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9.c) David Drown Scandia City Administrator Search ProposalDAVID DROWN ASSOCIATES Sent via email only July 3, 2015 Kristina Handt Administrator, City of Scandia 14727 209th Street North Scandia, MN 55073 Dear Ms. Handt, Faribault Office: 1327 Merrywood Court Faribault, MN 55021 (612) 920-3320x109 1 fax: (612) 605-2375 gary@daviddrown.com www.daviddrown.com David Drown Associates is pleased to submit a proposal to assist the City of Scandia with a search for your next City Administrator. Our firm has extensive experience in local government and we thouroughly understand the complexities faced by city councils in Minnesota. We are a small firm by design and are committed to providing the most professional service to our clients at all times. We pride ourselves in providing personalized service and making sure every client gets the professional service they want and need. The attached proposal includes several elements that set us apart in our approach to providing this service. Highlights include: • Knowledge: Our firm comprehensively understands rural Minnesota. • Communication: We will be on site 5-7 times throughout the search process and will provide weekly email updates to the Council throughout the process. • Adherence to deadlines: When the Council adopts a deadline, we will meet it. • Background check process: Instead of doing a comprehensive background check on a single finalist, we do a comprehensive background and reference check on all finalists interviewed by the Council. • Work Personality Index: Each finalist will receive a Work Personality Index and the Council will receive a full report of the results on each person. • Our approach is fresh and uniquely focused on meeting your individual needs. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Gary Wei rs David Drown Associates DAVID IlRC3WN � AF380CIATES SCANDIA David Drown Associates Proposal for the City of Scandia City Administrator Search July 3, 2015 CONTENTS OF PROPOSAL Description of the Firm Process Details Approach to the Process References Service Team Fees Timeline Assurance DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRM F aibau t Office: 1327 Merryvaood C:cu; : FaibaA, MN 55021 ( 512) 9203320x109 ¢avkdav iddrmn.ccri For 18 years, David Drown Associates (DDA) has provided Financial Solutions, Tax Increment Financing, Economic Development, Strategic Planning, Executive Searches and other services to cities and counties throughout Minnesota. With over 250 local government clients, we have a deep understanding of the workings of local government in Minnesota. DDA recently completed administrator searches for Steele County, the City of Cokato and the City of Northfield. A list of completed searches from the past two years is included later in the proposal. We are currently in various stages of administrator searches for the City of Little Falls, the City of Willmar, the City of Pequot Lakes, the City of Willmar, Jackson County and Winona County. APPROACH TO THE PROCESS Our approach to this search will be to focus on finding the best fit for the City of Scandia. This is accomplished first and foremost by listening to what you are saying, understanding your goals and objectives, and building the search process off that foundation. After gathering background information, we comprehensively advertise the position and make sure the posting gets into the hands of prospective candidates. In some cases, those persons are not active job seekers, so we will make every effort to find those folks through direct outreach efforts. After the posting closes, an analysis of candidates will be completed so that when the semifinalists are presented to the City Council, you will be confident that these people are the best matches from the submitted applications. After the Council selects the finalists, they will be fully researched so all the necessary hiring information will be available prior to the Council making a decision. Communication with the City Council and staff is a high priority, so in addition to Gary Weiers being on site regularly, the City Council will receive weekly email updates and he will always be available for questions. 1 City of Scandia: Administrator Search Proposal DAV� 7rrOWN ASSOCIATES SERVICE TEAM Gary Weiers Our team will be led by Gary Weiers. He joined DDA in 2013 after completing over 20 years of County government management experience, the last 11 years as County Administrator in Rice County. Prior to becoming Administrator, Gary served as the Social Service Departmeni Director in Rice County and worked as a Social Service Supervisor in Mower and Sherburne Counties. Gary received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of St. Thomas and has honed his skills by working his way up from an entry level social worker position to be the head of a $50 million organization with over 350 employees. Gary will be assisted by associate Shannon Sweeney and firm president David Drown, but the vast majority of work will be directly performed by Gary. It is likely that Gary will be the only member of the firm that you will see and you will see plenty of him. In addition to conducting executive searches, Gary has done work with communities on sharing services, organizational analysis, strategic planning and other management related work. "Gary Weiers has done a fantastic job for us. He communicated with us throughout the process and kept it moving forward. Gary fit in with our culture immediately and helped makeI this very important process fun." -Steve Stotko Mayor of Winsted, MN Shannon Sweeney Shannon Sweeney has been with DDA for 14 years and has worked with dozens of cities and counties in Minnesota. In addition, Shannon has conducted administrator searches and will provide professional consultation to Gary throughout the search. David Drown David Drown is the President of DDA and founded the company 18 years ago to provide a wide array of services in a cost effective, efficient and professional manner, and to enhance the quality of services to cities and counties in Minnesota. The vast majority of our work is done in outstate Minnesota, and as a result, we have a deep understanding of the unique needs of rural Minnesota. David will lend professional support and input where needed. 2 City of Scandia: Administrator Search Proposal DAVID DROWN ASSOCIATES TENTATIVE TIMELINE This timeline is tentative. The final timeline will be set after the City Council's decision to proceed. Completion D. - Decision by City July 21, 2015 Council to proceed with search Information gathering Meet individually with City Council members August 7, 2015 Meet with Department Heads in a group session Gather all pertinent background information Gather salary information and review job description Professional profile Develop position profile and advertisement August 10, 2015 Approve position City Council approves profile, job description, salary August 19, 2015 profile range and hiring process J Candidate recruitment Post position immediately upon approval of profile August 20 — Comprehensively advertise September 17, 2015 Email and phone calls to prospective candidates Screening of applicants DDA will review and rank applicants based on job related September 18, 2015 criteria and select semifinalists Initial interview by DDA DDA will conduct initial phone interviews of semifinalists October 5, 2015 Selection of finalists City Council reviews semifinalists and selects finalists October 20, 2015 for interviews. If the Council prefers, DDA can select a short list of finalists to be interviewed by the Mayor, Council and Hiring Committee Members. DDA will notify candidates not selected as finalists Background check of Includes: October 31, 2015 all finalists selected for o Criminal background: county, state, national interviews o Sex offender registry o Social security number verification o Employment and education verification o Credit check Reference check on all DDA will conduct reference checks with current and _ October 31, 2015 finalists former employers on all finalists Personality index DDA will administer a work related personality index to all October 31, 2015 finalists Presentation of DDA will present the Council information including: November 2, 2015 finalists Summary of references Results of background checks Personality index report Resume, etc. Interviews It is recommended that interviews be at a special November 19 & 20, meeting 2015 DDA will prepare all interview materials and be present at all interviews and other functions Decision City Council will select candidate for offer November 20, 2015 Offer and agreement DDA will negotiate agreement with selected person November 21, 2015 Projected start date New City Administrator begins December 14, 2015 Follow up DDA will follow up periodically with the new Administrator December, 2016 3 City of Scandia: Administrator Search Proposal DAVTT) DROWN A9SOCTATES PROCESS DETAILS Step 1: Information Gathering DDA will meet individually with each Council Member to gather information about City Administrator attributes organizational goals and other priorities. We will also facilitate a group meeting with Department Heads to hear their input about candidate skills and abilities. At the same time, the job description will be reviewed and we will gather relevant comparative salary information for consideration by the Council. Step 2: Development of Position Profile Based on the information received from the City Council, DDA will develop a professional position profile that is customized to present the City of Scandia in the most positive manner and provides prospective candidates with meaningful information. A draft will be presented to the City Council for consideration and approval prior to advertising. Step 3: Advertisement and Recruitment DDA will comprehensively advertise the position and make direct contact with possible candidates who are not active job seekers. Some of the places the position will be advertised include: League of Minnesota Cities, International City/County Management Association, Minnesota Association of City/County Managers, Association of Minnesota Counties, and municipal associations in Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. In addition, the posting will be shared with professional networks through Minnesota State University Mankato, Hamline University and the University of Minnesota. Regular communication with candidates will occur throughout the process. The simple DDA online application process will be used unless the City prefers to use an existing City methodology. Step 4: Initial Screenin_g and Review DDA will complete a comprehensive analysis of every application received and determine semifinalists based on job related criteria. Gary will then conduct an initial phone or internet interview with the semifinalists and present an interview summary, along with all application information, to the City Council for selection of finalists to be interviewed. As an alternative, the Council may appoint a committee of Councilors, staff and others to conduct an initial interview and select finalists. DDA will facilitate the process completely. At this point, those not selected as finalists will be notified by DDA. Step 5: Selection After the City Council selects finalists, DDA will complete comprehensive background screenings including criminal history, civil court history, verification of employment, verification of education, driver's license review, credit check and other items. Along with background checking all finalists, Gary will personally check employment references on each person. Simultaneously, we will administer a work oriented personality index that assesses individual characteristics likely to influence work behaviors. This information can prove very helpful in determining the right fit for the City of Scandia. 4 City of Scandia: Administrator Search Proposal DAVID DROWN ASSOCIATES Prior to the final interview, the City Council will receive a report including resumes, summary of initial interviews, background check results, reference information and a work personality report on each person. Early in the search process, Gary will discuss possibilities for community involvement through a meet and greet event or other options, and if an event takes place, it will be coordinated with the final City Council interviews. Prior to interviews, Gary will prepare questions and then facilitate all interviews and other activities the City Council determines appropriate. Our goal is to make the process smooth and painless so the City Council can focus all its energy on finding the right person for the job. Step 6: Offer After interviews are complete, we will assist the City Council with deliberations and facilitate the offer to the selected candidate. We will negotiate the terms with the candidate based on the parameters established by the City Council. Step 7: Follow Up If requested, DDA will assist the new Administrator in establishing position priorities with the City Council. In addition, we will make periodic contact with the new Administrator for at least the first year of employment. LIST OF SEARCH CLIENTS FROM THE PAST TWO YEARS Entity Type of Search Entity Type of Search City of Northfield, MN Engineer/PW Dir. City of Northfield, MN Administrator City of Cokato, MN Administrator Chippewa County, MN Social Service Director City of Cokato, MN Clerk/Treasurer Sherburne County, MN Administrator Steele County, MN Administrator City of Madison Lake, MN Administrator City of Howard Lake, MN Administrator City of Winsted, MN Administrator Please note that all but one of the individuals holding the positions listed above remain in their positions. None of these people have been terminated, but one recently took a position closer to their home. In addition to the specific references listed on the following page, the City of Scandia is encouraged to speak with any of the entities listed above. Open administrator searches include: Winona County, Jackson County, the City of Little Falls, the City of Pequot Lakes and the City of Willmar. 5 City of Scandia: Administrator Search Proposal DAVID DROWN ASSOCIATES Pete Zimmerman John Howard Administrator Search, Organizational Planning Administrator Search Mayor, City of Howard Lake Council Member, City of Madison Lake Phone number: 952-457-4503 Phone number: 507-243-3854 Email: pzimmerman(a-).ci.orono.mn.us john.howard.mlcouncil(c gmail.com Nick Haggenmiller Administrator Search, Engineer Search, Organizational Planning Administrator, City of Northfield Phone number: 507-645-3009 Email: nick. haggenmiller(a).ci.northfield.mn.us Steve Stotko Administrator Search Mayor, City of Winsted Phone number: 320-485-2366 Email: stotko(cr winsted.mn.us Gordy Erickson Administrator Search, City Clerk Search Mayor, City of Cokato Phone number: 612-597-2030 Email: doreneerickson10(a)_charter.net Dana Graham Administrator Search, Engineer Search, Organizational Planning Mayor, City of Northfield Phone number: 612-483-2570 Email: Jana.graham(ic�ci.northfield.mn.us FEES The fee for the search process is $14,000. This all-inclusive fee covers professional services and all expenses including travel, advertising, personality index, background checks on all finalists, etc. This proposal represents a full service Administrator search option. Other less comprehensive options are available should the Council decide some search components are not needed or can be performed by City employees. ASSURANCE If during the first 24 months of employment the newly hired Administrator leaves the organization, DDA will complete another search without cost to the City of Scandia. 6 City of Scandia: Administrator Search Proposal DAVID DROWN ASSOCIATES