By Kristine Thomas
The Mount Angel City Council unanimously approved hiring Amber Mathiesen as city manager Oct. 3.
Mathiesen, 39, is currently the city recorder for the city of Salem. With more than 15 years of experience in city government, Mathiesen was previously the city manager for Falls City, She has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Phoenix.
Mayor Andrew Otte said Mathiesen will start full-time Nov. 1. The council interviewed several candidates before selecting Mathiesen. Mount Angel Police Chief Michael D. Healy has been serving as the interim city manager since May 22.
“She is the one we selected to be our city manager because we felt like she was the right fit and has the right mix of experience for Mount Angel,” Otte said.
The city council concluded a five-month long search, aided i the recruitment process by the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments. Applicants came from across the nation.
Otte said Mathiesen understands what it is like to work in a smaller city, has good financial experience, and had done her homework about Mount Angel.
“She was the one candidate who bubbled to the top,” Otte said.
“I applied for this job because I wanted the opportunity to work in a close knit and smaller community,” Mathiesen said.
She said she has been visiting Mount Angel for many years and has enjoyed attending the Mount Angel Oktoberfest.
“The first time I went to Oktoberfest, it was raining and despite the rain, there were a lot of people attending,” she said.
Mathiesen said she doesn’t plan to start recommending changes or making quick decisions. She said she plans to take time to get to know the staff, the community, the business owners and the council.
“I want to learn about the city, gather information and then after awhile, make recommendations on what needs to change to help the community,” she said.
Saying she has an “open door policy,” Mathiesen invites community members to stop by city hall and share their ideas.
City Councilor Pete Wall said when the council met Mathiesen that they knew she was a good fit because she was enthusiastic about the job.
“She has a good background, the experience the city needs and she interviewed really well,” Wall said. “We all felt she had a sincere desire to become part of the community and that she wanted to serve the city. That’s what clinched it for me.”
