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Chickasha council approves up-to-$35,000 contract with SGR to lead city-manager search
Summary
The Chickasha City Council approved an agreement with Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to conduct a nationwide search for a new city manager and provide candidate screening for up to $35,000. Councilors pressed staff on stakeholder involvement, timeline and guarantees for the search.
Chickasha — The Chickasha City Council voted to authorize a recruiting agreement with Strategic Government Resources (SGR) to lead a nationwide search for a new city manager, with the contract not to exceed $35,000.
City staff introduced the proposal and recommended approval, saying SGR will perform nationwide outreach, preliminary screening and provide a narrowed list of candidates for the council’s review. "We recommend approving the agreement for recruiting services with SGR in an amount not to exceed 35,000," a staff presenter told the council.
Council members questioned aspects of SGR’s approach, including who participates in the project kickoff, whether the council and citizens will be included in stakeholder interviews, and when resumes will be provided in the process. Councilors also raised the role of personality screening and social-media checks during vetting; staff said those tools are used to identify potential red flags and that more detailed background checks are listed separately in the packet.
Supporters on the council pointed to SGR’s national reach and previous use by the city, while some members expressed concern about past turnover and whether the firm could guarantee a long-term successful hire. Staff said the city retains final hiring authority and can negotiate the scope of stakeholder involvement; the firm typically offers a placement guarantee period (discussed as roughly one year) if a hire does not remain in the role.
Staff estimated the process could take roughly 12 weeks in optimistic scenarios, and councilors discussed interim arrangements and the city’s ability to designate an acting or interim city manager while recruitment continues. Multiple council members said they are confident existing leadership can carry the workload during the transition.
The motion to approve the contract passed by roll call. The council directed staff to proceed with the agreement and to return with details on the stakeholder list and kickoff timeline.
The council did not set a start date for candidate interviews; staff said the kickoff meeting will define the project timeline and stakeholder participation.
