Eugene council approves recruitment path for city manager, forms committee to vet search firms

The Eugene City Council on May 12, 2025, directed staff to proceed with Option 1 for a national city manager recruitment and created a council committee to handle step 1 (review of responses to a request for information), with the full council to approve vendor selection and later recruitment steps. The motion passed after an initial 7-1 vote was revised to 8-0.

Staff noted City Manager Sarah Madai has announced her planned retirement at the end of the calendar year. Mia Carriaga, central services director, told the council the process steps would include identifying and selecting a recruiter through an RFI/RFP consistent with public contracting law, drafting or updating the job description, public engagement during recruitment, screening and shortlisting candidates, and citywide and stakeholder interviews. Carriaga described the full scope a recruiter typically provides, including meeting individually with councilors to gather candidate attributes, conducting national outreach, screening applicants, coordinating interviews and panels, consolidating feedback, and assisting with selection details such as contract support and relocation.

Staff presented two timelines in the agenda materials: full council engagement for each step (estimated about 10–12 months and roughly 12 work sessions) or using a council committee/council leadership approach (estimated about seven meetings and roughly eight months). Council debate focused on whether every step should be conducted by the full council or whether a smaller committee should perform initial vendor screening to speed work between scheduled meetings. Several councilors argued for full council engagement because hiring a city manager is a major, council-led decision; others supported a limited committee for step 1 so that a smaller group could winnow RFI responses before bringing a short list to the full council.

Councilor Evans proposed that a small group (council leadership plus at least one volunteer) review RFI responses to narrow the pool to firms that merit full-council consideration; councilors who spoke in favor said the committee would return recommendations to the full council for decision. The council president’s motion reflected Option 1 with the caveat that step 1 be handled by a committee made up of the council president, vice president and volunteers from the council. Councilors Leach, Zelenka, Yeh and Evans volunteered; the council clarified that such a committee is a public body subject to public meetings law and would recommend 2–3 firms (or a short list) for the council’s review and final selection.

Councilors also emphasized including public engagement, outreach to labor units, an employee survey, and opportunities for community groups to meet finalists. Staff said the recruiter would support those public engagement steps if the council directs them to do so.

The motion to proceed with Option 1 and establish the committee passed; the council agreed volunteers will be confirmed for the hiring committee and staff will begin the RFI process.