By Jennifer Edwards
and Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FAIRFIELD TWP. - Three neighboring Butler County communities are searching for new leaders to help them handle explosive growth.

In rapid succession, the administrators in Fairfield and Liberty townships have resigned this year, and the city manager of Monroe is in the process of doing so.

"It's like everybody has bad water or something," Fairfield Township Trustee Steve Morgan said. "It's weird, but things are being run great in Fairfield Township. I don't know about the other areas, but we are going good."

In each case, officials did not publicly state any major complaints about the departing administrators. But growing pains are major topics in all three communities.

"We are going to see a lot more businesses taking a look at the area and we have to be very careful that we come up with a good balance out here," said Christine Matacic, board of trustees president in Liberty Township.

The township population has soared from 9,500 in 1990 to 25,000 this year, with regional planners projecting that the population will triple over the next three decades, to as many as 83,000.

Glen Brand, the Midwest regional representative for the Sierra Club, said the recent turnovers provide each community with an opportunity to hire new top administrators with knowledge and experience in smart growth.

"They are being overwhelmed, so this is a great opportunity they have now to hire someone with experience in implementing smart growth,'' Brand said. "There is a widespread feeling among residents that growth is out of control."

Monika Rogers of Monroe shares some of those concerns about her hometown, which has grown from 4,500 residents in 1990 to more than 8,000 now.

"I like the smaller community feel here and how it's not overcrowded and polluted," said Rogers. "It would make sense for them (Monroe officials) to hire somebody with more experience with growth and development."

"A change of direction," was the public explanation Monroe Mayor Mike Morris gave for asking Donald Whitman, city manager for five years, to resign.

Whitman's contract paid $73,548 annually and runs out in January 2004. Assistant City Manager Bill Brock is interim city manager.

Fairfield Township's administrator, Ron Randolph, earned $50,360 annually and his successor is expected to make about the same. Randolph, the administrator since 2000, says he is leaving to move to Aiken, S.C., in April after finding a new home there that was too good to pass up.

So far, 62 applicants from as far away as Missouri have applied. The position will be filled this spring or summer. In the meantime, Assistant Administrator Chris Gilbert will fill in.

Randolph's exit, effective April 4, comes as subdivisions and retail development explode amid new highway access in Fairfield Township off the Michael A. Fox Highway.

"I guess (the interest in the job is) because the job market is bad, but we have a real nice community and that could be a lot of it," Morgan said. "We're still in the suburbs but are 30 minutes away from Cincinnati and Dayton either way you go. It's perfect."

In Liberty Township, trustees have not been publicly critical of Nell Kilpatrick, out as administrator after nearly five years. Kilpatrick's resignation took effect March 1. She will work part-time as an assistant for the township until Aug. 31. Liberty's trustees say they are looking for someone to tackle the township's tremendous growth. This year, Liberty could see as many as 700 to 800 new homes, zoning officials say.

"I am not saying Nell being gone is best for the township totally. That I did not say," said Matacic. "But when you start talking about things, it is in the realm of `I think this is the best for the township.' You just try to maintain and do what you feel is best."

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com and mclark@enquirer.com