Often times, city managers come and go, but for the City of Sandy – which
incorporated 100 years ago – the past 21 years it has enjoyed the same one.
However, the search will begin for a new one this summer, with city manager
Scott Lazenby’s departure to become the city manager of Lake Oswego.

“It’s an exciting challenge and a good career move,” said Lazenby, whose final
day will be Wednesday, July 31 before starting at his new job Monday, Aug. 5.

“I really will miss the people I’ve worked with here.”

The Lake Oswego City Council approved Lazenby as the new city manager in a
Tuesday, June 25 special meeting.

“After a thorough recruitment process that involved members of the
community and staff, we have selected Scott to be our new city manager and
I am very excited,” said Lake Oswego Mayor Kent Studebaker in a press
release.

Lazenby noted that his new job will be a challenge since Lake Oswego is
approximately four times the size of Sandy, but that there are numerous
parallels between the two cities, including urban renewal programs, parks
programs, major water projects and downtown development.

He expects a water project done in partnership with the City of Tigard and
wrapping up Lake Oswego’s revised comprehensive plan to be two of the first
things he tackles on the new job.

“There’s nothing, in my opinion, that’s a huge problem,” Lazenby added.
“They’ve been a very well run city over the years.”

His colleagues in Sandy shared a similar view of the state of the city he leaves
behind in no small part to the projects he oversaw, including internet service,
the Sandy Area Metro bus system, improvements to the city library and police
department, a trail system and downtown improvements.

“There’s not a project in town that he didn’t have a major impact on,” said

Jeremy Pietzold, the current Sandy City Council president who has been on
the council for more than seven years. “He does it with such ease; it amazes
me.”

Lazenby was quick to note he can’t take all the credit for the improvements,
but that everything was done with the help of others involved n the city.

“There’s a lot that we’ve done as a team, I can’t take responsibility for any of
them,” Lazenby said. “The list is pretty long.”

Linda Malone, who was on the city council when they selected Lazenby as the
city manager, served as the city’s mayor for 18 years with Lazenby at her
side. She described him as a “can-do kind of guy” who could come up with an
idea and find a way to make it happen.

“I think we made a pretty good team,” Malone said. “I look back really fondly
on my time with Scott and what the city has been able to achieve under his
leadership.”

Current Sandy Mayor Bill King, who was elected to the position in 2010
despite no experience in government, credited Lazenby for helping him get up
to speed with the job. King also believes Lazenby did a good job of getting the
city prepared for his eventual successor.

“He’s had the foresight and the long-range outlook to set things up,” King
said. “Realistically, we’re going to miss him ... but I think he’s planned
everything out pretty good.”

Lazenby echoed this sentiment, noting that everyone at city hall is on the
same page, with staff and the city council working well together.

“Things seem to be running pretty smoothly,” he said.

Sandy City Council is expected to discuss the process of finding a new city
manager at the next council meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, July 1, at Sandy City
Hall, 39250 Pioneer Boulevard. King hopes the new manager will have a
similar management style as Lazenby.

“I’m hoping that whoever comes on board can hold department heads
responsible without getting into micromanaging,” King said. “That’s one of
Scott’s strong points. He gets stuff done without micromanaging.”

Pietzold added that he has “full confidence” in the city staff, while noting the
state of the city should be very attractive for possible candidates for the
position.

“I know a lot of people would love to be city manager here,” he said. “We’ll be
able to get a great person in here.”