2025-01-08 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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RELEVANT LINKS: B. Using a consultant or doing it on your own The first decision the mayor and council will need to make is whether to hire a consulting firm to assist with the recruitment. There are both national and Minnesota -based firms specializing in the recruitment of city administrators/managers. The fees vary, but about $19,000 to $26,000 plus direct expenses, can be anticipated. While the consulting fee may appear substantial up front, many cities have found it to be a very worthwhile investment in keeping the overall recruitment process objective and in hiring a manager/administrator who is the best fit for their city. Search firms may also offer some type of "guarantee" if the employee doesn't work out or doesn't end up staying in the position for a specified amount of time. One option for examining search firms is to seek formal proposals from vendors. Please contact the League for sample Request for Proposals for Executive Search Consulting Services some cities have used in the past. There is no requirement for a formal RFP process for this type of service. Another option that can be accomplished more rapidly, is to reach out to specific firms and request they submit a service quote. The Council should evaluate the proposals or quotes using the same process used for other service proposals or quotes. If the council decides not to retain a consultant, but to handle the recruitment on its 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 the city is too small to have a staff member available for this purpose, the council will probably need to designate the mayor or a council member to handle it. The city attorney will also be a necessary and helpful resource in keeping the process legal and in finalizing the details of any employment agreement. If city decides not to retain a consultant, involvement of the city attorney is strongly encouraged. 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. II. Hiring tasks The remaining steps outlined in this memo would be similar regardless of whether a consultant is used. League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 3/7/2022 Hiring a City Manager or Administrator Toolkit Page 2