Is Chistopher Philbrick, the sole candidate for Rockland City Manager, the man he appears to be on his resume? Has the Search Committee confirmed that the job titles and descriptions claimed by Mr. Philbrick are factual? Had they conducted an online search, they would have discovered claims disproved by solid sources such as Stars and Stripes, the U.S. Army, and Department of Defense.

Mr. Philbrick claims that from 2005-2008 he was the city manager of Fort Irwin, California. He was the garrison commander, according to an article in the Desert Dispatch, May 23, 2008. Philbrick claims Fort Irwin is a city. It is a 1,000-square-mile, extra-legal jurisdiction, in which to conduct realistic military operations to prepare brigade combat teams for deployment.

Thousands of civilians live on the base, but there is no city hall, no city council, no minutes, no municipal law or governance. No homeowners. Everyone is a tenant on federal property. Civilians who violate the law are tried by Army JAG prosecutors under the Code of Federal Regulations.

Mr. Philbrick said that he was the "chief executive officer" of this "city," "responsible for the administration of the city's day-to-day operations."

According to the Department of the Army Civilian Personnel Occupational Standard, the army mandates that a permanent civilian employee, the Deputy to the Garrison Commander, "shall have full responsibility for planning, directing, organizing, coordinating and controlling overall operations through subordinate managers who possess technical expertise in their respective areas." 

The Deputy is to develop and implement "both the long and short term policies and plans...delegate authority...exercise fiscal management responsibility by monitoring expenditures and reallocating funds based on shifting program needs...assume a leadership role in developing personnel management policies..promote good relations with a variety of groups and individuals including unions, community organizations and the local chamber of commerce."

The current deputy, Craig Fabrizio, has been at Fort Irwin for 13 years. Mr. Philbrick was there for three. Despite his brief tenure, Mr. Philbrick said he led the design and construction of a $100 million water treatment facility, though that facility literally belonged to the Army Corps of Engineers, was initiated years before he arrived and constructed and transferred to the Army long after he left.

Does the Rockland City Council Search Committee truly understand the difference between administering a municipality and military base?

Mr. Philbrick claims that from 2000-2002 he was the "Deputy City Manager" of Fort Rucker. He was a battalion commander, responsible for his battalion of troops, vehicles and equipment. 

Mr. Philbrick claims that from 2008-2009 he was the "Principal Municipal Advisor, Ministry of Defense, Baghdad, Iraq," and that he advised the the Iraqi Minister of Defense on all aspects of municipal operations. 

The city editor of the Desert Dispatch in Barstow, California, reported on May 23, 2008, "Philbrick's next post will be in Iraq, where he will serve as an adviser to the deputy chief of staff for training and doctrine."

I would venture that Mr. Philbrick didn't discuss municipal fiscal policy over tea with the Iraqi Minister of Defense. He offered his 30-year cache of US Army training and doctrine to his Iraqi counterpart. Is Mr Philbrick's expertise the kind we want in Rockland? 

Springer Lowell lives in Rockland