Carter Lake schedules city administrator readings, forms committee to interview city-attorney candidates

Councilors advanced two personnel items: they accepted the first reading of the city-administrator ordinance and outlined a process to interview and select a city attorney.

At the special session roll call, five council members were present. A motion to accept the first reading of the city-administrator ordinance passed on a recorded roll call with the five members present voting yes. Members stressed the need for adequate review time and said the second reading would be held at the next Monday meeting with the third reading expected in April; several councillors preferred finishing the currently started readings rather than accelerate or restart the process.

For the city-attorney search, councilors discussed candidate packets and recommended forming a hiring committee. Several members volunteered or were recommended to serve on the panel; the council discussed whether interviews could be held in closed session and whether to run two interview nights or give candidates daytime options. Council members agreed to schedule interviews the week of April 1, with possible slots on April 2–3 or two evenings to accommodate candidates.

Council also voted to accept a late-submitted attorney application with a deadline to submit materials by the Friday preceding the March meeting; members said receiving the late packet did not obligate the council to interview every candidate, but that the packet should at least be reviewed.

Next steps: staff will circulate candidate materials to committee members and publish interview dates; the committee will return a recommendation to the full council for a final vote.