Gardner City search committee narrows interview questions, plans rounds of candidate interviews

The Gardner City special search committee for the city clerk position finalized a pared-down set of interview questions and outlined how it will narrow a 40-person applicant pool into a short list for interviews.

The committee’s chair opened the meeting by calling the special search committee to order and asking the clerk to call the roll. Early in the session, Councilor Max moved “that we accept the minutes as presented and waive the reading of them,” a motion that was seconded and approved by the committee.

The committee then turned to Item 2: reviewing candidate interview questions. Members compared multiple draft question sets (referred to in the meeting as copy 2 and copy 3), proposed deleting broad or duplicative items and combining others, and agreed to keep a core group of questions designed to fit a 45–60 minute interview. One member noted the meeting was being recorded and asked that some questions not be read aloud in full during that portion of the discussion.

On logistics, committee members discussed timing and prescreening. The committee identified the first Monday in July (the July 6 meeting) as the earliest date for an initial interview and emphasized asking candidates for professional references and confirming they understand interviews are public and recorded. A staff member who manages postings told the committee, “As of this morning, we have 40 applicants,” and explained the committee’s practice of numbering applications so members do not speak applicant names aloud during deliberations.

On narrowing candidates, members agreed on a practical approach: each committee member will bring a top-five list of candidates to the next meeting. The committee planned to interview up to five candidates in the first round and reserve the option of a second round only if members are not in agreement after the first interviews.

Votes at a glance • Approval of minutes (May 7 and May 12, 2026): Motion to accept and waive reading moved by Councilor Max and seconded by Councilor Kazinskas; the motion passed during the meeting. (Transcript records the motion and that it carried; the record does not provide a full roll-call vote tally.) • Adjournment: Motion to adjourn carried; the committee remained in the room afterward to continue administrative tasks.

The committee scheduled a follow-up meeting to compare top-five lists and plan interview scheduling. No hiring decision was made at the session; next steps are a candidate-selection meeting and the interview rounds the committee outlined.