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Council Appointed Officers Committee
Staff Report
Report Type: ACTION ITEM
Lead Department: Human Resources
Meeting Date: September 22, 2025
Report #:2509-5201
TITLE
Executive recruitment process review for Council Appointed Office (City Attorney) including interviews and recommended selection of executive recruitment firm and feedback on recruitment content and process, with recommendation to City Council for approval
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the CAO Committee:
1. Conduct interviews with the executive recruitment firms recommended and recommend a final selection to the Council.
2. Recommend to Council to Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a professional services agreement with selected recruitment firm for a fee not to exceed $40,000, plus reimbursable expenses not to exceed $10,000, and a. Post the salary as “Depends on Qualifications” (DOQ) unless otherwise directed by the Committee.
b. Delegate approval of interview process details to the CAO Committee Chair.
BACKGROUND
On September 9, 2025, the Council Appointed Officer (CAO) Committee reviewed initial proposals from three highly qualified executive recruitment firms. Based on review of the proposals and follow-up questions, the CAO Committee determined it prudent to conduct interviews in order to recommend to the City Council a firm to handle the recruitment of the City’s next City Attorney. The Committee also provided staff with directions to begin drafting the content for the recruitment brochure and gain input from the current City Attorney.
During the committee meeting staff clarified the following items based on committee member questions:
1) Each executive recruitment firm proposed had been reviewed in advance, local references had been engaged, and any recent recruitments with the City reviewed to ensure excellent service.
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2) The timing, composition, and specific questions for panel interviews are yet to be determined and are collaboratively curated by the chosen executive recruitment firm, the Human Resources Department, and the CAO Committee Chair. 3) The overall timeline of 6 months for placement of a new City Attorney starts with the initial CAO committee meeting and includes the executive recruitment firm timelines as well as the City onboarding process.
4) Each firm has its own unique though similar guarantee around placement of candidates.
Industry common practice is that if no preferred candidate is selected, the firm will run another recruitment at “no cost” other than material and advertising expenses.
The agenda, staff report, and recording of this prior meeting is available on the City's website
ANALYSIS
All three recommended firms were invited to interview and asked for their availability on committee dates. The 22nd was selected as having the greatest availability for all participants.
Attachment D will include a draft of the content of the recruitment brochure for CAO Committee review and initial feedback, this attachment due to timing will be added late packet on September 18, 2025. Additional feedback will be collected by the firm selected by the CAO committee. The firm will also conduct one-on-one meetings with Council members, Council Appointed Officers and other key stakeholders (as identified) to gain additional feedback on highly valuable candidate skills, experience, and competencies.
An updated draft timeline below illustrates when different phases could potentially occur. This timeline does not account for known holidays and breaks such as the Thanksgiving and Winter holidays. This is meant for illustrative purposes only.
Recruitment Stages Timeline Action Items
Recruitment Pre-
Planning
August 2025
to
September 2025
Review of executive firms recommended
Review and affirm recruitment process
steps and timeline
Interviews and recommended selection
of executive firm, followed by full Council
approval
Review draft brochure and receive initial
feedback
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Recruitment Planning September 2025
to
October 2025
Complete stakeholder meetings on
candidate characteristics
Review and finalize marketing and
advertising materials
Strategy and process refinement (panel
dates, structure, and sequencing)
Posting and Active
Recruitment
October 2025
to
November 2025
Marketing and advertising launch
Targeted and active sourcing begins
Initial reviews occur on an ongoing basis
as applications received
Candidate Screening November 2025
to
December 2025
Executive recruiter completes candidate
assessments
Supplemental questionnaires and
interviews
Presentation of recommended top
candidates to full Council and
compensation discussion
Continued and ongoing candidate
engagement
Finalist selection and
negotiation
December 2025
to
January 2026
Panel interviews
Background and initial reference checks
Final Interviews
Conditional offer letter/compensation
negotiations
Onboarding January 2026
to
February 2026
Appointment by Council
Notice provided to current employer
City onboarding process
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ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Executive Recruitment Proposal from Bob Murray and Assoc.
Attachment B: Executive Recruitment Proposal from Peckham and McKenney Attachment C: Executive Recruitment Proposal from Teri Black and Co.
Attachment D: Draft Recruitment Brochure (Released September 18, 2025) APPROVED BY:
Sandra Blanch, Human Resources Director