Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Manager Search topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Newport council votes to create six-member city manager search committee, consultant to lead recruitment
Summary
The Newport City Council approved a six-member search committee to lead a city manager recruitment, with consultant Dominic Cloud assisting and a confidentiality pledge to protect candidates; letters of interest are due Jan. 26 and committee appointments will be decided Feb. 2.
The Newport City Council voted to establish a six-member city manager search committee and to begin a recruitment process led by consultant Dominic Cloud.
Councilor John Monette moved that the council "initiate the city manager search process by establishing a search committee comprised of 2 city councilors, 2 staff members, and 2 members of the public," with the council appointing members and designating a chair; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The committee’s charge is to work with the consultant to develop a candidate profile and recruitment materials, conduct first-round interviews and recommend a slate of candidates for council consideration.
Dominic Cloud, who said he works for the City of St. Albans and part time for the League of Cities and Towns, told the council a confidential initial process is essential to attract candidates currently employed elsewhere. "Your best candidate is working for another community right now," Cloud said. "They need to be able to inspire confidence in their home community … they can't do any of that if people think they are out looking for another job."
Cloud described the committee’s work as an "iterative", open-meeting process to draft a recruitment brochure and other materials; he distinguished the brochure and recruitment materials from an official job description. The council chair said the council would advertise the opening by the end of the week and accept confidential letters of interest at rick.uffordchase@newportvermont.org by Jan. 26. The council will consider committee candidates and appoint members at its Feb. 2 meeting.
Why it matters: Newport has been operating without a full-time city manager. Council members said a structured search with a consultant and a small committee will help identify qualified candidates while balancing transparency about process with confidentiality for applicants.
The council also discussed legal limits on executive-session use and agreed the exception for appointments can allow the candid internal discussion needed at the outset of a manager search. The council did not take further formal personnel action at this meeting.
Next steps: The council plans to advertise the recruitment, accept letters of interest through Jan. 26, and appoint the committee on Feb. 2.
