Retired city manager briefs Palatka commission on candidate rankings as city begins Zoom screening phase
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Summary
A senior advisor and retired city manager told commissioners the applicant pool has been evaluated and ranked into groups; the commission is entering the Zoom interview screening phase with staff assistance and guidance on background checks, community tours and a recommended multi‑step in‑person interview process.
Retired city manager and senior advisor Jim Hansen briefed the commission on the city‑manager search process, saying staff had received all applications by the deadline and he and a second senior advisor had compiled and ranked the 32 candidates into three tiers: highly qualified (7), qualified (7) and the remainder.
Hansen recommended moving quickly to schedule Zoom interviews, conducting background checks and using a multistep in‑person process for finalists that includes a community tour, department‑head meetings and a public reception so elected officials can observe candidate interactions. He also recommended a written interview guide used consistently for each finalist and advised the commission to identify both a first choice and a fallback candidate for contract negotiations.
Why it matters: the commission authorized a five‑phase recruitment in October and is now in phase three (screening). Commissioners said they expect Zoom interviews to be completed by the end of January and then move to in‑person finalists under a shortened schedule. Hansen said the quicker the commission acts, the better the chance of attracting top candidates.
Process and safeguards: Hansen urged pre‑interview Google checks and professional background checks for finalists, and suggested involving department heads during the finalist stage to assess candidate fit. Commissioners asked for the ranking memo and candidate packets for review; Hansen said those materials were provided to staff and were available to commissioners.
Next steps: staff will arrange the Zoom screening interviews based on the commissioners’ selections and report back with a short list for in‑person interviews and negotiations.