Savannah council begins planning for city manager search as incumbent signals departure

City Manager Pat Monahan told the Savannah City Council at a Nov. 7 work session that he expects to leave his post in about 143 days and asked the council for guidance on how to proceed with a search for his successor.

Monahan said the city maintains four or five executive search firms on call and that a search firm could narrow applicants to a top ten from which the council could interview and select a new manager. He offered to volunteer one week of unpaid time to help orient a successor. The council did not take a final action on the search at the work session; the city attorney will address related concerns and the item will appear on a future agenda.

Why it matters: The city manager is the chief executive responsible for implementing council policy and managing day-to-day operations. An organized recruitment process and clarity about transition support can affect continuity for ongoing capital projects and public/private partnership negotiations underway in the city.

What was said: Monahan introduced recruitment options and described the mechanics of using an executive search firm to pare candidates for council interviews. Members did not adopt a specific timeline or firm at the session; council discussion focused on whether to replicate the prior process or make procedural changes. The clerk’s summary notes that Item #25 (City Manager) was formally postponed on the reviewed regular agenda to Nov. 18 to allow the city attorney to address outstanding concerns.

Next steps: Staff will return with refined recommendations and legal clarifications for council consideration on the Nov. 18 meeting agenda. No appointment or motion to hire a search firm was recorded at the Nov. 7 work session.