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Smithfield council debates using search firm for town-manager hire and rescinds RFP
Summary
Council members and citizens debated hiring a search firm (MRI) versus relying on a volunteer evaluation committee for the town-manager search, then voted to rescind the RFP and schedule a workshop to clarify the committee's roles.
The Smithfield Town Council spent a substantial portion of its Sept. 17 meeting debating whether to contract with a private executive-search firm to fill the town-manager position or to rely on the council-appointed evaluation committee.
Proponents of using a firm cited active recruiting of passive candidates, standardized reference checks, confidentiality and regional networks. One speaker recommended Municipal Resources Inc. (MRI), noting its 30-year municipal-search track record and a proposed fee of $24,000. "A search firm can provide that to us," a supporter said, arguing a third party would reduce bias and workload on volunteer committee members.
Opponents and some committee members questioned cost and contract terms, noting contingency versus retained fee structures and that volunteers had limited capacity for exhaustive reference checks and interviews. Joe Tocki, speaking from the audience, suggested contingency arrangements would minimize cost risk to the town. Other council members said prior local searches ran smoothly without an external firm.
Following the debate, the council voted to rescind the outstanding request for proposals for executive and professional recruiting services so vendors could be notified that the bid is closed. The body also debated a separate agenda item outlining the evaluation committee's roles; members agreed to schedule a public workshop to clarify responsibilities, timelines and who will perform active recruiting tasks.
The council did not adopt a final procurement decision for the search firm at the Sept. 17 meeting; next steps include the rescission administrative step and the planned workshop to define committee duties and process.
