MONROE - Hiring a city administrator back on the agenda for Monroe Common Council.
Aldermen discussed the prospect of continuing their search for an administrator at the council meeting Tuesday.
Several aldermen voiced their agreement with council President Dan Henke, who opened the discussion by suggesting they move ahead with hiring an administrator.
Also, several members voiced their approval to hire a professional outside firm to do some, if not all, of the work in finding city administrator candidates.
"We've been though the wringer on the city administrator/attorney position," Alderman Mark Coplien said, who raised the suggestion of a professional hiring firm.
Jan Lefevre and Keith Ingwell both agreed. They were on the council when it hired the city's previous administrator in 2006 through an outside hiring firm.
"And I want us (council members) to meet, as a whole, as we did the first time," Ingwell said.
Council makes final approval of any candidates selected.
The Finance and Taxation Committee will begin the process by first determining what funds are available, after the 2008 audit is completed.
The Salary and Personnel Committee will proceed with finding a professional firm for the hiring process.
Mayor Ron Marsh told council the city does need someone on a full-time basis to manage City Hall in a "good and diligent fashion."
Council members also discussed the need for stabilizing attorney fees.
The council voted 6-4 in special session Dec. 4 against offering a contract to City Attorney Rex Ewald to be the city's administrator.
Ewald had been chosen by the council over James Mogen of Rice, Minn., the other finalist for the position. There were six applicants for the job. Ewald, Mogen and former Freeport Mayor Jim Gitz were interviewed by the council.
Alderman Thurston Hanson, who has been opposed to creating an administrator position, said some (aldermen) had a problem with the candidates, and some had a problem with the salary, and some had a problem with both.
The contract that would have been offered to Ewald was to begin Jan. 1 and run through Dec. 31, 2014. It called for him to be paid an annual salary of $95,000 for the first six months, and $103,000 after six months.
The city has been without an administrator since May 2008. Aldermen redefined the position last year to include legal duties. The new position, required a law degree, and included duties of writing policies, ordinances, resolutions, contracts and agreements, and other legal documents; as well as providing litigation, prosecution and other legal services for the city. Human resources duties, including overseeing all personnel matters, also were in the job description.
The 2010 budget includes about $138,000 for the office of administrator, including $90,000 for salary and about $34,500 for taxes, insurance and pension, and about $13,000 for maintaining the running of the office and position.
The legal fees account was reduced from $114,000 last year to only $60,000 for 2010, with the expectation that the new administrator would be performing almost half of the legal duties.
Aldermen discussed the prospect of continuing their search for an administrator at the council meeting Tuesday.
Several aldermen voiced their agreement with council President Dan Henke, who opened the discussion by suggesting they move ahead with hiring an administrator.
Also, several members voiced their approval to hire a professional outside firm to do some, if not all, of the work in finding city administrator candidates.
"We've been though the wringer on the city administrator/attorney position," Alderman Mark Coplien said, who raised the suggestion of a professional hiring firm.
Jan Lefevre and Keith Ingwell both agreed. They were on the council when it hired the city's previous administrator in 2006 through an outside hiring firm.
"And I want us (council members) to meet, as a whole, as we did the first time," Ingwell said.
Council makes final approval of any candidates selected.
The Finance and Taxation Committee will begin the process by first determining what funds are available, after the 2008 audit is completed.
The Salary and Personnel Committee will proceed with finding a professional firm for the hiring process.
Mayor Ron Marsh told council the city does need someone on a full-time basis to manage City Hall in a "good and diligent fashion."
Council members also discussed the need for stabilizing attorney fees.
The council voted 6-4 in special session Dec. 4 against offering a contract to City Attorney Rex Ewald to be the city's administrator.
Ewald had been chosen by the council over James Mogen of Rice, Minn., the other finalist for the position. There were six applicants for the job. Ewald, Mogen and former Freeport Mayor Jim Gitz were interviewed by the council.
Alderman Thurston Hanson, who has been opposed to creating an administrator position, said some (aldermen) had a problem with the candidates, and some had a problem with the salary, and some had a problem with both.
The contract that would have been offered to Ewald was to begin Jan. 1 and run through Dec. 31, 2014. It called for him to be paid an annual salary of $95,000 for the first six months, and $103,000 after six months.
The city has been without an administrator since May 2008. Aldermen redefined the position last year to include legal duties. The new position, required a law degree, and included duties of writing policies, ordinances, resolutions, contracts and agreements, and other legal documents; as well as providing litigation, prosecution and other legal services for the city. Human resources duties, including overseeing all personnel matters, also were in the job description.
The 2010 budget includes about $138,000 for the office of administrator, including $90,000 for salary and about $34,500 for taxes, insurance and pension, and about $13,000 for maintaining the running of the office and position.
The legal fees account was reduced from $114,000 last year to only $60,000 for 2010, with the expectation that the new administrator would be performing almost half of the legal duties.