the search process again.