Canandaigua town manager announces departure

CANANDAIGUA, NY – Canandaigua Town Manager Doug Finch will be leaving his job to take over as city manager of Duncanville, Texas in January.

Finch has been town manager since the position was created in 2017. Prior to that, he served as the town’s director of development since March 2014.

The Duncanville City Council voted unanimously on the appointment last Thursday. Duncanville is a city of about 50,000 people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“It’s a great opportunity, career and personally,” Finch said.

In a statement, Duncanville Mayor Barry L. Gordon said Finch was among an “impressive pool of candidates from across the nation,” which was then narrowed to three finalists.

“Douglas was a standout,” Gordon said in a statement posted on the city’s website. “He is a proven leader with the knowledge, experience and vision necessary to move our city forward.”

In a statement, Canandaigua Town Supervisor Jared Simpson and the entire Canandaigua Town Board thanked Finch for his years of dedicated service to the town.

“Starting as the director of development and transitioning into the position of town manager, Doug has tirelessly worked to serve the Town Board and the residents of the town,” Simpson stated.

Councilman Terry Fennelly said Finch is a super guy, from personality to finance skills to human relations to experience to contacts, locally and statewide, all of which benefitted the town.

“We have been blessed with Doug,” Fennelly said. “I’m really going to miss him. I think the town is going to miss him.”

Finch said among the reasons he was attracted to the Duncanville job is that the city is working on the same issues the town is and to which he counts as strengths; strategic leadership, economic development, infrastructure improvements and long-term financial planning.

“Those are the four things I really love doing and enjoy the most, so it was a very good fit,” Finch said.

Finch’s wife, Fabiola, is from Mexico and she has family in Texas as well so family also was a consideration in accepting the job. A bonus is Duncanville also is looking to build an all-inclusive playground, a project that Finch worked on with organizers of the Motion Junction inclusive playground at Richard P. Outhouse Memorial Park.

Simpson stated that Finch has ensured that the town has remained on strong financial footing and has continued to grow and develop, drawing businesses and residents to the town of Canandaigua from across the area.

“We wish Doug the best as he transitions into his new role as city manager of Duncanville, Texas and look forward to seeing the great things he is able to accomplish as he heads into this next stage of his career,” Simpson stated.

Town staff, the town attorney, Simpson and other elected officials will meet to develop a transition plan not only because of Finch’s pending resignation as town manager but also the election of Town Clerk Jean Chrisman as Ontario County clerk. Chrisman was first elected town clerk in 2013.

Simpson said the Canandaigua Town Board will ultimately determine the process of interviewing and appointing an interim town clerk, and the process of interviewing and hiring a new town manager. 

During the time Finch has been with Canandaigua, the town has grown, and he said he has grown with it.

“The thing I’ll miss the most are the people and the staff, far and away.,” Finch said. “Had I not been given the opportunity in Canandaigua, I don’t think I would have this opportunity now, so I’m very grateful.”

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Doug Finch, Canandaigua NY town manager, leaving for job in Texas