Are we really getting the best candidate?

Am I beating a dead horse? Should I not be concerned about the process used to hire a city administrator? Are we ?OK with a mediocre process at best?

Top talent, in any field, is hard to find. But there are numerous executive search firms that have the ability, and connections, to find top talent. Yet, Sandpoint has chosen to not use an executive search firm even though smaller communities such as Ketchum, contracted an executive search firm to hire their city administrator. And their process took just 14 weeks, well within the timeframe originally outlined by Sandpoint Mayor Carrie Logan.

Their interviewing process involved the entire Ketchum City Council as well as mayor. There are even provisions for department heads to interview the candidates, critical to buy-in of the correct individual. An executive search firm, specializing in these types of positions, can also facilitate social engagement such as receptions or maybe a dinner with department heads, council and mayor. The fee for the search in Ketchum? A total of $23,500 — a fair amount for a position that will have a tremendous impact to city operations for years to come. The point is there are companies and people who do this for a living and they are good at it. Let me emphasize this again. Hire an executive search firm that specializes in city administrators. Make the investment and throw out the current timetable. Filling this position shouldn’t be rushed.

There are other questions regarding the process.

Where was the position advertised? The city provided a list of the city’s website, Idaho Department of Labor, Association of Idaho Cities, Spokesman Review and American Planning Association. But do a Google search of places to advertise a city administrator position and the first one that comes up is the International City/County Management Association, which has a broad reach across the country. States like Oregon and the League of Oregon Cities even prepare a guide to recruiting a city administrator. It’s easily found with a Are we really getting the best candidate?simple search. From their document (Steal great processes shamelessly) it clearly states that the entire city council should interview the finalists. “Consensus is not likely to be achieved if only one or two people conduct the interviews and inform the rest of the council of the selected candidate,” straight from their guide. Again, broaden the search.

We did a poll on the Daily Bee website and found that 78.8 percent of respondents said the process should be crystal clear.

There is also question about how long these interviews are taking. Is it an hour? Is it a day? (The latter would be more appropriate for this type of position) What are the interview questions? Was anyone who has hired a city administrator consulted about the interview questions? What kind of experience was outlined?

I was once told, by a wise co-worker when I was young, that the timetable for doing something right is flexible but always make sure it is done right. An artificial goal of cramming this into a short amount of time isn’t the right thing to do.

It all boils down to transparency, buy-in, and providing the new city administrator the best chance of succeeding and so far, my confidence level is extremely low.

So I urge the council to postpone the selection of a candidate until after the first of the year. Let a new council and mayor make the decision. I urge the process to start with an executive search firm, spend the money to do it right. Remember, there is a large part of residents who don’t even think a city administrator is necessary. Maybe understanding the needs and process will help them see the light.

For those running for office, those who truly believe that transparency and openness is in the best interest of Sandpoint, take a stand and hold off on a decision. After the first of the year, hire an executive search firm, do it right. If you, as candidates for office don’t believe this is the right process then let the voters know so they can decide if transparency and openness is important enough for them to sway their vote. If no candidates believe in openness and transparency then let’s hope there is a strong write-in campaign.

Here are two snippets from the July 22, 2015, council minutes.

“Mayor Logan replied to Councilman (Bill) Aitken that a solid hiring process will be the key to finding the right individual to fill this role, and if a suitable candidate does not come forward, the position will simply not be filled.”

“Councilwoman (Shannon) Williamson suggested including the department heads in the interview process. An interview board will not have the capacity to determine whether the candidate would be able to fully grasp the intricacies of each department and their needs.”

Jim McKiernan is publisher of the Bonner County Daily Bee. He can be reached at jmckiernan@bonnercountydailybee.com.