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Kinston council splits 3–2 to hire Raftelis as city-manager search consultant, estimating $70k–$80k cost
Summary
After hearing competing proposals, the council appointed Raftelis to conduct a national search for a new city manager with added stakeholder involvement; the motion passed 3–2 and council members said total search costs could exceed $70,000–$80,000.
The Kinston City Council voted 3–2 on Jan. 20 to appoint Raftelis as the consultant to conduct the search for a new city manager, adding stakeholder involvement to the firm's proposal.
City Attorney Tim Carraway presented three proposals: Raftelis (base fee $34,300 plus capped advertising and per-candidate background costs), Development Associates LLC ($25,500 base with additional per‑candidate testing and background costs) and PoliHire ($33,000 flat fee, longer timeline). Mayor Pro Tem Solomon said she preferred PoliHire for its stakeholder approach, while Council Members Hardy, Aiken and Seaforth supported Raftelis with added stakeholder engagement; Interim City Manager Steven Harrell said a search firm was the best way to find a strong candidate and that stakeholder elements could be added to any proposal.
Council Member Hardy moved, and Council Member Aiken seconded, to appoint Raftelis with added stakeholder involvement; the motion carried 3–2, with Mayor Pro Tem Solomon and Council Member Lipford voting against. Several council members emphasized the search would be expensive; the meeting record estimates total costs likely to exceed $70,000–$80,000 when advertising, background checks and candidate travel are included.
The record does not show a binding contract signed at the meeting; staff and council indicated next steps will include adding stakeholder engagement to the scope and returning with final contract details.
