By KEITH GRANT
In addition to his nine years as Newburgh city manager, Porr also formerly served as the assistant to the County Executive of Orange County.
Porr was wrapping up a family vacation and could not be reached for comment, but is expected to be in Long Beach later this week to begin his downstate move.
As a resident and a taxpayer, I feel very good about this guy, said the man Porr will replace, Ed Eaton. Eaton retired after 20 years on the job in 1999, but returned last year after his successor, Bruce Nyman, left office. Nyman is now an assistant to County Executive Tom Suozzi.
Porr was selected from a field of 23 applicants from all corners of the country. Commenting on the effort that went into the interview process, councilman Denis Kelly said, We grilled these people. That was the fact for every candidate. Porr, he said, knocked our socks off.
He's got the skills to do the job, and he's done it in Newburgh, Kelly said. He has to learn Long Beach, but I think he'll be a quick study.
Councilman Scott Nigro said that Porr had set the bar for the other candidates after his first interview with the council.
Though a manager for the past nine years, Porr's Newburgh history includes a stint as the local Republican leader. Long Beach council members, though, expressed confidence that Porr's politics are a thing of the past and he brings only an interest in being a professional manager.
Porr's past politics, however, did apparently haunt him to some degree in Newburgh's government as he was twice forced from office by Democrat-led councils, most recently this past December. In 1999, he was removed from the job and took a position as city manager in Poughkeepsie, but returned months later to again lead's Newburgh's administration.
Councilman Lenny Remo said Long Beach officials asked Porr what chances existed that he would again make a quick return to his hometown.
We asked him point blank about that, Remo said. He represented to us that he is looking forward to coming to Long Beach, staying in Long Beach and working in the best interest of Long Beach.
Porr will join a city with several similarities to his own. Newburgh is a diverse, waterfront community that is in the process of bringing new development to its burgeoning Hudson River coast, including a new hotel and conference center. Newburgh was awarded Gov. Pataki's 2001 Waterfront Rediscovery Award.
Porr has gone on record stating that the nothingness that dominated the 1970s, 1980s and much of the 1990s has been replaced development such as a river walk park, restaurants, nightclubs, cruise boats, boutiques and a spa. The fact that the city was able to create jobs, create a new tax base, create a new identity for the City, I think contributed a lot to us being considered by the governor for this award.
Some Long Beach officials likened Newburgh to Long Beach in the late 70s, when it was beginning to emerge from decades of economic struggles. While one resident expressed reservations because of Newburgh's economic state
