City of Gonzales
CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: January 18, 2022
FROM: Rene Mendez, City Manager
SUBJECT: Recruitment Services for the Position of Community Development Director
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that your Council approve the City’s Standard Contract with Peckham & McKenney Executive Search for recruitment services for the position of Community Development Director for an amount not to exceed $25,500; and authorize the City Manager to sign the Standard Contract.
BACKGROUND
The City finds itself needing to recruit a Community Development Director. As your Council is aware, this key management. A summary of the duties of this position are to plan:
Direct, manage, oversee, and review a wide variety of responsible professional and technical functions for the City’s Community Development Department including Planning, Zoning Administration, Subdivision, processing review, knowledge of building and code enforcement, Community Development Block Grants, Housing, Economic Development, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Manage, monitor, and conduct multiple and complex demographic and economic studies and analyses of City’s planning/redevelopment projects/programs; to provide expert professional assistance to the City Council, City Manager, Planning Commission and other City management and staff; and to participate as a responsible, proactive, and positive member of the City’s senior management staff.
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
As mentioned above, this is a key management position that is important to fill with a qualified individual that understands our community is needed not only to support daily planning functions, but the large volume of work before the City including, but not limited to, the future growth area, continued AGENDA
ITEM
14 development of the Industrial Park and the key infrastructure projects currently under development. As a result of the critical nature of this executive level position and the need to find the right “fit” for the City, staff reached out to three executive recruitment firms for proposals to help conduct and oversee the recruitment of this position.
Based on the responses, staff is requesting authorization to proceed with a contract with Peckham & McKenney Executive Search firm to conduct and oversee the recruitment process. In fact, they helped the City with the Public Works Director recruitment a few years ago and have a good understanding of what we would be looking for as the “right fit” for our community. In addition, the firm has a great record of accomplishment and long history with cities in California conducting effective recruitments for these types of positions.
As is stated in the attached proposal, the firm has extensive experience in recruiting Community Development Directors. Peckham & McKenney would work with the City to finalize all the recruitment material, and:
• Develop a candidate profile and organizational assessment; • Initiate the search strategy and candidate outreach;
• Undertake an extensive candidate assessment;
• Present the top candidates to the City Manager for consideration; • Support the City with all phases of the final interview process; • Conduct a thorough background check of final candidate selected once a conditional offer is made.
In addition, the firm like many other top tiered recruitment firms, commits to working with the City until the position is filled, and also guarantees conducting a new recruitment to replace a candidate that resigns during the first year, and/or is terminated. This is a very important guarantee because no matter how much work is done up front, it is impossible to be 100% percent sure that the candidate placed with the City will be successful.
Finally, utilizing an executive recruitment firm would result in casting a wider net to identify qualified candidates than what the City would be able to cast doing an in-house recruitment. Bottom line, because of the critical nature of this position, and finding the “right fit” for the City is very important, staff is requesting authority to retain an executive recruitment firm to oversee this process.
Explain Recommendation and How it Supports the Vision
Gonzales will continue to be a safe, clean, family-friendly community, diverse in its heritage, and committed to working collaboratively to preserve and retain its small-town charm.
Explain: Finding the most qualified person for the Community Development Director position is important because overseeing and managing the City’s day to day and long-term planning is necessary to support and maintain the City’s Vision.
Explain how the Recommendation Directly Implements the Mission The City Council and Staff of the City of Gonzales will realize our Vision by providing the leadership, commitment, and resources necessary to provide excellent services that enhance the quality of life of our diverse community. X Yes __No __ NA
Explain: Please see explanation above for the Vision.
Strong fiscal policies allow us to provide appropriate infrastructure for:
• Public Safety X Yes ____ No ____NA
• Housing X Yes ____ No ____NA
• Recreation X Yes ____ No ____NA
• Environment X Yes ____ No ____NA
• Education X Yes ____ No ____NA
Explain: Please see explanation above for the Vision.
ALTERNATIVES
Your Council has the option to direct that this recruitment be done in-house. While this is certainly an option, staff believes that it would limit the recruitment pool. In addition, with the heavy workload currently being faced by the City, undertaking an internal recruitment would hamper other priority projects.
BUDGET IMPACT
The not to exceed amount of $25,500 reflects an all-inclusive fee that includes professional fees and expenses (i.e., out-of-pocket costs associated with advertising, consultant travel, administrative support, printing, copying, postage, materials, telephone, technology, partial background checks on recommended candidates, and full background check on selected finalist). The proposal does include fees for other services that are not contemplated at this time and thus are not being requested. Should this change, an amendment would be brought before your Council at that time.
Due to the salary savings as a result of this position being currently vacant, and the fact that this position is spread out over a few funds, there are sufficient resources appropriated in the FY 2021-2022 City Budget to cover this cost.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that your Council approve the City’s Standard Contract with Peckham & McKenney Executive Search for recruitment services for the position of Community Development Director for an amount not to exceed $25,500; and authorize the City Manager to sign the Standard Contract.
Attachments:
1. P&M Proposal