Finney County commissioners set administrator search brochure: $180,000–$200,000 range, one-year residency requirement

The Finney County Board of Commissioners amended its agenda Friday to add items for the county administrator executive-search brochure and approved a package of personnel-related motions, including a salary range, residency requirement and a negotiable moving allowance.

The actions came after commissioners debated how to describe pay and residency terms for candidates for the county administrator post. “I move that we allow Gary to take a day off with pay on Friday,” said Commissioner (unnamed), referring to the administrator. That motion passed after a voice vote.

The board then agreed to add brochure items for the administrator search, including an annual salary range, residency expectations and relocation reimbursement. Commissioner German said the panel should “establish a range” and make other contract elements negotiable depending on experience. Commissioners discussed matching the new hire’s pay to current staff, mentioning Matt Allen’s $195,000 level as a reference point.

After additional discussion about residency timelines for candidates from outside the county, commissioners settled on requiring the new administrator’s primary residence/domicile to be within Finney County within one year of signing a contract. Commissioners discussed six months to a year as reasonable timeframes and accepted “primary residence/domicile” language on legal counsel’s suggestion.

Commissioners voted to approve brochure language that included: a salary range of $180,000 to $200,000; a requirement that the administrator establish primary residence/domicile in Finney County within one year of signing the contract; and a moving allowance described as negotiable depending on distance and circumstances. The motion to adopt the brochure items was moved and seconded and carried on a voice vote.

The board did not record roll-call tallies for these voice votes in the transcript excerpts provided. The motions as passed instruct staff and the search team to use the adopted brochure language when advertising the county administrator position and to treat relocation specifics as negotiable in individual offers.

The board moved on to the day’s other agenda items after the votes; commissioners said the brochure and direction to the search team would be taken up immediately and incorporated into the search materials.

What’s next: the county’s search team will proceed using the approved brochure language. Additional contract terms and any individual offer amounts will be negotiated case-by-case and returned to the commission for final approvals as required.