Lawrence's incoming city manager Tom Markus answers questions in his Iowa City office on Jan. 27.

In the countdown to his move, incoming city manager Tom Markus is finishing up his work in Iowa City and trying to get to know Lawrence from afar.

He’s been watching City Commission meetings via live stream, and he’s worked on the plan for his first 100 days in City Hall, which mostly comprises getting to know staff and stakeholders and learning the city’s culture.

“I wanted to get a book that talked about the history of Lawrence,” Markus said. “Believe it or not, that history evolves into even modern day culture and what their connections and their roots are, so I’d like to see if I can piece that together and know that coming into a community.”

Lawrence's incoming city manager Tom Markus answers questions in his Iowa City office on Jan. 27.

At the end of Markus’ 100 days, he plans to file a report on what was accomplished and an outline for how the City Commission should move into its strategic planning process.

One of the tasks listed in the city’s advertisement of the vacant city manager position was for the new manager to lead the process in creating a new strategic plan. Markus said introducing a new planning process is also how he started his tenure in Iowa City.

City Council members Markus has worked with in Iowa City explained that in the planning process, council members, with a facilitator, would decide on a half-dozen strategic areas to focus on over the course of two years. Those are voted on, and proposed projects or other items brought up over the following years are related back to the plan.

Besides strategic planning, Markus said he wants to involve Kansas University students with the city more, partly by creating ex-officio positions for them on city boards.

He said he’s also mentioned to Mayor Mike Amyx that there are “an awful lot” of City Commission meetings (the commission meets weekly). In Iowa City, Markus moved the council to biweekly meetings, but he hasn’t made any decisions yet on changes to Lawrence’s schedule.

“I hope to have some thoughts on that after I’ve been there awhile and make some suggestions on efficiencies all the way through,” Markus said.

Markus is also bringing what he learned about crisis intervention from a recent trip to San Antonio’s Center for Health Care Services, a nationally respected mental health system that Douglas County officials visited last year.

Nancy Quellhorst, president of the Iowa City Chamber of Commerce

Markus’ anticipated start date is March 21. According to his contract, he must establish residency in Lawrence within six months of his appointment.

His wife, Deb, was in Lawrence the last week of January looking for a home, Markus said.

Nancy Quellhorst, the president of the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, lived in Lawrence for 14 years before she and her husband moved to Iowa. She expects Markus, whom she’s called her mentor, will have a “very easy transition.”

“They’re both academic communities, they’re both high-energy communities with good people who care deeply,” Quellhorst said. “There are so many similarities; I know he’ll love Lawrence. It’s a great place, and he’ll find that.”

Markus hopes Lawrence residents will feel comfortable going to him or calling him with any issues, he said. He said it was a “big part” of his role to let people know why the city is making the decisions it does.

He said he’s coming to Lawrence knowing he needs to stay at least five years to have an effect.

“I had choices to make,” he said. “When the head hunter sent me the information, I took a hard look at it and thought, ‘This is a different kind of opportunity again.’ It’s still in a university town, and it’s a larger operation.”

“I was really making a decision about time. That’s something I had to give a lot of thought to… I have friends who have retired when they were 55. I have a lot of friends who are still working into their 70s. I guess, from my standpoint, my energy level is there, my interest is still there, I still have a passion for doing it, so I’m going to keep doing it.”