Last week, the Monroe Common Council took a very important step in finding the next city administrator. The council voted 5-4 to hire a professional search firm to choose qualified candidates for the open city administrator position.
The job has been open since May 2008, when Mark Vahlsing left the position. Since that time, the position has seemed to be a thorn in the city's side.
In December, when the council decided to revisit filling the vacant position, we wrote that we were encouraged by the decision to move ahead after more than a year without someone at the helm of the city's administration full-time.
At that time, the council chose not to hire a "city administrator with legal duties." Last week, the council didn't explicitly define what the job duties of the next administrator will be - though legal duties were purposefully, and rightly, left out.
This absence in leadership from the position is especially problematic during a period when the local, state and national economies continue to be troubled. Now, after more than two years with the administrator's position vacant, City Clerk Carol Stamm will begin the process of finding search firms from which the council can choose.
Mayor Bill Ross advocated against using a search firm to save money - $15,000 to $20,000, he said. His desire to save taxpayers' money is appreciated. But in this case, not using a search firm may be an example of being pennywise but pound-foolish.
As Charles Koch, council president, noted last week, not using a search firm to find a wastewater treatment plant superintendent took "three times longer than if should have." We agree that sometimes taking the "do-it-yourself" approach is not the most prudent.
There is no guarantee hiring a search firm will provide the "perfect" candidate - that person probably doesn't exist. But hiring a firm that specializes in finding experienced candidates should greatly increase the city's chance at locating highly qualified individuals. Search firms do this for a living: a good firm will recruit, screen and present the very best candidates for the city's consideration. It's an area of expertise that many council members may not have, and one that's worth paying for - especially in light of how important the city administrator position is, or should be, to the smooth operation of city government.
Seeking a search firm is a sound decision and we agree Stamm should begin investigating which firms are available to help the city. We urge the city to continue to clarify the position's job description as it moves ahead with finding a suitable search firm. In that manner, when the city is ready to hire a search firm, it will know exactly what it's looking for in the city administrator position.
The job has been open since May 2008, when Mark Vahlsing left the position. Since that time, the position has seemed to be a thorn in the city's side.
In December, when the council decided to revisit filling the vacant position, we wrote that we were encouraged by the decision to move ahead after more than a year without someone at the helm of the city's administration full-time.
At that time, the council chose not to hire a "city administrator with legal duties." Last week, the council didn't explicitly define what the job duties of the next administrator will be - though legal duties were purposefully, and rightly, left out.
This absence in leadership from the position is especially problematic during a period when the local, state and national economies continue to be troubled. Now, after more than two years with the administrator's position vacant, City Clerk Carol Stamm will begin the process of finding search firms from which the council can choose.
Mayor Bill Ross advocated against using a search firm to save money - $15,000 to $20,000, he said. His desire to save taxpayers' money is appreciated. But in this case, not using a search firm may be an example of being pennywise but pound-foolish.
As Charles Koch, council president, noted last week, not using a search firm to find a wastewater treatment plant superintendent took "three times longer than if should have." We agree that sometimes taking the "do-it-yourself" approach is not the most prudent.
There is no guarantee hiring a search firm will provide the "perfect" candidate - that person probably doesn't exist. But hiring a firm that specializes in finding experienced candidates should greatly increase the city's chance at locating highly qualified individuals. Search firms do this for a living: a good firm will recruit, screen and present the very best candidates for the city's consideration. It's an area of expertise that many council members may not have, and one that's worth paying for - especially in light of how important the city administrator position is, or should be, to the smooth operation of city government.
Seeking a search firm is a sound decision and we agree Stamm should begin investigating which firms are available to help the city. We urge the city to continue to clarify the position's job description as it moves ahead with finding a suitable search firm. In that manner, when the city is ready to hire a search firm, it will know exactly what it's looking for in the city administrator position.
