MONROE — The Monroe Common Council continued to discuss what it wants in its city administrator job description at its Nov. 18 meeting, and although no decisions were made, that discussion may also lead to the hire of a community development director.

Currently, community development is part of the city administrator job description. At one time the city sought to make community development a separate position, but nothing came to fruition.

One question the council has to answer is whether community development will remain in the city administrator job description, or if it will be its own position, something the city had previously sought. 

“I do think that we need a community development director,” said Alder Kelly Hermanson

She also emphasized the importance of the administrator’s role in human resources and seeking a candidate with that expertise. There is a possibility that HR services could be obtained through Bauman Associates, a company the city already contracts with in other areas, as that is another service they offer. 

Hermanson said she didn’t like the current job description because of the little pieces of HR, fiscal and community development responsibilities.

“Just a jack-of-all-trades, versus somebody who’s really focused on the operations of the city and having it run well, and then allowing a director to really take the reins of those specific areas,” she said, adding that she’d like to look at pulling those roles out and what that would cost. 

Council president Brooke Bauman agreed to having a separate community development director, and referenced an earlier agenda item where the council passed a senior housing proposal. 

“Just tonight alone, seeing the opportunities that we have that are out there and other opportunities that could be coming our way, we need to have someone that can focus on that,” she said, noting they could also address things like blighted areas. 

Alder Donna Douglas wondered if the city could afford both a city administrator and a community development director, but was told both were in the budget, though Mayor Louis Armstrong said it looked like the city administrator position might not be adequately funded. 

Douglas questioned what a community development director would be able to do in Monroe, with all of the empty buildings and businesses moving out, but Armstrong said that same argument could be used to show what that person might be able to accomplish. 

Alder Josh Binger wanted to make sure the city felt they were in a good place regarding the consolidation of roles, including making comptroller part of the city administrator position and combining the jobs of clerk and treasurer, and the various administrative tasks people were handling in the absence of a city administrator. 

“We might be thinking about the development, which is great, the leadership, which is great, but do we have the day-to-day administrative functions handled?” he said.

Armstrong said he would check in on what that workload was, and Binger said he would appreciate that feedback.

The council still plans to hire an executive search firm to facilitate the city administrative process, but Armstrong said one still had not been selected. He plans to send a list of 11 firms to council members to select from.