Haslet council approves city administrator posting, sets $150,000–$200,000 salary range and forms candidate subcommittee

The Haslet City Council on Monday approved adding detailed qualifications to the job posting for a city administrator, set a salary range of $150,000 to $200,000 (to be dependent on experience and qualifications) and directed staff to post the amended listing in accordance with city personnel policies.

The action, taken at a special meeting Sept. 22, also appointed Council Members Horik and Carruthers to a two-member subcommittee that will identify and evaluate candidates and report back to the full council in open session.

Councilman Gilbert presented a draft list of desired education and experience to be added to the posting, including a bachelor’s degree in public administration or a related field (master’s preferred), certifications such as Certified Public Manager or Texas Municipal League memberships listed as advantageous, and ‘‘at least 10 to 15 years of progressively responsible municipal government experience with a minimum of five years in a senior management or executive role,’’ according to text read aloud during the meeting. The posting will also include the essential functions adopted previously in Ordinance No. 0162025, and the finance director or her designee was directed to post the amended job description on Sept. 24.

Mayor Chris Halsey and multiple council members discussed whether to include a concrete salary figure in the posting or to advertise a range. Councilwoman Morrow proposed and the council agreed on an experience-based range of $150,000–$200,000 per year, ‘‘dependent upon experience and qualifications,’’ which the council recorded as part of the motion. Council members said the range is intended to help attract qualified candidates while allowing flexibility to negotiate based on individual backgrounds.

Public commenters spoke both for and against creating or filling the city administrator post. Several residents urged the council to clarify whether the city administrator would report to the mayor or to the council and invoked prior public discussion and legal opinions; others urged the council to move forward and post the position. Resident Brian Flaxbart asked specifically who the administrator would report to, and Mike Rhodes and others expressed concern about costs and the city’s direction. Council and staff repeatedly noted that the essential job duties remain those adopted by prior ordinance and that the current item was to add posting details and desired qualifications.

The council also voted to form a two-member subcommittee to screen and evaluate applicants and to require that the subcommittee report its findings to the full council in an open meeting. The motion to appoint Council Members Horik and Carruthers as the subcommittee passed unanimously.

What’s next: city staff will merge the previously adopted Exhibit A job duties with the additional qualifications approved Monday, circulate the merged posting to the city attorney for review, and post the job listing in accordance with the city personnel policy by the September 24 posting date directed in the motion.

Clarifying details from the meeting include the posting date (September 24), the approved salary range ($150,000–$200,000, annual, ‘‘dependent upon experience and qualifications’’), and that residency within Haslet is not required in the posting. The council reiterated that the posting will include the essential functions previously codified in Ordinance No. 0162025 as well as the additional qualifications discussed at the meeting.