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Newport council approves revised city manager job description, changes degree requirement and launches confidential search with VLCT
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Summary
The council approved edits to a city manager job description, changed a bachelor's degree from required to preferred, and authorized the search committee to proceed with VLCT consultant Dominic Cloud; council discussed salary range and confirmed candidate review will be confidential (executive session).
Newport City Council on April 9 approved a revised job description for the City Manager, agreed to weaken a strict bachelor’s degree requirement to “preferred,” and moved forward with a search led by a Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) consultant.
Dominic Cloud, the VLCT consultant working with the search committee, told the council that a professional city manager is a chief administrative officer who implements council policy, manages operations and prepares budgets. He emphasized professional standards and the ICMA code of ethics while saying the council’s top priorities for the role include rebuilding trust, improving communications and supporting downtown redevelopment.
Resident Laurie Grim Rosenart told the council she supported the manager form of government but urged precise wording to preserve council checks and balances, noting a previous manager in Newport had exercised what some residents saw as excessive authority. “Words are important,” Laurie said, urging consistent references to the council-manager form when describing the city’s government. Dominic agreed and said language could be tightened to make the council’s final authority clear.
Council members also discussed salary strategy and candidate-market expectations. Dominic advised setting a competitive floor (he cited $120,000 as a likely market floor based on recent searches) and a range that would allow the city to attract experienced managers. Council members and residents expressed concern about fiscal sustainability and suggested widening the hiring-floor to include strong local candidates. The council noted that the FY27 budget includes $125,000 plus benefits as a planning point.
A council member moved to approve the job description with three changes: (1) add explicit language that the manager ‘‘prepares and advises the mayor and council on major city agreements such as union contracts, insurance settlements, real estate and legal matters,’’ (2) align wording on financial reporting to reflect the charter, and (3) change “bachelor’s degree required” to “preferred.” The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
Cloud outlined the search timeline: finalize brochure text, run ads for three to four weeks, VLCT and the committee will assemble resumes and a shortlist, then the committee will conduct interviews and return finalists to the council. Dominic said candidate review and vetting will be conducted in executive session to protect confidentiality. The council thanked the search committee and asked Dominic to incorporate the agreed wording changes before the posting.
Next steps: Dominic will update the job description and promotional brochure to reflect the council’s edits, staff will post the position, and the search committee will begin screening applications after the advertising window closes.
