10.c1 11-15-22 To Council Thoughts on Search Firm or NotDate: November 15, 2022
To: Scandia City Council Members
From: Christine Maefsky, Mayor
As Council is making its decision about how to proceed with the administrator search, I want to
share with you thoughts I’ve received from the League of Minnesota Cities.
Please be sure you read the League information memo on Hiring a City Manager or
Administrator Toolkit https://www.lmc.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/Hiring-a-City-
Manager-or-Administrator-Toolkit.pdf
• This is the most important thing a council does
• If we decide to handle recruitment on our own, it is usually necessary to designate a
trusted member of the existing city staff to manage the details of the process – the
individual responsible for human resources matters would be the best choice, with the
city clerk or finance director being other viable options
• If we are too small for such positions to work, then either the mayor or a council member
would be designated to handle it
• The city attorney would also have to be involved
• The council should agree up front on how it is going to organize itself for the task ahead
– i.e., development of the posting, who will speak on behalf of the council in contacting
candidates and the media, how the application process will occur, how the final terms of
employment are established between the city and the successful candidate, etc.
• It should be very clear and agreed upon as to what roles individual councilmembers will
and will not play in the process.
• If we decide to hire a consultant firm, they can bring the value of
o beating the bushes to find quality candidates
o dealing with a very hot job market; market is worse for employers right now
o getting a much larger pool of candidates – consultants have contacts
o navigating the Minnesota Data Practices Act – governs data e.g. in the public
sector about when an applicant’s name is public and when it is private
o three things a search firm brings to the task:
1. Process Management – lots of policy related details to be handled
2. Recruitment – reaches out; promotes; makes phone calls; develops
recruitment literature
3. Advice and Counsel - questions, psychological test, background check,
guide and coach along the way
• May offer a one or two year guarantee