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Gadsden commissioners require applicant questionnaire, 45‑day posting and reapplication for county administrator search
Summary
The commission voted to require a formal application with questionnaire for the county administrator recruitment, ask each commissioner to submit two screening questions, set a 45‑day posting window and require previous applicants to reapply.
The Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners voted during a special meeting to add a formal application and questionnaire to the county administrator recruitment, require all previous applicants to reapply and set a 45‑day posting window.
Attorney Melissa Rose Bertis, who briefed the commission on the search process, said HR received 100 applications and "when they evaluated that section for the specific job requirements, HR determined that 20 of those applicants met the qualifications that are set forth in that paragraph." The board instructed HR to include a questionnaire in the application packet for the next recruitment round.
The commission approved a separate motion asking each commissioner to submit two proposed screening questions to county staff. Commissioner Simpkins proposed the two‑question approach at the meeting: "My suggestion would be if we each would come up with 2 questions, and we will email those questions to the county administrator," she said. The board scheduled a review of the compiled questions at its next regular meeting so the final questionnaire can be added to the county application before HR disseminates it.
Board members also voted to require that any previously submitted applicants reapply under the revised application process so their materials match the newly required questionnaire and application format. Commissioners discussed using the Florida Association/Georgia Association county management recruitment resources and expanding advertisement beyond Indeed to professional channels such as LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter and national county management organizations.
The commission set the application posting window at 45 days and asked staff to prepare the updated application materials and a timeline. Commissioners instructed HR and the county administrator's office to coordinate outreach and provide an updated advertisement listing to the board for review. The board asked that the finance and HR teams return an implementation schedule and revised advertisement language at the next meeting.
No salary change or hire decision was made at the meeting; commissioners discussed salary competitiveness and recruiting concerns during the debate but took no final action on compensation.
Votes and next steps: HR will add the approved questionnaire to the county application, post the position for 45 days, notify prior applicants that they must reapply if they wish to be considered, and return to the board with compiled questions and a timeline.
