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St. Helens council directs city to use Lane COG for city administrator search
Summary
The council voted to hire Lane Council of Governments (LGPS) under an existing intergovernmental agreement to run a nationwide recruitment and include a formal compensation study, favoring cost and local knowledge over higher-priced national firms.
The St. Helens City Council voted unanimously July 21 to direct interim City Administrator Christy Wurster to work with local government personnel services through the Lane Council of Governments (LGPS) to lead the search for the city's next administrator and to include a formal compensation study.
Wurster, who presented three options, told the council the decision is one of the city's most important and outlined trade-offs: in-house HR (lowest cost but limited outreach), LGPS (moderate cost and local knowledge, includes a salary study), or outside professional firms (broader outreach, higher cost and guarantees). "This is one of the most important decisions that you make for the city moving forward," Wurster said. She recommended either LGPS or an outside firm so the process has independent evaluation and confidentiality.
Councilors debated costs and recruitment reach. The packet showed an LGPS estimate of $15,784 plus travel, GMP consultants estimated $20,000 plus expenses, and outside firms ranged from $16,500 to $28,000 with differing guarantees. Councilor Sandeep moved the direction to use LGPS under the city's existing IGA and include a compensation study; the motion was seconded and passed with all present voting aye. The council directed staff to return to council to refine recruitment criteria, internal candidate interview rules, and the application period before any advertisement.
