HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-09-19 City Commission Packet Materials - A2. Overview of the 2017 City Manager Recruitment and Selection Process
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Greg Sullivan, City Attorney
SUBJECT: Overview of 2017 City Manager Recruitment and Selection Process and Mayor’s Recommendations on 2020 Process
MEETING DATE: December 9, 2019
AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Action
RECOMMENDATION: No action suggested – later agenda items propose actions.
SUGGESTED MOTION: None required.
BACKGROUND: Mayor Andrus requested I provide information to you on the process used
in 2017 to recruit and select a city manager. This memorandum provides basic information on
the process and, in the table below, I provide links to packet materials and the minutes from each of the commission meetings where recruitment and selection was discussed. You may choose to
review video minutes for each of the meetings although I have not provided a direct link. I first
provide a brief description of the steps in the process and then a table with links to materials
related to each meeting.
The Mayor also requested I include in this memorandum her recommendations for expediting the
early stages of the recruitment process given the approaching holidays. Obviously, the decision
on how to conduct the recruitment and selection process is a determination of the entire
commission. This agenda item merely provides the opportunity to move the first steps of the
process forward as quickly as possible.
On March 27, 2017, the City Commission first discussed the next steps for appointment of an
interim city manager and the next steps for recruitment of a permanent city manager. On the
following Monday, April 3, 2017, the Commission entered into an interim employment
agreement with Dennis Taylor.
On April 20, 2017, the Commission began its discussions regarding the qualifications and
characteristics it desires in a city manager and requested the staff begin the process to solicit
proposals from executive search firms.
On May 3, 2017, the Commission began the process to review and update the city manager class
specification and position description. At this meeting, the Commission also moved to authorize
the interim city manager select an executive search firm. The Commission also moved at this
meeting to direct the interim city manager to draft a final list of desired attributes, qualifications,
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skills, and preferred management style for consideration by the Commission and in preparation
for developing a candidate profile.
On May 18, 2017, the Commission interviewed several executive search firms by Skype. At the end of that meeting, the Commission authorized the interim city manager to enter into a
professional services agreement with the selected search firm.
On June 15, 2017, a representative from the selected executive search firm met with the
Commission to discuss the Commission’s preferred list of attributes for inclusion in the position profile. At this meeting, the Commission also voted to approve the interim city manager’s
recruitment process timeline.
On or about June 27, 2017, the recruitment was formally launched.
On August 21, 2017, the Commission met in executive session to review the entire candidate
pool and select semi-finalists. On September 7, 2017, the Commission met in executive session
to determine the list of finalists to be brought to Bozeman for interviews. The interviews were
conducted on September 26, 2017. On September 27, 2017, the Commission selected the final
two candidates. On October 2, 2017, the Commission selected the city manager and began contract negotiations. The Commission approved the contract for the city manager on the consent
agenda on October 9, 2017. Ms. Surratt began work on November 1, 2017.
The chart below provides the meeting date for the major steps in the 2017 city manager
recruitment and selection process with web links to the agendas, a short description of the agenda item(s), and a web link to the minutes. In turn, the agendas include links to the packet materials
for each agenda item. The chart does not include information for the decision to appoint an
interim city manager. Hyperlinks to executive session minutes are not available.
MEETING
DATE
AGENDA ITEM(S) MINUTES
3/27/17 Discussion of next steps in city manager recruitment link
4/20/17 Discuss City Manager characteristics & qualifications; direct staff to solicit search firms link
5/3/17 Discussion of final draft of class specification; authorize interim city manager to select search firm; discussion of draft list of
desired attributes, qualifications, etc.
link
5/18/17 Commission interviews of executive search firms link
6/15/17 Work session with selected firm and finalize position profile;
approve recruitment timelines
link
8/21/17 Determine list of semi-finalists (executive session) link
9/7/17 Determine finalists (executive session) link
9/26/17 Interviews with finalists (interview debriefs during executive session) link
9/27/17 Final two candidates selected (executive session) link
10/2/17 Final selection of City Manager; direct staff to negotiate
employment agreement
link
10/9/17 City Manager employment agreement approved (consent) link
In addition, a web link to the International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA)
Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local Government Administrator is provided at the end
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of this memo. This publication was provided to you in your packet materials for the May 3, 2017
meeting.
MAYOR’S RECOMMENDATION: Obviously, the decision on how to conduct the recruitment and selection process is a determination of the entire commission. This agenda item
merely provides the opportunity to move that process forward as soon as possible.
As provided for in a subsequent agenda item, Mayor Andrus recommends expediting the early stages of the recruitment process to obtain an executive search firm. Once a recruiter has been selected, the Commission’s process for creating a position profile, through active recruitment and selection will be as deliberate as the new Commission desires.
This process includes expedited decisions related to appointing an interim city manager (as you
will have on the agenda prior to this), confirming the class specification (next agenda item), and requesting the interim city manager solicit proposals as soon as possible from interested executive recruiters (the last agenda item). The Mayor also recommends the Commission
delegate to the interim city manager the authority to interview, select, and enter into a
professional services agreement with the chosen recruiter as soon as possible. As such, the other
agenda items implement these recommendations. If the City Commission proceeds as recommended by the Mayor, the Commission could meet
with the selected executive search firm as early as January 13, 2020 (if the selected recruiter firm
is available). The purpose of this meeting will be to allow the Commission, as it did in 2017, to
meet with the recruiter prior to the commencement of the recruitment, to discuss desired attributes and the process and timeline for the formal recruitment and selection process. At the January 13, 2020 meeting, as was done on June 15, 2017, the Commission will be able to finalize
the position profile and discuss the formal recruitment process and timelines.
Given the holidays and the lack of three regular meetings over the next six weeks, to minimize the time required to recruit a new city manager the Mayor recommends the early stages of the process, except for the selection of the recruitment firm, be similar to what the Commission did
in 2017.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES: Not applicable. ALTERNATIVES: Not applicable.
FISCAL EFFECTS: None with this agenda item. Report compiled on December 4, 2019
ICMA Recruitment Guidelines
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