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Council forms ad hoc group to design city‑manager recruitment and considers hiring a national executive search firm
Summary
The council directed staff to begin a recruitment process for a permanent city manager and voted to form an ad hoc subcommittee to draft a transparent process for selecting and (if needed) engaging an executive search firm, with typical firm costs estimated at $25,000–$60,000.
Human Resources Director Lydia Flores Hernandez told the council that the city has two main options to fill the permanent city‑manager post: an internally managed recruitment led by HR or a contracted executive search firm. Staff outlined a typical timeline of three to six months for a full search and estimated fees between $25,000 and $60,000 depending on scope.
Councilmembers discussed transparency and public involvement in the recruitment. Several members said they wanted a deliberate process that allows for public observation of parts of the firm‑selection process and recommended forming a small ad hoc committee to draft formal selection steps. The council voted unanimously to form the ad hoc committee to return with a written recruitment process and recommendations for selecting and (if appropriate) interviewing search firms.
Council members asked staff to prepare a written process that includes candidate qualifications the council seeks and options for committee structure, so the full council can review and decide how the firm will be selected and how the finalist candidates will be interviewed. Staff noted the next steps would include soliciting proposals from potential firms, conducting interviews with a subcommittee and then returning recommendations to the full council.
Lydia Flores Hernandez said staff will proceed as directed and provide background materials and a proposed timeline to the subcommittee.
