Is there a shortage of city managers?

The New York Times reports here on what is described as the coming shortage of qualified managers for the nation's cities and towns.

Bristol, Virginia, is looking to replace its City Manager, while the outgoing incumbent is getting quite a package of parting gifts as he heads into retirement - maybe the market demands that city managers get such goodies. I'd say that the fellow in Bristol city government who could write his own ticket about any place in the U.S. is not anyone who ever worked in the City Manager's officer, but rather the head of Bristol Virginia Utilities and perhaps a few of his colleagues.