City of Westerville Update
Featuring Dave Collinsworth, City Manager and Kim Sharp, Deputy Director of Planning and Development - City of Westerville
David (Dave) Collinsworth, Westerville’s City Manager since 2007, has strong Ohio roots dating back to his childhood in the Dayton area. Dave graduated Cum Laude (Political Science) from the University of Dayton in 1988 and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at the University of Kansas in 1990.
After completing graduate school and serving various internships in Ohio, Missouri and Kansas, Dave came back to Ohio to stay after being offered the position of Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Miamisburg. Two years later, Dave was promoted to Assistant City Manager, a position he held for five years until he was named the City Manager at Tipp City, Ohio in March 1997.
At Tipp City, Dave was responsible for a $23 million annual budget and 130 employees in 10 departments, including a municipal electric division. He spearheaded the City’s own version of PROS leading to the creation of new voter-approved recreation facilities, expanded the police department headquarters, partnered with a neighboring community to develop a joint venture for construction and operation of a new water treatment plant, initiated a streetscape program for Tipp City’s historic business district and Main Street, and implemented programs and policies that aided in business development including establishment of the Downtown Partnership.
In December 2007, Dave was named City Manager for the City of Westerville, nationally recognized by Money Magazine for the second time in 2009 as one of “America’s Best Places to Live.” In Westerville, Dave is responsible for more than 430 full-time employees and an annual city budget exceeding $160 million. He also oversees the programs and services of 10 departments, including a municipal electric and water utility as well as the nationally-renowned Parks & Recreation department featuring more than 40 parks and 26 miles of leisure trails and bikeways.
Shortly after his arrival in Westerville, Dave led an extensive income tax restructuring campaign, known as Issue 54. Westerville residents approved Issue 54 in 2008, more than tripling the funding made available for street reconstruction and infrastructure improvements in the City. Through Dave’s leadership, the City of Westerville announced in 2010 the establishment of the nation’s first municipal community data center, established to provide new-generation business support for Westerville-based commercial interests.
Dave’s accomplishments and recognitions include serving the Ohio City/County Management Association (OCMA) as President in 2012-2013 and being honored in 2012 by the Martin L. King Jr. Day Committee with the Miriam Alston award for his work promoting diversity within the City of Westerville organization.
Dave’s family includes wife Jane and three school-aged children, Rachel, Abbie and Andrew who all attend Westerville City Schools. Dave has been a Rotarian since 1997 and he is a Paul Harris Fellow.
