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Commissioners split over whether to reopen administrator search after candidates withdrew
Summary
Some commissioners urged reopening the application window after multiple finalists withdrew; others argued the board should still interview the traveling candidate and decide later. The board agreed to interview but deferred any hiring decision.
During the June 12 special meeting, commissioners debated whether the search for the county administrator should be paused and reopened after the finalist pool contracted from five to one.
"I think out of fairness to the public, to the candidate himself and to ourselves, I would like to make a decision what we're gonna do prior to this interview as far as more candidates," one commissioner said, proposing re-opening the application window and asking interim staff whether they could continue in the role if needed. Allison (speaker 8) urged the board to avoid letting a single candidate proceed by default: "I don't personally think we can just have one person go through by a default measure and limit our choices," she said.
Other commissioners said it would be respectful to interview the candidate who had traveled to be available. Commissioners also raised procedural concerns about giving one candidate the advantage of a repeat interview if others were asked to return. The chair emphasized that the interview on June 12 was purely informational and that deliberation would occur at the end of the meeting or at a later convening.
The board did not take a hiring vote; commissioners asked staff to contact the remaining candidates and report back with confirmation of who wishes to stay in the process.
