AGENDA ITEM #14
TOWN OF FAIRFAX
STAFF REPORT
April 5, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Heather Abrams, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Authorize the Town Manager to execute an agreement with Peckham & McKenney, in an amount not to exceed $26,750, for Recruitment Services for Planning & Building Services Director, in a form approved by the Town Attorney ______________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the Town Manager to execute an agreement with Peckham & McKenney, in an amount not to exceed $26,750, for Recruitment Services for Planning & Building Services Director, in a form approved by the Town Attorney.
DISCUSSION
On July 7, 2021 the Council approved an agreement for recruitment services for the Town Manager and Public Works Director. The Town Manager and the Public Works Director roles have been successfully filled. On July 6, 2022, the Council approved an amendment to have the recruitment process for the Planning & Building Services Director led by the same firm. However, the market for talent is increasingly competitive for experienced local government professionals and two recruitments for this position were not successful.
In order to keep the Town’s time sensitive critical long-term Planning projects going, the Town employed an Interim Planning & Building Services Director, a retired annuitant whose 960 hour limit has been exhausted, and then the Town hired a contract Planner.
Staff reached out to four additional prominent local government recruiting firms: one did not reply after repeated attempts, one replied immediately that their firm was too busy with other recruitments to take on Fairfax’s task, and two replied with interest. After reviewing the materials provided, cost proposals, and discussing the position and recruiting challenges, staff recommends hiring Roberta Greathouse of Peckham & McKenney. Ms. Greathouse’s proposal reflects her effort in understanding Fairfax’s situation and needs, and proposing solutions with the goal of completing a successful recruitment as quickly as possible. Ms. Greathouse’s proposal was also the least expensive, as the other proposal amount was similar but did not include expenses, which were estimated at between $5,500 to $7,500.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed amount of $26,750 will be charged to the Town’s FY22-23 Operating Budget, Fund 01-231 Personnel.
ATTACHMENT
Proposal
———————— Peckham & McKenney, 300 Harding Boulevard, Suite 203D, Roseville, CA 95678 ———————— March 14, 2023
Heather Abrams
Fairfax Town Manager
142 Bolinas Road
Fairfax, CA 94930
Via PDF/Email To: [email protected]
Dear Heather,
Thank you for considering Peckham & McKenney for the Town of Fairfax, Planning and Building Services Director recruitment. I would be honored to represent the Town in this important search.
It was nice speaking with you last week and learning about the position and the challenges the Town has had in filling the vacancy. If selected to conduct this recruitment, I will prepare a base salary survey of the 5-7 jurisdictions in the Fairfax area that you indicate are a comparable agency. If you would like a more comprehensive survey, I would be happy discuss an appropriate fee for that service.
As a boutique firm that specializes in recruitments for small and medium size communities in California, Peckham & McKenney is known for achieving successful and long-term placements. Among many strong attributes, these are four key reasons agencies choose us:
• We actively and personally search for and find candidates. • We limit the number of concurrent searches in order to directly focus on serving our client. • We prioritize communicating with our client and applicants to keep everyone informed. • Your recruiter is personally and directly responsible for all aspects of the search and your one point of contact.
Our Peckham & McKenney team is comprised of retired municipal managers and directors who are passionate about the public sector. I am proud to be on the Peckham & McKenney team because the firm’s values and priorities align with mine – to assist public agencies in furtherance of good government; to place quality above quantity; and to build long lasting relationships with those in the public service.
For this important position and search, I will serve as your Recruiter. As a former HR Director / Risk Manager and Acting City Manager, I am very familiar with the responsibilities of a Director of Planning and Building Services, the expectations of the position, and the needs/interests of local government. In my role as the HR Director with the City of Seaside, I personally conducted hundreds of recruitments for all levels of City staff including community development managers / directors and I am currently conducting a similar search for the City of Colton. I am very experienced in working closely with candidates and hiring managers to ensure selected candidates meet the needs of the agency with respect to technical knowledge and expertise as well as organizational fit. With my experience and knowledge, I know the work necessary to attract applicants, to ———————— Peckham & McKenney, 300 Harding Boulevard, Suite 203D, Roseville, CA 95678 ———————— conduct a successful recruitment process, and to achieve the City’s goal to obtain high quality Planning and Building Services Director.
Attached is a detailed proposal for conducting the search that includes information about our firm, process, timeline, resources, references, experience and fee. We charge a fixed, all-inclusive fee and for this search, we are proposing $26,750, which I’d be pleased to discuss. I would also be happy to participate in a Zoom interview to personally present and discuss our proposal. Upon being selected to conduct this important search, I would also be prepared to start immediately.
I am excited for the opportunity to implement the process leading to the successful placement of a candidate that “fits” your interests and the organization. Please feel free to call me at (831) 998-3194, if there are any questions.
Sincerely,
Roberta L. Greathouse
Executive Recruiter
[email protected]
Enclosure:
City of Fairfax Search Proposal
Example Candidate Profile: City of Colton Development Services Director ———————— Peckham & McKenney, 300 Harding Boulevard, Suite 203D, Roseville, CA 95678 ———————— Town of Fairfax
RECRUITMENT PROPOSAL
for
Planning and Building Services Director
March 14, 2023
———————— Peckham & McKenney, 300 Harding Boulevard, Suite 203D, Roseville, CA 95678 ————————
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHY CHOOSE US? 1
EXPERIENCE 2
YOUR RECRUITMENT TEAM 4
THE SEARCH PROCESS AND SCHEDULE 5
COST OF SERVICES 6
Cost of Services
Process of Payment
Insurance
GUARANTEE AND DIVERSITY 7
Guarantee
Diversity Statement
5 | Peckham & McKenney
6 | Peckham & McKenney
EXPERIENCE
With our recruitment team that solely consists of retired City Managers, Police Chiefs and Department Heads, and our expert support team, Peckham & McKenney brings more experience and knowledge of local government and executive search than any other California recruiter. Just a few of our recent recruitments related to your search for a City Manager have been for: (list approximately 4) Desert Hot Springs, CA Director of Economic Development Hollister, CA Development Services Director
Los Altos Hills, CA Planning Director
Pacific Grove, CA Community Development Director
San Pablo, CA Community Development Director
Santa Barbara, CA Community Development Director
South Gate, CA Community Development Director
Westlake Village, CA Planning Director
Please don’t hesitate to contact these agencies as well as our large list of current and former clients on our website (here); they will attest to our quality of service, on-going communication throughout the process, personal and direct outreach and sourcing of candidates, quality applicant pool, written materials and interview facilitation.
As an ambassador of our clients, Peckham & McKenney is also known for maintaining ongoing communications with our applicants throughout the search process, treating every applicant with respect, and appropriately informing candidates to support their best effort. The numerous compliments we have received from applicants fairly illustrate this reputation.
7 | Peckham & McKenney
Testimonials from clients and candidates are at https://www.peckhamandmckenney.com/testimonials.
Please feel free to call any of the communities listed herein, or on our website here, or as follows as a reference about the firm, our recruiters, and our service. Additionally, you may contact any of Roberta’s references:
City of Seaside
Craig Malin, former City Manager, (563) 529-1542; [email protected] Dan Meewis, Recreation Director, (831) 402-4413; [email protected] Donna Williamson, Attorney, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (retired); (415) 309-4837 City of Sand City
Vibeke Norgaard, City Manager, (415) 516-6674; [email protected] City of Del Rey Oaks
John Guertin, City Manager, (831) 917-4846; [email protected] 8 | Peckham & McKenney
YOUR RECRUITMENT TEAM
Our Approach
With every Peckham & McKenney recruitment, your
Recruiter has the entire Peckham & McKenney team
of Recruiters and administrative personnel for
backup, support, collaboration, and sourcing.
However, when you retain Peckham & McKenney,
your Recruiter serves as your single point of contact
throughout the entire search process and is fully
responsible for its success. Moreover, in order to
fully focus on your search and finding applicants that
fit with the ideal candidate you are seeking, your
Recruiter also maintains no more than 6 active
searches.
The Executive Recruiter for you in this search is
Roberta Greathouse.
Roberta Greathouse, Executive Recruiter
Roberta is a dynamic professional with strong leadership, critical thinking, and problemsolving skills. She enjoyed a 34-year career in the public sector, retiring from the City of Seaside as the Human Resources Director and Risk Manager. Roberta has experience in every aspect of human resources including labor and employee relations, recruitment, selection, classification and compensation, employee benefits, workers’ compensation, and employee development. Roberta led the City through a myriad of organizational challenges including multiple rounds of layoffs and labor concessions due to economic crises.
Roberta served as the City’s Acting City Manager for almost one year during a time of unprecedented City growth in the areas of economic development and capital improvement. Roberta was recognized for being an accessible and collaborative leader with outstanding organizational, communication, and customer service skills.
Prior to joining Seaside’s team, Roberta served the City of Monterey for 18 years. She worked in a variety of roles in the Public Facilities, Human Resources, and Fire Departments. As the manager of the fire administration division, Roberta had the opportunity to negotiate and manage fire protection contracts with the Army and two local jurisdictions and she established the first activity based costing system for the department.
Roberta holds a Bachelors degree from Colorado State University, is a Senior Certified Human Resources Professional (IPMA-SCP), and certified Risk Management Practitioner (RMP). She was nominated for the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority’s coveted Capstone Award in 2016 for her leadership in Risk Management.
The Peckham & Mckenney Team
9 | Peckham & McKenney
Roberta is supported by the following team.
Joyce Johnson, Operations Manager
Joyce Johnson joined Peckham & McKenney in 2005 and serves as the firm's Operations Manager. She has over 30 years' experience in the field of administrative and executive support for all aspects of the executive recruitment process. She oversees internal administration of the firm as well as directing contract administrative support in the areas of advertising and design, web posting, and duplication and mailing services. Prior to joining Peckham & McKenney, Ms. Johnson oversaw internal administration in the Western Region headquarters of two national management consulting and executive recruitment firms. Ms. Johnson is complimented regularly on her strong customer orientation working with both clients and candidates alike. Ms. Johnson holds an Associate of Arts degree from American River College.
Tayler Bergstrom, Research Assistant
Tayler Bergstrom joined Peckham & McKenney in 2022 and currently serves as a Research Associate. Tayler is currently pursuing a PhD at UCLA where she worked previously as a lab manager overseeing various research projects. Prior to that, Tayler graduated from UC San Diego with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.
Linda Pucilowski, Graphic Designer
With nearly 30 years of experience, Linda Pucilowski provides her expert design and marketing skills to Peckham & McKenney. She is the firm’s “go-to” professional for all advertising and brochure design and creation. Ms.
Pucilowski holds a Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Sacramento.
Rachel Moran, Website & Social Media Assistant
Rachel Moran has been in the graphic design field since 2007 and prides herself on creating eye-catching visual art. She supports the Peckham & McKenney team by handling all website visual and technical design as well as social media. Ms. Moran graduated from the Art Institute of Houston obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design.
.
10 | Peckham & McKenney
11 | Peckham & McKenney
The fee to conduct the entire search process for your next Planning and Building Services Manager is $26,750. 12 | Peckham & McKenney
Development Services Director
City of Colton, California
The City
The City of Colton is located in San
Bernardino County, California, at the
junction of interstates 10 and 215, the
“crossroads of the Inland Empire”;
strategically located to serve the larger
Southern California marketplace. The
City is approximately 16 square miles and
is located 57 miles east of Los Angeles,
2 miles southwest of San Bernardino,
and 9 miles northeast of Riverside.
With a population of approximately
55,000, the City is proactive in targeting
the expansion of job opportunities,
residential, and business growth.
The City of Colton is proud of its growing
role as a center for new business and
residential and employment opportunities
in the County of San Bernardino. A
comprehensive transportation network,
available underdeveloped land, a skilled,
ready-to-work labor pool, and a viable
partnership between business, city, and
county government contributes vitality
to an already established commerce.
The City is focused on the high quality
of living, education, job creation,
community health, public safety, housing,
retail, recreation, arts and culture, and
infrastructure for development that is
sustainable over time. Colton will be a
destination for visitors and a home for
anyone seeking a sense of community and
a high quality of life.
Historically, Colton has worked hard
to make the City one of the best
places in Southern California to work,
live, and enjoy life and that single
goal remains true today. Colton is a
diverse community where tomorrow’s
contributors pursue their goals in an
attractive and safe environment abundant
with opportunities for educational and
economic advancement. The City is home
to a variety of educational and family
experiences including Reche Canyon, the
Historic Carnegie Library/Museum, and
Fiesta Village Family Fun Park.
For more information about the City of
Colton, please visit https://coltonca.gov/.
The Organization
The City of Colton is a general law City
serving the public under the CouncilManager form of government. The City Council is comprised of 5 members
elected to serve 4-year terms with
staggered elections every 2 years. The
Mayor is elected at large and the 4 council
members are elected by district. The City
Clerk and City Treasurer are elected
officials. Illustrative of organizational
stability, City Manager Bill Smith has
served the City since 2004 beginning as
the Community Services Director before
being appointed City Manager in 2015.
The City is comprised of 8 Departments:
City Manager, Public Works and Utility
Services, Fire, Police, Community
Services, Finance, Development Services,
and Human Resources that are supported
by a total of 330 full-time equivalent
personnel and a General Fund operating
budget of approximately $52 million.
The voters approved a one-cent generalpurpose sales tax measure in November of 2022.
The City enjoys a very stable political
environment. The City Council and staff
have a good working relationship and a
high level of trust. City Council meetings
occur the first and third Tuesdays of
the month and often last for less than 2
hours. The Executive Team is also a closeknit group, so ‘fit’ into this dynamic team will be essential.
The Position
The Development Services Director
reports to the City Manager and manages
the Planning, Building, and Business
License Divisions. The Department is
allocated 13 positions and is currently
staffed with an excellent team of 10
dedicated and committed individuals.
The Department’s operating budget is just
under $5 million.
While supporting the City Manager, the
Director will have full responsibility for
all Development Services Department
functions and services including
Planning (residential, commercial and
industrial entitlements, and long-range
planning); Building & Safety (planreview, permitting and inspection), and Business Licensing.
The Development Services Director
will have knowledge of the principles
and practices of: administration;
urban planning and technical building
inspection functions; grant applications,
monitoring and reporting programs;
research methods and sources of
information related to urban growth and
development; Uniform Building Code,
CEQA, State planning & zoning laws,
• Welcoming and
embracing of fresh
perspectives and
new processes and
procedures to reduce
barriers for the public
and streamline business
practices. Encouraging
of continuous
improvement and embracing continual
learning and innovation.
• Motivated by, and passionate about,
providing excellent, first-class, and
quality services. Takes pride in work,
is committed to the community
of Colton, and places a priority on
“moving the needle forward.”
• Flexible, creative, nimble, and an outof-the-box thinker for establishing and achieving goals; embrace the theory of
working smarter, not harder.
• An individual who conveys a
positive, welcoming attitude; is selfdepreciating; and shares a sense of humor.
• Ethical, honest, respectful,
professionally trustworthy and
customer service focused, and instills
these as core values of the team.
General Plans, and other codes and
policies prepared and enforced by the
Department; organization, personnel
management; program development
and administration; and budget
administration. The selected candidate
will also be a skilled supervisor who takes
an active role in leading, motivating,
training, developing, and directing the
team. Due to the limited number of staff,
the Director must be willing to take on
the challenges of direct management of
complex planning projects, as needed.
• Imaginative, creative, and proactive in
working with residential, commercial,
and retail customers and with the City
team to improve business recruitment
and retention. Possesses a “can do
attitude.”
• An experienced supervisor and visible
leader who proactively engages with
Department staff to address and
resolve issues; accomplish day to day
projects and work assignments; and
attain long term City and Department
goals. Holds them self and staff
accountable to the public.
• Detail oriented and a working manager
who is mindful and understanding of
the big-picture; but is equally focused
on ensuring work productivity and
excellence is pursed by the team.
• Collaborative, interactive, and
embracing of interdisciplinary and
inter-departmental work/goals to
achieve diverse citywide projects, solve
problems, and work with both internal
and external customers.
• Able and willing to work with other
departments to collaboratively address
issues and solve problems.
• Effective in establishing and
maintaining working relationships
with elected and appointed officials.
Keeps the vision of the City Council in
the forefront.
• Calm and centered as a communicator
with outstanding listening skills and
thus able to facilitate, mediate, and
build consensus. Possess interpersonal
and communication skills that are
versatile and appropriate for each
situation and all audiences.
• Courageous in making difficult
decisions and standing behind staff
when they make difficult decisions
with respect to code interpretation,
application, and other issues.
The Ideal Candidate
The Development Services Director is
expected to be:
• A professional planner who
understands the current challenges
facing local government and the
ability explain new and emerging
State law to City staff, City Council,
Boards and Commissions, and
make recommendations on how to
incorporate new law into appropriate
City ordinances, policies, and
procedures.
• People oriented, friendly, calm,
politically astute, and emotionally
intelligent in working with and
responding to officials, developers,
residents, and staff.
The Recruitment
Process
To apply for this key position and
exciting career opportunity, please visit
our website at:
Peckham & McKenney
www.peckhamandmckenney.com
Resumes are acknowledged within
two business days. Contact Roberta
Greathouse at 831.998.3194, toll-free at
866.912.1919, or via email to Roberta@
PeckhamandMcKenney.com if you have
any questions regarding this position or
the recruitment process.
Experience/Education
Requirements
Typical background and experience
include 7 years of directly related
planning, and community development
experience. A bachelor’s degree from
an accredited college or university
in urban planning, environmental
studies, or a related field is required as
is the possession or ability to obtain an
appropriate California driver’s license
and a satisfactory driving record. AICP
certification is desirable.
The Compensation
Package
The annual salary is up to $176,031.76,
depending on qualifications, with a
3% increase scheduled for July 1, 2023.
This position is at-will and will have an
employment agreement providing the
flexibility to tailor some benefits within
the Executive Employees Resolution and
including a “without cause” severance
provision. The City offers the following
excellent benefits:
Work Schedule: 4/10 workweek
with Fridays off.
Incentive Pay: Bilingual Pay:
$50/month; Longevity Pay $100/month
at 15, 20, and 25 yrs of City service;
Educational Incentive: 5% for education
above minimum job requirements; Auto
Allowance: up to $450/month.
www.peckhamandmckenney.com
Retirement: CalPERS Defined
Benefit Pension – Classic members 2.5%
@ 55; PEPRA members 2% @ 62, Classic
members pay the full employee 8%
contribution and new PEPRA members
pay the full employee contribution,
which is currently 6.75% of the CalPERS
contribution. The City does not
participate in Social Security System,
however, it does participate in Medicare
and the employee portion is 1.45%
Health & Welfare Benefits:
Currently employees receive a $1,183
monthly Cafeteria health allowance for
medical, dental, and vision plans for
employee and dependent(s), with an
increase of $1,225 monthly scheduled
for July 1, 2023. City paid short-term
and long-term disability and term life
insurance coverage in the amount of
$100,000. The City contributes up
to $500 per month towards retiree
health insurance. Annual medical
reimbursement up to $1,000 per
fiscal year.
Annual Leave Accrual: 120
hours vacation accrued for 0 – 5 years
of service (not accrued for the first 6
months); 96 hours of sick leave; 80 hours
of administrative leave; 12 paid holidays;
20 floating holiday hours. Previous
governmental agency time considered as
basis for accrual rate.
Search Schedule
Filing Deadline:............................................................... April 5, 2023 Preliminary Interviews (telephonic): .......................April 18 &19, 2023 Recommendation of Candidates: ......................Week of April 26, 2023 Panel Interviews (by Zoom): ................................Week of May 8, 2023 Finalist Interviews (In-Person):.......................... Week of May 15, 2023 These dates have been confirmed, and it is recommended
that you plan your calendar accordingly.