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Sheldon council to revise city‑manager job description, meet with recruitment firm
Summary
Facing a city‑manager vacancy the council agreed to update the job description to emphasize strategic planning and other competencies and scheduled a special meeting with a recommended recruitment firm to review its process before deciding whether to hire the firm or pursue internal candidates.
The Sheldon City Council discussed how to fill a vacant city‑manager post and instructed staff to revise the job description before deciding whether to hire an outside recruitment firm or promote from within.
Chair (speaker labeled S1) introduced a proposal from a recruitment firm the city used previously and said the firm has worked with other nearby communities. Human Resources director (S7) told the council the current job description was prepared by the previous city manager and said she had suggested additions including strategic planning and organizational leadership, capital improvement and infrastructure planning, community and economic partnerships, grants and external funding, risk management and emergency preparedness, and stewardship of the city’s assets.
Council members debated three options: (1) use the consultant to manage a full external search, (2) advertise and consider internal applicants, or (3) restructure responsibilities so current staff absorb some duties. One council member (Council member, S3) argued for an external search so the public could see a competitive process, saying, “For $18,750, it's not much in our big budget to give that person support.” Other members said they wanted to exhaust internal interest and ensure any job posting is broad and not narrowly tailored to the current interim manager.
S7 (Human Resources) told the council she could provide a revised job description and a position profile by mid‑August and recommended reviewing related job descriptions (Todd and Angie) to clarify delegated responsibilities. Several councilors asked for a short “discovery” or profile meeting so the council and key staff could align on priorities before going to market.
To get answers from the firm, a council member (S5) moved to schedule a special meeting with the recruitment firm for a presentation and Q&A; the motion was amended to Thursday, April 30 (subject to the firm’s availability) and carried by roll call. The council instructed HR to incorporate the committee’s suggested competencies into the job description and to circulate draft job descriptions to council members prior to the special meeting; action on hiring the firm was tabled until after that meeting.
What happens next: HR will provide an updated job description and the council will meet with the recruitment firm at the special meeting to hear the firm’s process and decide whether to engage it for a full search.
