Survey Says
Mayor Ron Marsh's survey on the needs in city administrator found that most council members and department heads wanted strengths first in marketing and leadership. Human resources background and the ability to make decisions were second factors.
MONROE - The Monroe Salary and Personnel Committee took a step back in accepting a proposal from Public Administration Associates, LLC (PAA) at a meeting Tuesday.
The firm specializes in facilitating the hiring of city administrators and was used by the city in 2005 to find the city's first city administrator, Mark Vahlsing.
The firm was recommended by some members of the City Council who were present at the time of the first search, but newly elected members have some reservations about using the same firm without considering any others.
Committee chairman Mark Coplien recommended they "take a look at a few others before we agree" to use PAA.
Dan Henke agreed. He suggested interviewing two to three more companies.
"There's no reason to take the same firm we already used ... we have six new alderpersons," he said.
Jan Lefevre, who was on the council during the last administrator hiring, explained that PAA was the firm which offered the most service at the least cost.
The cost of hiring PAA would be about $11,500, based on the last time the firm was hired to do the recruitment, according to Mayor Ron Marsh and City Clerk Carol Stamm.
Marsh said the city would spend near or more than that amount and would have to use money in the contingency fund because hiring expenses were not in the budget.
However, Alderman Charles Schuringa pointed out that the salary of an administrator is already budgeted. If an administrator is not hired until after Jan. 1, 2009, approximately three months of salary, or $20,000, would be freed up to use for the search.
The city continues to pay Vahlsing's salary until mid-October, as part of a termination clause in his contract agreement.
According to an unofficial survey by Marsh, most city department heads felt comfortable with the way things were being handled at the moment and thought the city could operate until the first of the year without an administrator. Many were concerned about the interruptions from end-of-year holidays and moving of the family of a new administrator.
Coplien said the city was "not being in dire need" of an administrator and should not proceed "without taking a look" at other hiring firms.
"We bid out everything else, why not this," he said after the meeting.
The committee directed Stamm to further investigate at least three other consulting firms for consideration.
The firm specializes in facilitating the hiring of city administrators and was used by the city in 2005 to find the city's first city administrator, Mark Vahlsing.
The firm was recommended by some members of the City Council who were present at the time of the first search, but newly elected members have some reservations about using the same firm without considering any others.
Committee chairman Mark Coplien recommended they "take a look at a few others before we agree" to use PAA.
Dan Henke agreed. He suggested interviewing two to three more companies.
"There's no reason to take the same firm we already used ... we have six new alderpersons," he said.
Jan Lefevre, who was on the council during the last administrator hiring, explained that PAA was the firm which offered the most service at the least cost.
The cost of hiring PAA would be about $11,500, based on the last time the firm was hired to do the recruitment, according to Mayor Ron Marsh and City Clerk Carol Stamm.
Marsh said the city would spend near or more than that amount and would have to use money in the contingency fund because hiring expenses were not in the budget.
However, Alderman Charles Schuringa pointed out that the salary of an administrator is already budgeted. If an administrator is not hired until after Jan. 1, 2009, approximately three months of salary, or $20,000, would be freed up to use for the search.
The city continues to pay Vahlsing's salary until mid-October, as part of a termination clause in his contract agreement.
According to an unofficial survey by Marsh, most city department heads felt comfortable with the way things were being handled at the moment and thought the city could operate until the first of the year without an administrator. Many were concerned about the interruptions from end-of-year holidays and moving of the family of a new administrator.
Coplien said the city was "not being in dire need" of an administrator and should not proceed "without taking a look" at other hiring firms.
"We bid out everything else, why not this," he said after the meeting.
The committee directed Stamm to further investigate at least three other consulting firms for consideration.