Council appoints interim city manager; directs search process for permanent manager

Following an executive session on Jan. 27, the Edmond City Council moved to appoint an interim city manager; the public transcript records the motion, second and an approval vote but does not specify the appointee’s name in the open record. Council also discussed next steps on hiring a permanent city manager and directed staff to solicit proposals from executive search firms.

Human Resources Director Caroline Pierce discussed previous experience with both in-house and contracted executive searches and described typical timelines, background-check processes and estimated search-firm costs. Pierce said recent searches in Edmond have ranged from about $23,500 to just over $27,000; depending on scope, search-firm proposals often run in roughly the $25,000–$35,000 range.

Pierce outlined advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and noted a typical contracted executive search timeline of about 12–13 weeks from posting to hire. Council members said the current interim manager provides continuity, and that the council prefers to begin the search process promptly but understands the next council seated in May will participate in later-stage selection. Council directed staff to prepare and solicit proposals from executive search firms, with staff returning a summary and recommendations for council consideration at the Feb. 24 meeting.