Charles Town council committee selects GPS to recruit next city manager

Members of the Charles Town council committee voted to hire GPS to run the city manager search after debating proposals from several executive-recruiting firms and getting clarifications from a GPS representative on a follow-up phone call.

The committee had narrowed a field that included firms such as Baker Tilly, MGT, Raftelis, Adelphi and HOTEP and raised cost and regional-experience concerns about several submissions. During the meeting members said some firms’ materials felt generic or were likely to push the budget higher because travel and advertising were billed separately.

“ I don't feel they have hardly any experience in municipal recruiting,” said Brett, one committee member, describing why he would not be comfortable moving a particular firm forward. Several members said Baker Tilly’s a la carte costs and out-of-region staffing risked quickly exceeding the committee’s budget, while GPS’s flat-fee approach and sample materials appealed to others.

The committee discussed trade-offs among several finalists. Members praised GPS for a dedicated senior-level point of contact, candidate questionnaires and an organized plan for finalist visits, and flagged MGT and Raftelis for uncertain travel or add-on costs. Committee members repeatedly asked staff to confirm what was included in each vendor’s price before signing any contract.

During a live call with a GPS representative, City staff member Cindy Resmer asked whether the firm’s proposal included multiple in-person visits and whether GPS would meet with more than the screening committee. The GPS representative said the proposal included three in-person visits and described delivering “10 to 15” semi-final candidate recommendations; committee members pressed whether GPS would help narrow that list further and how the on-site visits would be scheduled.

After that exchange, Brett moved that the committee extend an offer to GPS to serve as the recruiting firm for the city manager search; a colleague seconded the motion and members voiced assent. There was no formal roll-call vote recorded in the transcript; members agreed the chair would verify details about on-site visits and expenses and would then proceed with contract authorization by email if appropriate.

The committee concluded by asking staff to confirm the scope of GPS’s on-site work and any additional costs before the hiring contract is finalized. The meeting adjourned without a recorded roll-call tally; staff said they would contact finalists and continue with candidate outreach the following day.