Headhunter Outlines City Manager Replacement Process
During the October 7 council meeting, we outlined the time frame for the city manager search process with Greg Prothman, whose firm the council has chosen to assist with the placement. The first step of the process is the identification of an interim city manager to fill in after Paul Brachvogel’s October 24 departure. The timeframe appears to be as follows:
- October 21 – Interviews with the top two or three interim manager candidates identified by the Prothman firm. Selection is slated to take place at this meeting.
- October 24 – Brachvogel’s last day. The chosen interim manager is expected to begin that day to allow a smooth handoff.
For the permanent position, candidates will be solicited and reviewed between now and January to narrow down the pool. When the top 13-15 candidates have been identified, Prothman will provide the council with their information and work with us to identify a slate of the top 4-5 candidates. Community members and staff will likely aid the council in the process of winnowing the pool until the top candidate is identified, probably by the end of January. Because the successful candidate will likely need to give notice to their current employer, it’s likely that it may actually be February or so before the new manager can begin work.
The choice of city manager is one of the most direct impacts the council can have on the direction of the city for a long time to come. We’re committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure we’re making the best choice possible.
