Deadline to apply is Nov. 1
By Barb Pert Templeton
Members of the Algonac City Council formerly approved a proposed recruitment and selection process for finding a new city manager. Current City Manager Denice Gerstenberg, who’s been employed with the city since 2017, announced her retirement in September.
The agenda item at the council’s Oct. 7 meeting included a lengthy two-page document outlining the hiring process and the full job description for the position.
Mayor Rocky Gillis read the 11-step process into the record including things like initial review of applications by the city clerk, candidate selections, preliminary interviews via ZOOM, public interviews before the city council and contract negotiations.
The summary also noted that the candidate selections would be conducted by the mayor, mayor pro tem, city clerk, fire chief and city treasurer. The group will vet all qualified candidates and determine the candidates to be interviewed.
The timeline for applications, interviews and hiring a new city manager in Algonac is as follows.
The paperwork provided in the city packet also noted that under Education and Experience the candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in a related field; master’s degree preferred plus a minimum of five years of progressively responsible municipal management or public sector leadership experience.
Councilwoman Wendy Meldrum asked if conducting the interviews vie Zoom is a new approach, a common practice or just something the city would be trying out.
“If you could explain it for me and for the audience,” Meldrum asked.
Gillis said the Zoom feature would mean preliminary candidates wouldn’t have to travel to the city if they had another job, they could just take an hour out of their day for an interview rather than four hours to come to the city.
Meldrum also asked about the scoring matrix for the candidates. Gillis said the matrix is a scoring system whereby each candidate gets the same questions and they are scored on those and when you get each persons’ total score that’s the baseline to look for in selecting a candidate.
Councilwoman Cathy Harris asked about public interviews with the city council, she asked if for the top finalists there would be a couple people or could it be just one?
Gillis said let’s say we have 10 applicants and we get thru round one and we all agree on one person the council will decide whether or not there will be second round interviews. This is just a basic outline here to keep us on track, he added.
No search firm necessary
During public comments at the recent meeting Algonac resident Eileen Tesch said she wanted to comment on the agenda item about seeking a new city manager for the city. She said she hoped the city was going to reveal what companies they may be hiring and provide appropriate details.
“There are some that are very controversial out there that I have been looking into,” Tesch said.
Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey said her understanding is that the city is not going to be hiring an executive search firm as that could cost up to $25,000.
“So, we won’t be using an executive search firm to do this,” Davey said.
Councilman Michael Bembas agreed and said it’s not necessary.
Instead, the city will be posting the job opening on the Michigan Municipal League (MML) website and also in other places, Davey said. She also noted that the documents regarding the hiring process will be available on the city’s website for those interested.
Councilman Jake Skarbek asked when the hiring committee does the interview process via Zoom will the rest of the council get a copy of those interviews?
“So, we can look back and see how they preformed during the Zoom meetings, seeing the mannerisms and see how they answered certain questions?” Skarbek said. “And I know it can’t get out in public.”
Bembas said it depends, it’s not fair to just look at those that chose to do the Zoom interviews and Skarbek said he understood that and would want to see them all.
The initial interviews conducted by the hiring committee aren’t something the whole council should want to see, it needs to be whittled down first, Bembas said. Looking at all of them would make one second guess the committee that’s trying to make the initial selections without other input.
“Also, having a college education is very important but it should not be disqualifying if the work experience equals the degree,” Bembas said. “So, if they have 41 years of management but they don’t have a college degree I would ask the city to take that into account.”
Bembas said the council has to realize that the hiring committee is in place to consider candidates and whittle the list down before presenting their selections to the full board. If the full council got involved, they’d be second guessing what the committee has already decided.
Meldrum asked what happens if they don’t find a candidate right away. Bembas said it’ll work out.
“An office is only as good as how it runs when the boss isn’t there and we have excellent employees that can hold down this fort,” Bembas said. “So, if we don’t, if this is not done right away, we have people to run the office and we’ll get through it.”
“We’re not going to rush this, but everything’s on the table,” Gillis added. “And if we can’t get it on this timeline, it’s all fluid.”
Meldrum took a moment to thank the current city manager for putting together such a structured and detailed job description.
To see the summary of the approved hiring process and a description for the city manager’s position visit cityofalgonac.org
