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Clay County commissioners authorize negotiator after straw vote narrows county manager candidates
Summary
After a straw vote that produced top finishers, the Clay County Commission authorized Commissioner Sella to negotiate a county manager contract with the leading candidate and return the agreement to the board for approval; staff expect draft terms within roughly two weeks.
The Clay County Commission on Tuesday moved to authorize a bargaining representative to negotiate terms for a county manager contract after a straw vote narrowed the field of finalists.
Speaker 2 read the straw-vote totals aloud: "Mister Coffin has 3 total votes, mister Howard has 2, mister Susman has 2, and mister Wanamaker has 3," reflecting two leading candidates at the top of the ballot. Commissioners then discussed qualifications and next steps for negotiating a hire.
Commissioners praised several finalists but singled out Howard Wanamaker for a mix of public- and private-sector experience. An unidentified speaker said Wanamaker "understands public safety" and highlighted his local board service and an emphasis on establishing standard operating procedures to reduce turnover.
Jennifer, a staff member, explained the usual process for finalizing an offer: "What we've done in the past is that the board will decide [on] one commissioner that can represent the board and speak in the interest of the board and work with the county attorney's office...to come up with the negotiation of the contract." Following that practice, an unidentified commissioner moved that Commissioner Sella, working with the county manager and the county attorney, negotiate an agreement and bring it back to the board for action; another commissioner seconded the motion.
The chair called for the voice vote and declared the motion carried. The board and staff discussed timing: the county attorney and chair plan to review the draft contract points and begin discussions with the favored candidate within the next two weeks, with the board aiming to consider a final approval by the first meeting in June.
Board members noted the search firm’s work and acknowledged that the top candidate is expected to be among the higher-paid finalists, with one commissioner saying the public likely will comment on compensation. The meeting ended with the chair calling for final comments and adjourning.
