Frank Culross, Rye's Longest Serving City Manager, Retires Today

After more than 20 years in Rye City government and multiple retirements, Rye City Manager Frank Culross will retire today, likely for the final time.

Culross assumed his current position in 1978, after working in local governments in Arizona and Michigan. He initially retired in 2000, but briefly returned as City Manager in 2003 when Julie Novak, the person hired to fill the position, resigned.

In 2009, Culross came out of retirement yet again after the city fired Paul Shew, its City Manager since 2003, for alleged misconduct.

Culross, a Rochester native, was honored on Monday during a special meeting of the Rye City Council.

Mayor Doug French said June 30, the day of Culross' retirement, will be recognized as Frank J. Culross Day.

Deputy Mayor Suzanna Keith lauded Culross for his leadership, while Joe Sack called him "a class act."

"You have taught us so much and we hope you won't be too far away," Keith said.

Former Councilman George Pratt read a statement from former mayor Tedd Dunn, who said Culross "is in the top tier of significant people in Rye." 

Culross has had a formidable career in the city. Rye became a city manager form of government in 1960. Having served in his capacity for 22 years, Culross has essentially been at the helm of Rye City government for most of its existence and has served under seven of the city's mayors.

He said he has no formal plans for his retirement, but is going to take a short vacation very soon.

"I've kind of been retired before, so I'm just going back to being retired," he told Patch Tuesday.

Culross always aspired to be a city manager. He decided in his junior year at Tufts University that working in local government would be a worthwhile profession. He then went on to graduate school at the University of Arizona, where he also jostled with the idea of becoming a city planner.

He eventually decided on a career as a city manager, a profession that he says comes with a myriad of challenges.

"I think it's a terribly exciting career," Culross said. "I did it for a long time but I don't know that any two days were ever the same."

He said one of his proudest accomplishments on the job has been transitioning the city from using private contractors for garbage collection 20 years ago to having the city undertake that role itself, a move that has allowed it to save money and do pick-ups more frequently.

"We enhanced the quality of the service beyond people's expectation," Culross said.

He said the financial challenges the city is currently facing—with the looming threat of a potential 11 percent tax increase—are probably the most difficult the city has faced in all his years as city manager.

But Culross said the city is in good hands with his replacement, Scott Pickup, who has served as Rye's Assistant City Manager since 2005.

"Scott will do a good job and Rye's got a good staff [at City Hall]," he said.

Culross said he is looking forward to what he hopes will be his final retirement.

"You never say never," Culross said when asked if he would ever return as city manager.

"I think it's my final retirement, but I thought that the last time to," he said.