Gosack named president of ACMA

Fort Smith City Administrator Ray Gosack has been elected president of the Arkansas City Management Association for the organization’s 2012-2013 fiscal year.

The ACMA is an adjunct organization of the Arkansas Municipal League and has approximately 40 members from municipal governments valuing professional management (both mayor-council cities and council-manager cities), and from universities with graduate programs in public administration.

ACMA’s principal purpose is providing member training opportunities.

“I’m honored by the confidence my fellow municipal managers have in me to lead ACMA for the upcoming year,” Gosack said.

After serving almost 12 years as a Fort Smith deputy city administrator, Gosack was hired Jan. 4, 2011 as city administrator.

Gosack had served since Nov. 2, 2010 as the acting city administrator following the board’s firing of Dennis Kelly. The “acting” job was his third time to work in that capacity, in having managed city operations after former city administrators Bill Harding and Randy Reed.

Prior to returning to Fort Smith, Gosack served during 1988-1999 as the assistant village manager and director of management services for the Village of Homewood, Ill.

He also worked as administrative assistant for the city of Fort Smith between 1985 and 1988. Gosack earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas. He was recognized as the outstanding 1985 graduate of the MPA program.