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Consultant urges in‑person interviews, outlines background checks and timeline
Summary
Kevin Knudson told the committee written materials and short videos are not enough to judge finalists and outlined a vetting plan including stage‑2 media searches, background checks, reference surveys, optional DISC assessments and a proposed early‑May, three‑day interview period.
Kevin Knudson, the consultant assisting the Edgewater committee, told members that screening materials and short videos are an incomplete basis for hiring and recommended bringing finalists to the city for a fuller evaluation.
"The most important part of this process is bringing people in to meet with them and get a feel for who they are and whether they're a good fit for the organization," Knudson said, arguing that in‑person interaction can reveal fit that paper materials do not. He proposed a scoring spreadsheet (1 = bring in, 2 = maybe, 3 = do not bring) to identify finalists and recommended a second‑stage media search including social media, traditional press, a background investigative report, reference checks via an online survey tool, and optional behavioral (DISC) assessment.
Knudson said he would ask each finalist to prepare a first‑year plan describing priorities and approaches, and he recommended a three‑day block for finalist visits that would include department head meetings, a city tour, public events and formal council interviews. "We're looking at the early part of May," he said when asked about scheduling.
