Eugene selects Bob Murray & Associates to lead city manager recruitment

The Eugene City Council voted 7-0 on July 9, 2025, to select Bob Murray and Associates to conduct the city manager recruitment and authorized staff to negotiate and execute a contract, following interviews with three finalist search firms during a virtual work session.

Assistant City Manager Kristi Hammett opened the session by reminding council members of the purpose: “Today, council continues their work, to hire a new city manager,” and then the council heard abbreviated interviews from WBCP, CPS HR Consulting and Bob Murray and Associates. The council limited question rounds to 1 minute and 30 seconds per member for each interview team.

The selection ends the interview phase of a recruitment process that councilors began earlier in their hiring timeline. Mayor/Chair Yellen called the roll for the final motion; Councilor Evans moved to select Bob Murray and Associates and Chair Yellen seconded. The motion directed staff to finalize contract terms with Central Services Manager Mia Carriag. The vote was recorded as 7 in favor, 0 opposed.

What council heard WBCP (presentation led by a company president identified as Wendy and supported by Levi Coleman) emphasized a woman-owned, West‑focused recruiting practice, centralized marketing and a promise of broad outreach and rapid timelines. The firm described a competency-based screening approach, described multi-week timelines (shortlist commonly by weeks six to seven and finalist/background checks by weeks 10–12) and cited a national master-service/piggyback contract with the National Association of Counties as part of its referencing.

CPS HR Consulting (presented by Pam and Teddy Anderson) framed the firm as a public-sector–focused joint powers authority with long experience doing executive searches for cities and counties. CPS highlighted extensive stakeholder engagement (surveys, in‑person and virtual meetings), executive salary and compensation studies, and past work that included large-scale recruitments and community engagement components; the presenters noted examples of prior recruitments that produced dozens to hundreds of applicants in past searches.

Bob Murray and Associates (presented by Valerie Gaeta Phillips with local recruiter Jeff Morey) described a 14–16 week typical timetable, nationwide outreach augmented by extensive social-media and affinity‑group outreach and an emphasis on DEIB and candidate assessment options. Valerie noted the firm’s recent placements and said the firm customizes each search to the client’s needs, offering listening sessions, surveys and regular written updates to council.

Council deliberations and rationale Council discussion after the interviews focused on fit, demonstrated experience in comparable communities (including university towns), prior successful placements, outreach capacity and the firms’ track records. Multiple councilors said all three firms were capable; Councilor Zelenka said, “All 3 of them could do the job,” and described his ranking based on experience with similar recruitments and regional market reach.

Several councilors referenced prior positive experience with Bob Murray and Associates and the firm’s demonstrated work in mid‑to‑large cities and university communities. After brief rounds of remarks, Councilor Evans moved to select Bob Murray and Associates; Chair Yellen seconded. The motion passed 7-0.

Formal action and next steps The council’s motion selected Bob Murray and Associates to conduct the City of Eugene’s city manager recruitment and directed staff to negotiate and execute a contract in accordance with the terms discussed. Councilor Evans read the motion on the record as the formal action. Staff said they will return with contract documents and proceed with the recruitment phases outlined by the selected firm, which typically include kickoff interviews with each council member, stakeholder engagement, candidate sourcing, shortlisting, interviews and final background and offer stages.

The council’s vote concludes the interview stage and begins contract negotiation and the public search process. Council members and staff indicated the recruitment will receive substantial attention in the coming months; the firms presented differing timelines and outreach methods, and councilors said they expect regular progress updates from staff and the selected firm.