The mayor with the mayor (Image: CHS)

Michael Wells is barely out the door but it’s time to start seeking his replacement to lead the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce — a role that basically makes you the Mayor of Capitol Hill:

The Executive Director will lead the development, management, and execution of all Chamber programs and projects including and especially the creation of a new Business Improvement Area (BIA). This includes managing all staff, budgets, and contracts for the organization. The Board of Directors will provide strategic leadership in identifying the Capitol Hill community priorities and oversight of the finances of the organization. The Executive Director must work effectively with city leaders, multiple city departments, and local business & community leaders.

That whole “work effectively” part leaves CHS out.

To help you bone up on the Chamber and the challenges it will face creating an expanded “business improvement area” across Capitol Hill (including convincing 60% of all properties in the expansion area to agree to be part of the BIA *and* pay the assessment fees), you’ll want to read our report on Wells stepping down from leading the organization for five years:

Board members who briefed CHS on the changes with the agreement that we would not publish our report until the announcement had been sent to membership tell us that the initiative to expand Capitol Hill’s Business Improvement Area which currently covers only the blocks around Broadway is the organization’s next great challenge and the central component for finding the chamber’s next leader.

Oh, and the Chamber’s Capitol Hill 2020 plan, too:

• Evolve the Chamber — Grow the chamber into a larger representative neighborhood business leadership organization to guide progress.
• Clean & Safe District — Increase and expand cleaning and safety services throughout the Hill.
• Prepare for Growth — Support the Hill through imminent and necessary changes to the neighborhood while protecting and preserving our unique cultural assets.
• Vital & Active Retail — Balance nighttime and daytime neighborhood vitality.
  • Nightlife – Ensure that Capitol Hill’s vibrant nightlife scene is safe and healthy for patrons and workers alike.
  • Retail/Office – Recruit and retain retail and offices to make daytime on the Hill as active as the nighttime.
  • Events – Work with major event producers to manage neighborhood impacts for everyone’s benefit.
  • Arts – Preserve and promote the arts culture for patrons and artists.

You also might want to track down Wells — we hear he’ll be at a goodbye party Friday afternoon. Look for the smiling man. He’s now for hire, by the way.

As for the gig, the Chamber job pays $70,000 to $85,000, requires a bachelor’s, and a “familiarity working within culturally diverse surroundings.”

So, “What skills or experiences uniquely qualify you for the Executive Director of the Capitol Hill Chamber?” We’re eager to know!