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Lock Haven council adopts city manager residency language and $10,000 minimum bond; appoints hiring committee
Summary
On second reading, the Lock Haven City Council accepted changes to the city manager ordinance — including a provision that a newly hired manager move into the city within one year (with council-waivable approval for the length of the manager’s employment) and a $10,000 minimum surety bond floor — and formed an interim hiring committee to lead recruitment.
Lock Haven — On April 6, 2026, the Lock Haven City Council on second reading adopted amendments to the city manager ordinance that add a one-year expectation for a newly hired manager to relocate into the city and set a $10,000 minimum surety-bond requirement in the ordinance.
The council also created an interim hiring committee to oversee the recruitment and initial screening of candidates for the city manager role. Three volunteers — Micah, Rick Copeland and Jan Brand — were identified as committee members, with one member named as an alternate; the committee will review applications, conduct preliminary interviews, and present finalists to the full council.
Why it matters: The ordinance change clarifies residency expectations and establishes a minimum bond level to ensure the manager can be bonded to use the city seal. Council members said the measures are designed to protect the city’s financial and operational interests while preserving council discretion; the ordinance allows the council, by majority vote, to waive the residency requirement for a particular manager for the life of that manager’s employment.
Council discussion and amendments: During the debate, members discussed whether to reproduce charter-law language inside the ordinance or to reference the charter. Members agreed to remove redundant charter text from the ordinance and instead reference the charter where appropriate. On bonding, the packet originally listed $5,000; members cited examples from other municipalities and most supported a minimum of $10,000 as an ordinance floor while retaining the flexibility to set a different bond level later after consulting the city’s insurance provider.
Hiring process and next steps: Council appointed an interim hiring committee to handle the initial recruitment steps, including narrowing the applicant pool and conducting first-round interviews. Committee members and staff discussed publishing a concise job ad and holding a community meet-the-candidate event for finalists. The council asked the committee to return with a refined job description and recruitment plan at the next meeting (staff suggested a two-week target to bring a polished draft back to council).
Vote and procedural notes: The ordinance passed on second reading with affirmative votes recorded from the council members present. Council members also voted to form the hiring committee and approve the planned recruitment process.
What remains unresolved: Council asked staff to consult legal counsel (to confirm whether the changes require an additional reading) and to consult the city’s insurance carrier about appropriate bond levels and premiums before finalizing the operational bond amount beyond the $10,000 ordinance minimum.
