Michael R. (Mike) Nunneley
Mike is best known and recognized for his tireless advancement and promotion of public administration in our state. Building on his success in Granite and Mannford, Mike has attended over 70 city council meetings throughout the state, speaking on topics such as "How to Hire a City Manager", "Understanding the Role of Elected Officials" and his "Out of the Box" series on economic development and financial success for municipal operations. Mike has traveled the state as an evangelist for innovative thinking and practices for public administrators and elected officials. In promoting the economy of the community he looks for win-win strategies that suit the needs of the business as well as the Town. These travels and lectures have been at no charge to the cities and towns receiving this training - Mike charges neither honorarium nor mileage to these communities. Mike has also appeared in two training DVDs produced by OMAG, "Understanding the Role of Elected Officials" and "Mayor!".
Mike is a once in a generation personality, whose ingenious administrative and leadership talents have brought great economic development and governance stability to a small community. Mike has used all the tools available to municipalities to strengthen their communities. Two examples include purchasing a failed residential subdivision and selling the lots at a profit to builders who are building affordable single-family homes and matching a federal grant after the 2012 wildfire destruction in Creek County to build a senior housing complex. The senior housing building is three stories with a built-in FS tornado shelter, elevator, and complete apartments with furnished kitchens. The senior housing complex is debt-free. There isn't another city manager, at least since the passing of Gerald Wilkins in 1988, to have such a profound state-wide impact on local government. Mike is a thought leader with a servant's heart and a down-to-earth approachability that makes his communication very effective.
Mike has demonstrated throughout his municipal public service career certain key personal and professional traits that are essential to quality service to the public: empathy, common sense, management technical "know-how", and integrity. Mike demonstrates expert management technical "know-how" by consistently using all his public management skills to achieve positive service delivery results while building overall community value. He uses everything but the "'moo' in the cow" to the community's benefit.
Mike is integrity. Integrity is the baseline for a public administrator but it can be difficult to maintain consistency while so many people and their issues are demanding particular results from their point of view. Mike's other traits greatly contribute to his ability to keep his integrity intact along with a strong grounding, always using "what's the right thing" filter before making decisions. Mike identifies with his community and its needs demonstrating empathy in his work. He has the trust of his Council; the respect of his fellow Town employees; and, the "one of us" acceptance in his leadership by the Mannford community.
He has been a Coach, Teacher, Banker, Mayor, and City Manager. But, in the last twelve years of his professional career, Mike has called "Mannford" his home and 'Town Administrator" his title. It is here where he used all of his previous skills, Coach, Teacher, Banker, Mayor, and City Manager to turn around a town and turn it into the place it is today.
Mike's service and innovation in the field of public administration far exceed that of the average city manager or town administrator in our state. A fact recognized by his peers in 2015 when Mike received the Gerald Wilkins Award, which is presented by the City Management Association of Oklahoma, and recognizes the most outstanding city manager in Oklahoma. Mike is a long-serving Town Administrator in Oklahoma, serving devotedly in the communities of Granite and Mannford. Additionally, Mike has served as Mayor of Granite Oklahoma.