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Atkins council hears two firms proposing city-administrator searches and pauses a hiring decision
Summary
Representatives from MGT (GovHR) and Express Employment Professionals outlined executive-search approaches for a permanent city administrator; council members asked questions about timelines, vetting and guarantees and opted to discuss selection further before formally hiring a firm.
The Atkins City Council heard presentations Aug. 27 from two firms pitching city-administrator recruitment services. Mark Peterson of MGT (GovHR/MGT) described a recommended 14-week recruitment with stakeholder interviews, position-profile development and a one-year placement guarantee. Representatives from Express Employment Professionals outlined both permanent placement and temporary-staffing options, including a 180-day placement guarantee for certain roles and an active-sourcing approach using LinkedIn and targeted outreach.
Council members pressed both firms on vetting practices, background checks and how the firms would assess candidates who had short tenure or problematic departures from prior municipal jobs. Peterson described a process of individual council interviews and staff stakeholder engagement to build a candidate profile; Express representatives said they would use local pipelines and referral networks and offered facilitated interviews and logistical support for candidate travel and lodging.
No firm was hired at the meeting. Council members agreed to schedule a short meeting tied to a Sept. 5 site tour to decide whether to direct staff to prepare a contract to come back to the council for formal approval at a subsequent meeting. Staff said a formal contract could be drafted and placed on the next meeting agenda if the council chooses a firm.
The council emphasized the importance of confidentiality for applicants and clarity about the position profile, and members asked staff to return with an agreement for the chosen vendor once a decision is reached.
