City Manager Ron Miller to retire

There is a time and place for everything, and in his words, this is City Manager Ron Miller’s chosen time to say goodbye. With that in mind, Miller notified the Aurora City Council and city employees this week of his pending retirement following after 13 years of service to Aurora.

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve the Aurora citizens with the guidance, support and direction of Council for 13 years,” Miller said.

When Miller came on board in 1997, he vowed that Aurora “will be the most dynamic municipality in the metro area.” Miller has kept his pledge and then some.

Director of Communications Kim Stuart, who has known Miller since he began his tenure, said, “Ron is an exceptional city manager. He is supportive of new ideas, encourages creative solutions and never lets you forget how essential you are to the progress of this city.”

While he may not tell you himself, Miller is a seven-time winner of the International City Management Association National Awards for Program Excellence and Certificate of Achievement (one of only 20 U.S. jurisdictions to receive this) for the Aurora Performance Measurement Program.

Miller was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Aurora Civitan Club (2009) for his leadership in promoting community service. At the annual Rotary Club awards in 2008, for first responders, he was recognized as a consistent champion of Aurora’s outstanding first responders, dedicated to keeping Aurora safe, protecting families, and most importantly, saving lives.

Under Miller’s leadership, Aurora was named among the top five Top Digital Cities in America (population of 250,000+) from 2004 to 2009, placing first in two of those years; honored as the “50th Anniversary Sportstown USA” for the state of Colorado by Sports Illustrated in 2004; and named the country’s third most tax-friendly city for businesses by Kiplinger Business Resource Center/Kosmont-Rose Institute Study in 2006.

His leadership inspires city departments to strive for excellence and has resulted in many national accreditation honors, including accreditation from American Public Works Association for the Public Works Department (one of only three Colorado municipal public works departments to attain accreditation); re-accreditation from the Commission on the Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies for the Aurora Police Department (accredited since 2000); National Accreditation Honors from the International Accreditation Service for the Building Division (Colorado’s first and only building department to achieve accreditation); and accreditation from the Commission for Fire Accreditation International from the Aurora Fire Department (accredited since 2000).

But what Miller is most proud of during his tenure as city manager includes Aurora’s 2008 designation as an All-America City by the National Civic League; the construction of the Aurora Municipal Center; the soon-to-be-completed Prairie Waters Project; and the redevelopment projects at the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora City Place, and the newly redeveloped Gardens on Havana.

“It has been a pleasure working with Ron over the years on numerous development projects,” stated Wendy Mitchell, president and CEO of the Aurora Economic Development Council.  “His positive, results-oriented attitude ensured that important projects moved through the city.”

Miller said he couldn’t have achieved so much if it weren’t for the city staff, who are some of the most dedicated and hard-working employees he has ever known. Much of the success of the city is because of them.

The city is expected to launch a formal search for a new city manager in the near future.