CITY OF SAN MATEO
City Council Special Meeting
February 6, 2023
5:30 PM
City Hall Council Chamber
Entrance is on O’Farrell Street
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Amourence Lee, Mayor
Lisa Diaz Nash, Deputy Mayor
Rich Hedges
Adam Loraine
Rob Newsom Jr.
AGENDA
THIS MEETING CAN BE ATTENDED IN PERSON OR REMOTE BY JOINING ZOOM – SEE CODES BELOW.
PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BOTH IN PERSON AND REMOTEL Y.
SEE END OF AGENDA FOR OPTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
To join via Zoom – click here:
February 6, 2023
To join via telephone: (408) 638-0968
Webinar ID: 818 7210 6537 Passcode: 899973
Council Member Rich Hedges will teleconference into this meeting from:
2405 Kalanianaole Avenue – PH-11 Hilo, Hawaii 96720
CALL TO ORDER
Roll Call
CLOSED SESSION
The public will have an opportunity to comment before the consideration of these items. Following the meeting a report of action from Closed Session will be provided if required.
1. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation, Worker’s Compensation (Paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Government Code Section 54956.9
STUDY SESSION
The public will have an opportunity to comment during the consideration of these items.
2. Pavement Management and Smooth Streets Program – Informational Update Receive an informational update on the Pavement Management and Smooth Streets Programs.
CEQA: This action of receiving an informational update is not a project subject to CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
3. City Manager Recruitment
Utilize the services of an executive recruiter and a City Council subcommittee for City Manager recruitment activities.
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CEQA: This item is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
4. Consideration of Winter Storm Damage Relief Fund
Provide feedback and guidance to staff on contributing City funds to relief efforts for residents and businesses that suffered damage resulting from the recent winter storms and determine the criteria and administration method for distributing funding.
CEQA: This informational report is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
ADJOURNMENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AGENDAS:
Agendas and material are posted on the City’s website on the Friday preceding each Council Meeting and can be viewed on the City's website at
www.cityofsanmateo.org
. Any supplemental material distributed to the Council after the posting of the agenda will be made part of the official record.
WATCHING A MEETING ON TV:
City Council meetings are broadcast live on Comcast/channel 27, Wave/channel 26, or AT&T/channel 99.
For transmission problems during the broadcast, please call (650) 522-7099. For all other broadcast comments, call (650) 522-7040, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
WATCHING A MEETING ON A COMPUTER:
There are three ways to stream.
1) Public Meeting Portal
www.cityofsanmateo.org/publicmeetings
2) City YouTube channel and stream it on YouTube:
http://youtube.com/CityofSanMateo
3) Watch TV live stream:
https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/193/Channel-San-Mateo-Live-Stream
PUBLIC COMMENTS/REQUEST TO SPEAK
Prior to the Meeting
Send comments to:
[email protected]
until 4 p.m. the day of the meeting.
During the meeting
By Zoom:
Click the link at the top of the agenda and you’ll be added to the meeting. All attendees are muted by default. When the item of interest is open for consideration, select the “Raise Your Hand” icon and you will be called on at the appropriate time.
By telephone:
Call (408) 638-0968 and enter the conference ID found at the top of the meeting agenda. When the item of interest is open for consideration, select *9 to raise your hand. When called upon, press *6 to unmute, state your name and provide your comments.
In Person:
At the meeting complete a “Request to Speak” form, submit a request at the speaker kiosk or scan the QR code.
ACCESSIBILITY:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, those with disabilities requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting may contact the City Clerk’s Office at (650) 522-7040 or [email protected]
. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will
enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 2 Section Name: STUDY SESSION Acct No.: 10-4662 File ID: 23-7092 TO: City Council
FROM: Drew Corbett, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: February 6, 2023
SUBJECT:
Pavement Management and Smooth Streets Program – Informational Update RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an informational update on the Pavement Management and Smooth Streets Programs.
BACKGROUND:
The City owns and maintains pavement assets consisting of approximately 200 miles of streets, bike paths, and alleyways.
The Pavement Management Program (PMP) is managed by Public Works and implements the annual pavement maintenance and capital improvements that cannot be performed by the City’s field maintenance crews. The goals of the PMP are: (1) to maintain the City’s streets with a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) above 70; (2) minimize deferred maintenance; (3) reduce the number of failed streets; and (4) optimize the use of available funds. While the PMP focuses on the management of the City’s entire pavement assets, a separate Smooth Streets Program (SSP) was created in 2013 to reconstruct over 22 miles of streets that were identified to have failed or were at risk of failing. The SSP is a focused initiative with special funding to repair failed streets, an effort that was identified by the Council as a priority.
Pavement Management Program
In the past five years, the PMP has resulted in the implementation of improvements to approximately 60 miles of streets using various treatment methods, including 35 miles treated with crack seal, 10 miles slurry sealed, and 15 miles resurfaced. The PMP uses the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) StreetSaver program, which provides recommendations for project scopes based on optimizing available budget to advance the goals of the PMP. The project scopes are coordinated with other planned City and utility projects to minimize impacts to the public.
Every two to three years, the City inspects its roadways, updates the current PCI based on the inspection, and evaluates potential funding scenarios for future years and the anticipated outcomes. The most recent inspection was completed in September 2020 with scenario analysis completed in March 2021. These inspections and scenario analyses are funded by MTC Pavement Management Technical Assistance Program or “P-TAP” grants. The City was awarded a MTC “P-TAP” grant last month, which will fund a new round of inspection and scenario analyses to occur this year. The information obtained through the scenario analyses are used to determine upcoming roadway maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction projects.
Smooth Streets Program
Street segments with a PCI of less than 25 are considered “failed” and generally require expensive, full street reconstruction to restore. The City’s SSP is based on a 2013 assessment of the City’s network and includes 17 miles of streets in this failed category plus an additional five miles of “at-risk” streets with a PCI between 25 and 39, which were in poor condition and at risk of failing. Of the 17 miles of failed streets, 11 miles have been restored and two miles are currently in construction. The program has also completed restoration of four miles of the “at-risk” streets. The remaining
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four miles of failed streets and one mile of at-risk streets in the Smooth Streets Program are currently scheduled for completion by 2025 at an estimated cost of approximately $29 million. Cost inflation, difficult soil conditions, and the amount of concrete improvements within the project limits are some of the factors affecting the increased cost trends.
Since 2016, the SSP has been funded primarily by voter-approved Measure S funds. In February 2020, the City allocated $21.6 million of bonds to the SSP that were secured with Measure S revenues. Other funding sources such as SB1, Measure A, and Measure W are used to fund both the SSP and PMP. Historically, a portion of gas taxes, general funds, and grants have also been allocated to the PMP. The staff presentation will elaborate on the topics above, including pavement restoration methods and future funding needs to maintain the City’s roadways in good condition.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budget impact associated with this informational item.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This action of receiving an informational update is not a project subject to CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
None
STAFF CONTACT
Stephanie Gindlesperger, Senior Engineer
[email protected]
(650) 522-7315
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 3 Section Name: STUDY SESSION Account Number: 10-2311 File ID: 23-7156 TO: City Council
FROM: Drew Corbett, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Human Resources Department
MEETING DATE: February 06, 2023
SUBJECT:
City Manager Recruitment
RECOMMENDATION:
Utilize the services of an executive recruiter and a City Council subcommittee for City Manager recruitment activities.
BACKGROUND:
City Manager Drew Corbett has served the City of San Mateo extremely well the past four years. He recently provided the Council with his notice of retirement (Attachment 1) effective June 30, 2023. This report outlines the general parameters for the recruitment and selection process for a new City Manager. The City Council is asked to provide direction to staff regarding this process.
Consequently, a recruitment will assist the City Council with finding Mr. Corbett’s successor. Section 3.01 of the City of San Mateo’s Charter establishes the requirements for the City Manager’s qualifications, appointment, and compensation. “There shall be a city manager who shall be appointed by and who shall serve at the pleasure of the city council. The city manager shall be appointed solely on the basis of the city manager’s executive and administrative qualifications. The city manager shall receive such compensation for services as the council shall determine.” The powers and duties of the City Manager are further described in Section 3.04, Attachment 2.
A document prepared by the International City/County Managers’ Association (ICMA) entitled, “Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local Government Administrator” is also provided for the City Council’s information in Attachment 3.
SUMMARY OF RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS
Similar to the process successfully used in 2018 to fill the City Manager position and in 2021 to fill the City Attorney position, the typical recruitment and selection process for hiring a City Manager would include:
•Developing the City Manager Position Profile – The recruiter holds individual interviews with all of the City Council members, Department Heads, and other key staff to identify the organizational needs and professional attributes needed for the position. The City Council may also want to utilize methods of providing the public with opportunities for input in developing the position profile. •Prepare the Recruitment Brochure, Marketing Materials, and Advertising Plan – A recruitment brochure and marketing materials are developed based upon the position profile and organizational needs analysis. •Candidate Outreach – While advertising and marketing in various media are helpful, the best candidates sometimes must be actively sought out and their interest encouraged.
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•Candidate Assessment and Initial Screening – The recruiter screens applicants to determine if they match the position profile. A recruiter typically interviews a number of candidates to narrow the field prior to the selection of finalists.
•Presentation of Finalist Candidates – The recruiter provides a comprehensive evaluation of potential candidates and provides recommendations to the full City Council for the selection of finalists for interview. •Candidate Interviews – The recruiter arranges for interviews and develops selection procedures for the finalist candidates. Structured interviews with the full City Council, Department Heads, and other stakeholders as determined by the City Council are held. The specific panel makeup and number of interview panels is developed by the City Council with assistance from the recruiter. •Candidate Selection / Background Checks / Employment Contract – The recruiter assists the full City Council with finalist selection, background and reference checks, and the formulation and documentation of appropriate compensation and other employment arrangements.
Executive Recruiter versus In-House Recruitment
Most California cities utilize an executive recruitment consulting firm to conduct City Manager recruitments. While our Human Resources Department staff has the technical expertise to conduct the recruitment in-house, the primary advantage to using an executive recruitment consulting firm is their ability to conduct significant targeted and confidential outreach to qualified applicants. Because these consultants conduct a number of executive searches for a variety of cities in the course of a year, they are familiar with the applicant pool and will be aware of viable candidates who would be interested in applying to be the City of San Mateo’s City Manager. Executive recruitment consulting firms with significant public sector experience maintain databases of potential applicants and have the skill and expertise to perform this vital outreach effort.
Participation in Preliminary Recruitment Activities
Historically, the City Council has chosen a subcommittee made up of two Council members, the current City Manager, and Human Resources to work with the recruiter on activities leading up to the presentation of finalist candidates and panel interviews of them. It has been an effective and efficient way to perform this work.
These preliminary activities include holding meetings with the recruiter regarding the search schedule and process, crafting the interview questions for the identified oral board panels, and deciding on the selection of finalists so the full City Council can hold oral board panel interviews with each of the finalists. It is anticipated the recruitment process would take about six months to complete.
BUDGET IMPACT:
An executive recruiting firm and other associated costs would be covered in the Human Resources budget earmarked for the filling of executive positions.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This item is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Corbett Notice of Retirement Letter
Att 2 – San Mateo City Charter Section 3.04
Att 3 – “Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local Government Administrator”, prepared by the International City Managers’ Association (ICMA)
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STAFF CONTACT
Teresa Abrahamsohn, Director of Human Resources
[email protected]
650.522.7276
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City of San Mateo Law Library / San Mateo City Charter. / ARTICLE III CITY MANAGER / 3.04 Powers and Duties of the City Manager.
3.04 Powers and Duties of the City Manager.
The city manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the city. The city manager shall be responsible to the council for the administration of all city affairs placed in his/her charge by or under this Charter. The city manager shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) To direct and supervise the administration of all departments, offices and agencies of the city, except as otherwise provided by this Charter or by law. (b) To attend all council meetings, unless excused by the council or the mayor, and shall have the right to take part in discussion but may not vote.
(c) To see that all laws, provisions of this Charter and acts of the council, subject to enforcement by him/her or by officers subject to his/her direction and supervision, are faithfully executed. (d) To prepare and submit the annual budget and capital program to the council. (e) To submit to the council and make available to the public a report on the finances and administrative activities of the city as of the end of each fiscal year. (f) To make such other reports as the council may require concerning the operations of city departments, offices and agencies subject to his/her direction and supervision. (g) To keep the council fully advised as to the financial condition and future needs of the city and make such recommendations to the council concerning the affairs of the city as he/she deems desirable.
(h) To appoint such advisory boards as he/she may deem desirable to advise and assist him in his/her work, provided such boards shall not receive any compensation. (i) At any time in his/her discretion, and with or without notice, examine or cause to be examined the conduct of any administrative officer or employee of the city.
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(j) To perform such other duties as are specified in this Charter or may be required by the council.
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Recruitment Guidelines
for Selecting a Local
Government Administrator
January 2012
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R i Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a
Local Government Administrator
©2012 by the International City/County Management Association. All rights reserved, including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any means, including the making of copies by any photographic process, or by any electrical or mechanical device, printed, written, or oral or recording for sound or visual reproduction, or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietor.
About ICMA
ICMA advances professional local government worldwide. Its mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and advancing professional management of local government. ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, provides member support; publications, data, and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to more than 9,000 city, town, and county experts and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA’s members affect 185 million individuals living in thousands of communities, from small villages and towns to large metropolitan areas.
ICMA
777 North Capitol Street, NE
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20002-4201
202-289-ICMA (4262)
icma.org
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R iii Preface
This Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local Government Administrator was first published just over ten years ago. While a lot has changed in ten years, the basic process for selecting a chief administrator
1 has remained substantially the same. It still requires careful planning, astute evaluation of candidates, and a clear understanding of the relationship between the governing body
2 and the chief administrator. In this edition, however, new focus has been given to the ICMA Code of Ethics
—the foundation of the local go
vernment management profession—
and the emergence of the Voluntary Credentialed Manager program.
The Task Force on Recruitment Guidelines was formed in Fall 2010 and consisted of a very diverse group of ICMA members (many of whom have served on the ICMA Executive Board), Range Riders (former local government practitioners), younger members of the local govern- ment management profession, and representatives from executive search firms. From its only face-to-face meeting at the 2010 ICMA Conference in San José, this Task Force embraced the challenge of updating the guidelines. Over the next several months, we formed work groups to focus on three key elements of the process: recruitment, selection, and negotiation. After count- less conference calls and emails, the new and improved Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local Government Administrator emerged.
The Task Force consisted of the following ICMA members:
Jane Bais-DiSessa
City Manager
Berkley, Michigan
Bill Baldridge
Executive Search Committee
Former City Manager
Michigan Municipal League
Troy Brown
Assistant City Manager
Livermore, California
Garry Brumback
T
own Manager
Southington, Connecticut
Charlie Bush
City Administrator
Prosser, Washington
Mike Casey
Partner
Management Partners, Inc.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Tony Dahlerbruch
City Manager
Rolling Hills, California
Ed Daley
City Manager
Hopewell, Virginia
Tim Ernster
City Manager
Sedona, Arizona
Tom Fountaine
Borough Manager
State College, Pennsylvania
1 Chief administrator refers to a manager, administrator, or executive of a local government. 2 Governing body refers to the elected officers of a town, village, borough, township, city, county, or a legally constituted council of governments.
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iv Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R Peter Herlofsky
Former City Administrator
Farmington, Minnesota
Kay James
City Manager
Canandaigua, New York
Dave Krings
Former County Manager
Hamilton County, Ohio
Peoria County, Illinois
Debra Kurita
Former Assistant City Manager
San Bernardino, California
Juliana Maller
Deputy City Manager
P
ark Ridge, Illinois
Bob Murray
President
Bob Murray & Associates
Roseville, California
Andy Pederson
Village Manager
Bayside, Wisconsin
Sheryl Sculley
City Manager
San Antonio, Texas
William Sequino
Town Manager
East Greenwich, Rhode Island
Paul Sharon
ICMA Range Rider, Florida
Former Town Manager
Ashland, Massachusetts
North Andover, Massachusetts
Scot Simpson
City A
dministrator
Riv
er Falls, Wisconsin
Charlene Stevens
City Administrator
Willmar, Minnesota
Larry Stevens
City Manager
Edmond, Oklahoma
Bill T
aylor
Field Services Manager
Municipal Association of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Michael Van Milligen
City Manager
Dubuque, Iowa
Melissa Vossmer
City Manager
Angleton, Texas
Michael Willis
General Manager
Shellharbour City Council
New South Wales, Australia
Special appreciation is extended to Tom Fountaine for serving as the negotiation section chair; Peter Herlofsky, selection section chair; and Debra Kurita, recruitment section chair. Debra Kurita deserves special recognition as she labored many hours converting writing styles and formats into one consistent, easy-to-read document. On behalf of ICMA, I am grateful for the active engagement of each Task Force member. Special thanks to Jared Dailey of the ICMA staff, who assisted in the overall coordination of the Task Force.
It is the hope of the Task Force that this guidebook is promoted and distributed to those who are in the environment to hire a chief administrator for a community. To the governing body representatives who use this guidebook, we thank you for your service to your communities and wish you every success in finding the professional local government manager to help you guide your community to be the best it can be.
In closing, it has been my privilege to have served as the chair of this Task Force.
Bonnie Svrcek
Deputy City Manager
Lynchburg, Virginia
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R v Contents
1. In troduction 1
2. Managing the Or ganization during Recruitment 2
Major Decision Point: Appointing an Interim Administrator ........................ 2 Interim Management: The Governing Body’s Role ............................... 2
3. Initiating the R ecruitment 3
4. C onducting the Recruitment 4
In-House Expertise Method: Recruitments Conducted by the Local Government ......... 4 Outside Expertise Method: Recruitments Conducted with an Outside Party............. 4 Hybrid Method: In-House in Conjunction with Outside Party ....................... 5
5. K ey Elements of the Recruitment Framework 6
Major Decision Point: Development of an Administrator Profile ..................... 6 Decision Point: Community Engagement in Administrator Profile.................... 6 Major Decision Point: Administrator Compensation Schedule....................... 7 Geographic Scope ...................................................... 7 Advertising and Outreach Strategies ......................................... 8
6. K ey Elements of the Application Process 10
The Application Form .................................................. 10 The Local Government Information Packet ................................... 10 Applicant Relations .................................................... 10
7. T he Role of the Media in the Recruitment Process 12
8. T he Selection Process 13
Reviewing the Applications .............................................. 13 Major Decision Point: Determining the Candidates to Be Interviewed ................ 13 Interviewing the Candidates.............................................. 14 Major Decision Point: Making the Final Selection .............................. 16
9. T he Negotiation Process 17
Preparation for Negotiation .............................................. 17 Major Decision Point: Negotiating Compensation............................... 17
10. The Transition Process 19
Announcing the Selection ............................................... 19 Additional Elements ................................................... 19
11. Conclusion 20
Appendix A. ICMA Code of Ethics with Guidelines 21
Appendix B. ICMA Guidelines for Compensation 25
Appendix C. Professional Organizations to Consider Posting Position Vacancy 27 Appendix D. Potential Interview Questions 33
Appendix E. Relations with Applicants—Do’s and Don’ts 35 Appendix F . ICMA Model Employment Agreement 36
Index 43
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 1
1. Introduction
“Thousands of decisions are made every day in cities, towns, and counties that determine our quality of life….
Professional managers craft the plans and make the decisions that transform good communities into great ones. —International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Selecting a chief administrator is perhaps the most important decision that elected local officials will make for their community.
T
his guidebook was created by experienced, seasoned
local government managers. It is designed to help
elected officials, human resource professionals, local
government staff, and professional executive search
firms navigate the recruitment, selection, and negotia- tion processes to find the individual who is best suited to serve as the chief administrator. The chief administra- tor is like an orchestra conductor, directing and manag- ing a team of professional, administrative, and field staff while interpreting and working toward the goals and
objectives of the community’s elected officials.
This guidebook offers best practices that will be
most meaningful to you and your community in select-
ing a chief administrator. Because all communities,
governing bodies, and chief administrators are not
the same, this is not a “one size fits all” guidebook.
Nevertheless, the local government managers who cre-
ated this document are firmly committed to the ICMA
Code of Ethics, which is a non-negotiable foundation
for professional local government management, and
strongly recommends that the hiring governing body
use the Code of Ethics as a tool in its search for a
professional local government manager. Herein, we
explain recruitment choices and the selection pro-
cesses to fit the unique size, culture, and dynamics of an individual community. Topics include provisions for
interim management; the spectrum of resources avail-
able to assist in the recruiting process; applications, communications with applicants, and interviews;
compensation; and transition. The appendices provide
the ICMA Code of Ethics, ICMA Compensation Guide-
lines, a directory of professional organizations that
are likely places advertise for a chief administrator,
potential interview questions, the do’s and don’ts of
applicant relations, and the ICMA Model Employment
Agreement. Using this guidebook can make recruit-
ing and selecting a new chief administrator a positive, enjoyable, and unifying experience for you and your
colleagues as elected officials.
As you use this resource, you will see highlighted
in the margins important points for selecting the best
individual for the position.
When faced with an upcoming or immediate
vacancy in the chief administrator position, the
governing body must quickly address the following
questions:
■ What should we do to ensure that the affairs of
the local government are properly administered
until a new chief administrator is selected and on
board?
■ How do we conduct a recruitment to fill the
vacancy?
The following material provides tips and guide-
lines on the processes that the governing body needs
to employ to successfully answer these questions. It
identifies and discusses the key elements of man-
aging the organization between the time that one
chief administrator departs and another arrives, as
well as the major decision points in conducting the
recruitment, selection, and negotiation processes for
appointing the new chief administrator.
Professional local government managers are
committed to
■ Serving as stewards of representative democracy
■ Practicing the highest standards of honesty and integrity in local governance, as expressed through ICMA’s Code of Ethics ■ Building sustainable communities as a core responsibility ■ Networking and exchanging knowledge and skills across inter- national boundaries
■ Lifelong learning and professional development
■ Financial integrity and responsibility for management of the community
■ Implementing best management practices.
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2. Managing the Organization during Recruitment
T
he governing body must act thoughtfully and
deliberately in determining how to ensure that
the operations of the local government are properly
managed during the period before a permanent chief
administrator is selected and on the job. When faced
with a vacancy in the chief administrator position, the governing body needs time to carefully consider the
qualities, expertise, and experience it hopes to find
in a new administrator and to use the agreed-upon
criteria to develop the administrator profile. It then
needs sufficient time to recruit and select the best pos- sible successor who meets these criteria. While that is happening, however, it is important that the governing
body identify a professional who will act as the chief
administrator and properly manage local government
operations while the recruitment process is underway.
Major Decision Point: Appointing an
Interim Administrator
If the vacancy is the result of a planned retirement,
the governing body may consider asking the current
administrator to continue leading the organization for
a short period of time on a contract basis. Alterna-
tively, the governing body may elect to consult with
the outgoing administrator regarding possible staff
members who could fill this role.
In some cases, the members of the governing
body may agree that they have confidence in a spe-
cific staff person. If there is an assistant administra- tor, for example, the governing body may appoint
that person as interim administrator. If this assistant will be considered for the permanent position, the
appointment as interim administrator will provide
the elected officials with an opportunity to observe
firsthand how the assistant handles the job. Another
option is to appoint an assistant or department direc-
tor (who will not be a candidate for the position);
someone who is mature, seasoned, competent and
respected by fellow employees.
Should the governing body determine that there
is no one on staff who it can or wants to appoint as
the interim administrator, it may decide to retain the
services of a retired administrator or an administra-
tor who is between jobs. State associations, munici-
pal leagues, or ICMA Range Riders are resources for
identifying potential interim administrators.
The governing body should publicly announce
the appointment of the interim chief administrator.
Regardless of who is appointed, it should be made
clear to all local government officials and staff that the interim chief administrator is responsible for imple-
menting governing body policy and overseeing opera-
tions. It should also be made clear that if the interim administrator is ultimately selected to fill the position permanently, it will be because that person has proven
to be the best among all the applicants.
Interim Management: The Governing
Body’s Role
Obviously, the local government must continue to
operate during the interim between the departure of the current chief administrator and the appointment of the
new one. The governing body and interim management
team should do whatever is necessary to make sure
that important projects and service delivery continue
to move forward. It is important to reiterate that the
governing body has the responsibility to make it clear
to the staff and community that the interim administra- tor is in charge of the organization’s operations.
The governing body should consider deferring new
initiatives, when possible, until the new administrator is appointed and on the job. After all, to ensure effec- tive administrative leadership in the future, it is desir- able that the new administrator be involved in as many
policy decisions as possible. Just filling a vacant depart- ment director position, for example, is an opportunity
for the new administrator to begin building an admin-
istrative team. In fact, such an opportunity can be used to pique the interest of potential applicants during the recruitment process.
Although it is not desirable for the governing body
to immerse itself in the administrative affairs of the local government, its members should be briefed about cur-
rent organizational problems and the status of impor-
tant projects before the current administrator leaves, if possible. In this way, the governing body may monitor
progress on important matters, provide direction, and set priorities for the person selected as interim administrator.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 3 T
he governing body should initiate the recruitment
process immediately after the official decision
has been made regarding resignation, retirement, or
termination. Failure to do so can potentially generate
rumors within the community by various interested
parties who may attempt to exert pressure on mem-
bers to quickly fill the vacancy. The members of the
governing body must bear in mind that an impulsive
response to this pressure can be divisive for them and
can damage their credibility. They must take charge of
the recruitment: they must determine the process that
will be used to recruit and select the best administra- tor, and make that decision clear to all concerned.
There may be a number of special circumstances
that influence the approach and timing used to recruit
a new chief administrator. The following examples
provide some tips for addressing those circumstances:
■ Vacancy due to the chief administrator’s termina-
tion or resignation under pressure. If the position is
vacant because the former administrator was termi-
nated or forced to resign, neither the local govern-
ment nor the former administrator will benefit from
a public quarrel. It is far better for all concerned to mutually decide on a timetable for the administra-
tor’s departure. If this departure is handled profes-
sionally and in a mutually respectful manner, there
is less likelihood for controversy and ill will to arise around the issues of the separation. Further, and from
a recruiting standpoint, handling a difficult situation well will enhance the local government’s image and
thus its ability to attract quality applicants.
■ Vacancy occurring prior to an election. Occa-
sionally, a governing body will delay initiating
the recruitment process because an election is
pending. But even in the face of an election, it
should prepare for the process by developing the
administrator profile (described in full later in this
document) and determining how the recruitment
will be conducted so as to reduce the time lapse
between the departure of one administrator and
arrival of another.
■ Vacancies due to newly adopted council-manager
form of government. If the position is vacant
because voters either just approved the formation of
or adopted a change to the council-manager form of
government, the beginning of the search for a new
chief administrator will depend on when the change
becomes effective. Depending on the circumstances,
it may be possible to have applications on file by
the time the new members of the governing body
are sworn in. In any case, the recruitment process
should be initiated as soon as possible.
3. Initiating the Recruitment
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4 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R
4. Conducting the Recruitment
T
here are several major elements and decision
points in the recruitment process. This section
of the handbook provides tips and guidelines for the
governing body in determining the approach to use in
this part of the process.
The governing body has three major choices for
conducting the recruitment. It can:
■ Conduct the recruitment in-house
■ Retain an outside party to conduct the recruitment
■ Use a hybrid approach and conduct the recruit-
ment in conjunction with an outside party.
In-House Expertise Method: Recruitments
Conducted by the Local Government
If the governing body chooses to conduct the recruit-
ment in-house, it should be with the understanding
that the task will be time-consuming and complex.
The governing body may also have to decide whether
to conduct the process as a body, delegate the respon-
sibility to the chairperson, or assign the task to a
committee of its members. If it elects to delegate the
responsibility to one or more of its members, it must
be sure to select people who are well respected and
have the time to provide the necessary leadership and
follow-through.
To provide support in the process, the governing
body should seek the assistance of the local gov-
ernment’s human resources officer and municipal
attorney. In conducting the recruitment in-house,
staff can work with the governing body to develop
the administrator profile and design an effective and
legal recruitment and selection process. Staff can also be responsible for the administrative tasks of placing
advertisements, collecting résumés, and scheduling
interviews. However, the governing body or its del-
egated members will approve the selection of the final
candidates and conduct the interviews, and, of course,
the body as a whole will make the final selection. In
this scenario, staff serve as a resource throughout the entire recruitment process.
Outside Expertise Method: Recruitments
Conducted with an Outside Party
The governing body can retain an outside party to
conduct the recruitment. In some cases the interim
or a retired administrator may be asked to coordinate
the recruitment process. More often, however, the
governing body will contract with a firm that special-
izes in providing executive search assistance.
When using an executive search firm, the gov-
erning body plays an active role in the process. It
develops the administrator profile, approves the
selection of the applicants, interviews the candidates, and, of course, makes the final selection. The benefit
of using an executive search firm is the expertise that the firm brings to the process and its ability to coor- dinate the recruitment.
Typically the executive search firm begins by
meeting with the elected officials either individually
or as a group to help them develop the administrator
profile. It is the firm’s responsibility to facilitate these discussions and help the governing body reach a con-
sensus. After this matter has been settled, the firm
coordinates the overall process and assumes respon-
sibility for all tasks until it is time for the elected body to select and interview candidates. During this
process, the firm updates the governing body, keep-
ing the members informed of its progress. As the firm
will be responsible for all the administrative details, the role of the staff is usually limited to providing
information about the local government and coordi-
nating with the firm.
Governing bodies that use an outside service
should ensure that a reputable firm, one familiar
with the special requirements of local government
management, is selected. The experience of the firm
should be checked through contact with references—
in particular, representatives of local governments
that have used its services. Further, the governing
body should be fully aware of the costs and benefits
when deciding whether to use outside expertise.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 5 Hybrid Method: In-House in Conjunction
with Outside Party
In the third alternative, the governing body can con-
duct the recruitment in-house and supplement the
process, where necessary, with assistance from an
executive search firm or another outside source, such
as an the ICMA Range Rider.
In some cases, the governing body may seek
assistance at the beginning of the process to facilitate the discussion, develop the administrator profile, and
determine the structure of the recruitment process.
In other cases, local government officials may initiate the process in-house by developing the profile and
advertising for the vacancy, and they may then use
an outside source to help review résumés, conduct
reference checks, and structure the interview pro-
cess. This alternative may be most appropriate if
cost is a concern; however, because it also presents
opportunities for lapses in communication, the exact
responsibilities of each party must be clarified in a
written agreement.
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6 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R
5. Key Elements of the Recruitment Framework
R
egardless of the method chosen for conducting the
recruitment, the governing body must develop a
framework for the recruitment process. It must agree
at the outset on a number of key issues critical to the success of the recruitment, including criteria for the
administrator profile, compensation range and compo-
nents, and timing and geographic scope of the search.
Major Decision Point: Development of an
Administrator Profile
The most significant decision point for the governing
body in the recruitment of a new administrator is to
define what the members are looking for—that is, to cre- ate the administrator profile. The profile will encompass those qualities, characteristics, experience, and areas of expertise that would be found in an ideal candidate. Only by considering how applicants compare and measure
against one another and, of course, against the estab-
lished criteria, can the governing body be sure that the candidate it appoints has the appropriate combination of work experience, management experience, and leader-
ship style to be successful in the position.
The governing body should begin with a survey
of its needs and those of the organization. To deter-
mine the needs of the organization, the governing
body should invite input from the department direc-
tors. Items to be considered include size of the local
government, composition of the community, services
provided, and overall objectives and priorities of the
governing body. The work experience, skills, and
expertise of the candidates must relate to these factors.
The governing body should also consider both the
“nuts-and-bolts” skills and abilities, such as budget-
ing, human resources, and technological know-how,
and the “soft” skills, such as the ability to work with people and to lead an organization. These criteria will form the basis for reviewing résumés, selecting final-
ists, and making a hiring decision.
Unless the governing body can come to consen-
sus on these criteria, it may be difficult to find the
right candidate. By reaching consensus, however,
the governing body will be better able to inform
the applicants on what it is looking for in a chief
administrator.
Developing the administrator profile helps the
governing body define its needs and establishes the
groundwork for generating a rich pool of applicants
with the skills and abilities to address the needs of the governing body, the community, and the organization.
Decision Point: Community Engagement in
Administrator Profile
The governing body must decide whether to engage
community members or committees in the recruit-
ment process. In most cases, the local government
assumes responsibility for the recruitment and
conducts the process without involving members of
the community.
In some cases, however, a governing body may
seek input from community members or committees
when developing the administrator profile. This not
only allows the community to be part of the process
but also may provide the governing body with a bet-
ter understanding of the role of the administrator.
Depending on the method that the governing body
uses to conduct the recruitment, gathering input from
the community would be facilitated by staff, the out-
side recruiter, or the elected officials.
Although community input will be valuable,
the governing body will ultimately determine the
qualities and experiences to be incorporated into the
administrator profile, and this should be clearly com-
municated to the community. It is, after all, to the
governing body that the new administrator will be
directly reporting.
The ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program recognizes
professional local government managers qualified by
a combination of education and experience,
adherence to high standards of integrity, and an
assessed commitment to lifelong learning and
professional development. For more information, visit
www.icma.org/en/icma/members/credentialing.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 7 Major Decision Point: Administrator
Compensation
Another critical element to be considered at the outset of the recruitment process is administrator compensa-
tion. It is important for the local government to have
some general understanding of the acceptable salary
range, but it is also important to have some flexibility.
Some local governments identify a range; others pro-
vide the salary of the current administrator as an indi- cator; and still others may leave the salary open, to be commensurate with the new hire’s background and
experience. The governing body will also determine
other components of the administrator’s compensa-
tion, such as deferred compensation, vacation accrual,
and professional development allowances.
It is important for the governing body to make
clear that it wants the best administrator it can find. In general, potential applicants for the position will want to have some indication of the salary range and com-
pensation package. But that will be only one of many
factors that they will use in deciding whether to apply.
ICMA has developed compensation guidelines for
negotiating salary and benefits for local government
positions. These guidelines are provided in Appendix
B and are also available online at www.icma.org/
compensationguidelines. The actual compensation
package will be negotiated with the final candidate at
the conclusion of the recruitment process.
Schedule
Since top candidates often view applying for a new
job as a major career decision, it is important that they have adequate time to consider the opportunity, dis-
cuss it with their families, and prepare an appropriate résumé. Similarly, the governing body, staff, or execu- tive recruitment firm needs sufficient time to review
résumés and conduct reference checks to ensure that
good candidates are not overlooked and that finalists
meet the desired qualifications. It cannot be overem-
phasized that the recruitment should move forward
expeditiously while also allowing adequate time for a
thorough and comprehensive search.
The timing of the recruitment can sometimes be
affected by publication deadlines, which are impor-
tant in terms of properly advertising the vacant posi-
tion. An ideal timetable would provide at least sixty
days from the start of the recruitment to the deadline
for submitting résumés; thirty days to review résu-
més, conduct background checks, interview candi-
dates, and make a final selection; and at least thirty
days for the new administrator to relocate. To maxi-
mize flexibility in the process, the governing body
may advertise the position with an “open until filled”
statement.
Profile: Impact of Special Circumstances:
As the governing body decides on the criteria for the administrator profile, three types of situations should receive special consideration:
1. A loc
al government that has just changed its form of govern- ment will ordinarily need an administrator who can inspire local government officials with the enthusiasm needed to implement the new structure. A first administrator in a new structure should be adept at public relations and at establishing relation- ships with incumbent officials and employees.
2. W
hen an administrator has been dismissed or has resigned under pressure, the governing body tends to look for strengths in areas in which the outgoing administrator showed weak - nesses. There are dangers, however, in overcompensating for qualities that have led to dissatisfaction. If the outgoing administrator gave too much freedom to subordinates, for example, suddenly changing to a strong disciplinarian might result in antagonisms that would only lead to further prob- lems. Sometimes a new administrator will be confronted with major problems that must be addressed immediately. If such a situation is anticipated, the governing body should make these circumstances known to any applicant who is being seriously considered.
3. W
hen a popular administrator retires or moves to another local government, the governing body may ask for this person’s assistance in the search for a successor. However, the gov - erning body should not overlook the possible need for new strengths or different qualities.
Governing bodies need to be very alert to the dangers of either hiring a clone of the outgoing administrator, assuming that person is leaving on good terms, or a polar opposite, assuming that person is leaving on less than good terms. The importance of evaluating the current needs of the governing body and locality cannot be overstated.
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8 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R Geographic Scope
Another factor to consider in determining the recruit-
ment framework is the geographic scope: should the
search be nationwide, statewide, or regional? A broad
geographic search may attract more applicants who
have demonstrated an ability to manage in a complex
urban environment. On the other hand, a focus on
the local government’s state or region may provide
applicants who have a better understanding of and
orientation to local problems, legal issues, financing
alternatives, and similar matters. In any event, the
new administrator will provide a fresh perspective on
the issues and challenges facing the community and
the organization.
From the applicant’s perspective, it is assumed that
the local government is looking for the best candidate
and that all résumés, regardless of where the applicant currently works, will be reviewed carefully. The deter- mination of the scope of the recruitment will influence the advertising and outreach strategies used.
Advertising and Outreach Strategies
In order to generate a sufficient and diverse pool
of qualified applicants, the governing body should
develop advertising and outreach strategies.
Advertising Campaign
It is to the adv
antage of the
local government to ensure that every professional
who might have an interest in the vacant position is
aware of the opportunity to apply for it. Therefore, it is important that the advertising campaign be compre-
hensive and include a carefully worded advertisement.
This does not mean, however, that the campaign has
to be extensive or expensive. Most local governments,
for example, avoid advertising for an administrator
in general circulation newspapers unless there is a
local requirement to the contrary; this is an expensive form of advertising that does not reach the targeted
audience.
More effective vehicles for advertising for chief
administrators can be found with organizations that
are directly related to local government. In addition to ICMA, the following sources should be considered:
■ National League of Cities
■ National Association of Counties
■ National Association of County Administrators
■ National Forum for Black Public Administrators
■ International Hispanic Network
■ American Society for Public Administration.
Resources at the state level include state munici-
pal leagues, county associations, and municipal
assistants organizations. Many of these organiza-
tions publish newsletters or magazines and have a
online presence; the subscribers to these resources
are the men and women in the public administra-
tion and local government management professions.
Addresses and websites for these resources are listed
in Appendix C.
Local governments have some flexibility when pre-
paring and placing advertisements, but at a minimum,
the advertisement should include the following:
■ Title of the vacant position
■ Name of the local government
■ Population of the local government
■ Amounts of the operating and capital budgets
■ Number of full-time employees
■ Services provided
■ Statement regarding the compensation package
■ Filing deadline, including any special items of
information desired such as current salary and
work-related references
■ A brief description of key areas of interest and
desirable experience and qualifications (or a refer-
ence or email link to the administrator profile)
■ Indication of whether residency is required
■ A timetable indicating the principal steps and time-
frame for the overall recruitment
■ Where and to whom to send résumés with a nota-
tion as to whether email submittals are acceptable
or required
■ Website of the local government.
It should be noted that some publications per-
mit the use of display ads that incorporate the local
government logo and/or graphics within an innovative
format.
In addition to the advertisement, the governing
body, through the staff or the executive recruiter, will usually develop a printed brochure that describes the
community, the organization, and the position, as well
as providing the administrator profile and the govern-
ing body’s key goals and objectives.
Outreach Strategy
While adv
ertising can gener-
ate outstanding applicants and the local govern-
ment should look closely at all received résumés, the
governing body should supplement the advertising
campaign by identifying an outreach strategy to ensure
that the search extends to the widest possible pool of
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 9 qualified applicants. The outreach strategy may have
a number of approaches for attracting external can-
didates, encouraging superior internal candidates to
apply, and promoting diversity in the applicant pool.
For External Applicants
Useful sour
ces of informa-
tion about potential external candidates include the
current administrator, former and retired administra-
tors, members of the local government, local govern-
ment officials in adjacent communities, executive
directors of state leagues, directors of university public administration programs, leaders of regional municipal
assistants, and ICMA Range Riders.
When determining an outreach strategy, the gov-
erning body, in conjunction with staff or the recruiter, could consider sending letters to identified individu-
als advising them of the opening and inviting them to
send a résumé if they are interested in the position.
The correspondence should include a basic package
of information describing the local government and
the vacant position. For the purposes of confidential-
ity, all correspondence should either be sent to the
applicant’s private residence or marked “Personal and
Confidential” if sent to the workplace.
Shortly after the letter has been mailed, a follow-
up telephone call should be made to confirm that the
correspondence was received, assure the recipient that
it was not a form letter, indicate why the position may be a good career opportunity, and answer questions.
The same deadline for submitting résumés should be
used in both the advertisements and the supplemental
letters of invitation.
For Internal Applicants
The local go
vernment
should be sure to inform its employees of the vacancy
and of how and when to apply. The governing body
itself may directly invite one or more employees, such
as the assistant city administrator or a department
director, to submit a résumé, or it may do so indirectly through staff or the executive recruiter. Whether in-
house applicants are solicited or apply on their own, it is important that they be treated in the same manner
as other applicants.
It should be made clear that if an in-house appli-
cant is ultimately selected, it is because the governing body has determined that the candidate was the best
choice of all those who applied. While most applicants
will receive written notification of their status, the
governing body may decide to talk personally with
any in-house applicant who was not selected in order
to provide good communication with staff, main-
tain morale, and help ensure an orderly and positive
transition.
For Diversity of Applicants
De
velopment of a
strategy to generate a diverse applicant pool helps
to ensure a broad cross-section of candidates. A rich
pool with applicants of both sexes and from different
races and ethnic backgrounds is beneficial because the
chosen candidate will likely bring a different per-
spective to the organization. Having diversity within
a local government can enhance the organization’s
overall responsiveness to an increasingly more diverse
spectrum of residents, improve its relations with sur-
rounding communities, increase its ability to manage
change, and expand its creativity.
In addition, the governing body may develop an
outreach strategy to encourage the participation of
applicants from diverse professional backgrounds.
Organizations large and small use executive members
of their staff on various levels, and there is often a
significant wealth of knowledge to be found among
candidates who have had successful careers as assis-
tant city administrators, as department heads, and in
other management positions.
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10 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R
6. Key Elements of the Application Process
T
he application process is the point where effective
screening of candidates begins. For this part of
the recruitment to be successful, the governing body
must proceed carefully and with considerable thought.
This section addresses issues such as whether to use a
standardized application form; how to provide poten-
tial applicants with key information about the posi-
tion and the local government; and the importance
of establishing and maintaining good relations with
applicants. High-quality applicants are more likely
to pursue the vacancy if the local government can
portray itself as a well-run, organized, and efficient
organization.
The Application Form
Most local governments prefer to ask applicants to
submit a résumé in whatever format the applicant
determines will be most effective, rather than a
standardized application form. For the applicant, this
approach provides flexibility to present past work
experience in a way that relates directly to the posi-
tion in question. At the same time, it permits the local government to see how the applicant organizes and
presents material in a written format. The manner in
which materials are prepared can be an indication of
real interest in the position.
A standardized application form is not recom-
mended in recruitments for the governing body’s top
administrative professional. If one is used, however,
it should be easy to complete, and the information
requested should be relevant to the vacant position.
Regardless of the form of application, the applicant
should be required to submit a cover letter and résumé.
The Local Government Information Packet
Serious applicants will not submit a résumé for con-
sideration until they have done their homework and
have satisfied themselves that the position represents
a good career opportunity. Often they will seek infor-
mation from local government officials about the com-
munity, the organization, and the position.
This is one of the first contacts that will form an
impression of the local government on the poten-
tial applicant. If the impression created is that the
recruitment is well organized, that the local govern-
ment officials know what they are looking for and are
consistent in the message, and that sufficient infor-
mation about the locality is easily obtained, potential applicants are more likely to form a positive image
of the position and the governing body in deciding
whether to apply.
To help disseminate the same information to all
applicants, the governing body could put together a
packet of information that includes:
1. A cop
y of the outreach brochure or other docu-
ments that provide the criteria for the position,
indicating key objectives and priorities and the
administrator profile
2. Or
dinance or charter requirements if they contain
significant or unusual provisions regarding the
position
3. Summary information about the local go
vernment,
including organizational structure, personnel prac-
tices, number of employees, services provided, and
budget data
4. Information about the community in the form of a
chamber of commer
ce brochure or similar publica-
tion, if such is attractively prepared and available
5. W
ebsites that contain information on the local
government and community
6. The name , phone number, and e-mail address of a
contact person.
Applicant Relations
Appendix E in this handbook provides some basic
do’s and don’ts regarding applicant relations and
the recruitment process. The two key areas that are
important to stress are candidate status notification
and confidentiality.
Two critical elements of applicant relations
are important to stress: keeping the candidates
informed of the status of the process and
maintaining confidentiality.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 11 Candidate Status Notification As a rule , it is
important to engage in the simple and courteous steps
of acknowledging résumés as they are received and
of notifying applicants of their status as the recruit- ment proceeds. Prompt acknowledgment of résumés
is one indication that the process is being handled in
a businesslike manner, and it can add to the appli-
cant’s positive impression of the organization. This
acknowledgment also should inform the applicant of
the recruitment timetable. Unless there are unusual
or unanticipated delays, this response should be suf-
ficient until applicants are actually notified as to their final status. To maintain confidentiality, all correspon- dence should be directed to the applicant’s home, not
business address.
Additionally, if special circumstances arise (such as
a recall election) that might cause a delay in either the recruitment or the selection process, it is important to communicate any changes in the established schedule
to all applicants.
Similarly, notifying all applicants as to their status, even if they are not selected as finalists, is a basic
courtesy that will affect how the candidate views the
local government.
Maintaining Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an
important consider
ation in any recruitment. Present
job security and long-term career opportunities could
be jeopardized if an applicant’s interest in another
position is made public prematurely. While applicants
realize that the local government will want to contact
their current employers to conduct background checks
and assess their job performance, they typically prefer to wait until it is clear that they are going to be con- sidered as finalists who will be invited to the second
interviews for the position.
The governing body should determine, at the out-
set, the extent to which the recruitment process will
be confidential. The governing body, in consultation
with the local government’s attorney, should decide
the level of confidentiality due to the varying open
record and disclosure statutes between the states. If
applicants’ names are likely to be disclosed at any
point, potential applicants should be advised so that
they may take it into account in deciding whether to
pursue the vacancy.
From a recruiting standpoint, assurance of con-
fidentiality will result in more applications being
submitted, particularly from those who are currently
employed elsewhere. As confidentiality is important to
both parties, such assurances should be honored, and
applicants should be given adequate time to notify
their current employers before those employers are
contacted by the recruiting local government.
There is no faster way to damage the image of the local government and to lose good applicants than to violate the trust or assurance that was given regarding confidentiality.
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12 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R
7. The Role of the Media in the Recruitment Process
M
embers of the media will obviously have an inter-
est in the recruitment process and their involve-
ment will be dictated in part by state law and in part by tradition. At the outset, local government officials should brief the media on the timing and steps involved in the overall process. After the deadline has passed for submit- ting résumés, the governing body may decide to brief the media and the community on the overall response.
As the confidentiality of résumés is a major con-
cern in any recruitment and can significantly affect the number and quality of résumés received, applicants
should be apprised of any applicable state laws in this area, and the governing body, with advice from the
local government’s attorney, should determine what
information will and will not be made available to the
media.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 13
8. The Selection Process
O
nce the deadline for submitting résumés has
passed and all applications have been received,
the selection process begins. Principal steps are as
follows:
■ Reviewing the applications
■ Determining which candidates will be interviewed
■ Interviewing the candidates
■ Making the final selection.
Reviewing the Applications
The selection process begins with a review of the
applications and résumés that have been submitted.
Depending on how the governing body has chosen to
conduct the recruitment, the participants involved in
this initial review may be the body as a whole, the chief elected officer, a subcommittee of the governing body,
the staff, or the executive recruitment firm. Alterna-
tively, some local governments have used a panel of
chief administrators from other local governments to
serve as a screening panel. Regardless of who performs
the screening, the objective of the initial review is to identify those candidates who best reflect the qualities, characteristics, experience, and areas of expertise that were defined in the administrator profile.
Major Decision Point: Determining the
Candidates to Be Interviewed
The determination of the candidates to be interviewed
is a significant decision point in the selection process.
The objective here is to narrow the total group of
applicants to a smaller group that will continue to the next step.
Initial Background Check
After the gr
oup of appli-
cants has been narrowed down to those who meet the
qualifications described in the administrator profile,
the list may be further refined by confirming educa-
tional credentials and conducting online checks. Such
reviews should not violate the confidentiality of the
applicant pool. For online checks, it is important to
consider the source and avoid drawing hasty conclu-
sions from these sources.
Selection of Candidates
After the r
eview of the
résumés and the initial background check, the par-
ticipants in this process should meet with the govern-
ing body as a whole to recommend which applicants
should be invited to an interview. The chosen group
of candidates should be large enough to expose the
governing body to an array of personalities. In most
cases, five to ten candidates should be selected. The
governing body may also establish a secondary list of
candidates who could be invited to the interview if
one or more of the first group of candidates decline or are unable to continue with the process.
Informing the Candidates
Once candidates ha
ve
been selected, the governing body representative, the
staff, or the executive recruiter should contact the
each candidate by phone and do the following:
1. Inform the candidate that he or she has been
selected to be intervie
wed and offer congratula-
tions (the candidate should be made to feel that
the governing body is pleased to have reviewed
his or her résumé). At the same time, confirm the
candidate’s continuing interest in the position.
2. A
dvise the candidate of: the nature of the interview
process, including date and time, number of other
candidates, whether there are any in-house candi-
dates, and when a decision is expected to be made.
Indicate that all the details and information will
be confirmed in a written correspondence. If email
is to be used for this correspondence, confirm the
candidate’s email address.
3. As described in the section on applicant r
elations,
the governing body should have already determined
the extent to which the recruitment process will be
confidential. At this point, the candidate should be
advised if the names of candidates are to be made
public and be given the opportunity to withdraw.
4. Confirm that the candidate has r
eceived the infor-
mation package provided during the application
process. Indicate that a supplemental package with
more detailed information will be provided directly
to the candidate’s home in advance of the inter-
view. The supplemental package may include:
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14 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R ■ A list of governing body members and their
occupations
■ Copies of meeting minutes from the past several
months
■ The general or comprehensive plan and land use
maps
■ The most recent budget
■ A recent bond prospectus
■ Any other material that would be of particular rel-
evance, given the goals and objectives of the local
government and the criteria for the position.
As an alternative to a paper package of informa-
tion, the candidates can be directed to the locality’s
website for such information.
5. Confirm local go
vernment policy on reimburse-
ment of expenses incurred in conjunction with
the interview. Many local governments reimburse
candidates for all out-of-pocket expenses, including
reasonable transportation, room, and board. (“Rea-
sonable” is intended to eliminate first-class airline
tickets, four-star hotels, and gourmet restaurants.)
Such reimbursement of expenses is another way
that the local government can demonstrate its interest
in the candidate. It reinforces the positive nature of
the recruitment process and is sometimes a factor in
whether the candidate is able to attend. Should there
be strong reluctance on the part of the governing body
to reimburse all expenses, the local government can
share expenses with the candidate or can agree to
reimburse all expenses incurred after the first trip.
The local government staff can offer to handle
all reservations, transportation, and related matters,
but this can be cumbersome and time-consuming. In
most cases, the local government confirms the time
and place and lets the candidate make his or her own
arrangements. The candidates usually prefer this
approach as well.
Interviewing the Candidates
Most local governments use the interview approach
for selecting the chief administrator. In this approach, the governing body will meet as a whole with each
individual candidate. As the initial interview is usually limited to an hour, a second interview with one or
more of the finalists is generally incorporated into the process.
Initial Interview
The follo
wing provides important
guidelines for conducting the initial interview.
Structure of the Interview
The intervie
w process
should be well organized in a comfortable setting for
both parties that invites open and relaxed discussions.
This element of the process is generally not considered a public meeting, although the governing body, staff,
or executive recruiter should consult with the city’s
legal advisor to ensure that all requisite notices are
sent and other legal requirements are met.
All members of the governing body should par-
ticipate in the interview with one member, usually
the chair, designated as the discussion leader. This
interview should last at least an hour as it is difficult to pursue a range of questions in less time. Further, all candidates anticipate and deserve an opportunity to
present their qualifications to the governing body and
describe their interest in the position. It is important to realize that the interview process not only provides the governing body with an opportunity to improve
its knowledge of the candidate but also influences the
candidate’s interest in the position.
As part of the initial interview, the governing body
may want to include a comprehensive tour of the com-
munity. A trusted senior staff person would be a likely tour guide.
Content of the Interview Questions
During the fir
st
interview, the governing body will question the candi-
date about a variety of matters, such as overall work
experience, specific accomplishments, career objectives, alternative approaches to practical problems faced by
the local government, and similar matters. A list of
potential questions is provided in Appendix D.
The interview also gives the candidate an oppor-
tunity to evaluate the governing body as a group and
to ask questions. An important issue to discuss during
the interview is the governing body’s working relation- ship with the administrator, clarifying all roles and
responsibilities.
During the formal and any informal meetings
between the governing body and the candidates,
discussions and questions should focus on the criteria
for the position that were established at the outset of the recruiting process. Obviously, discussions should
stay within acceptable legal parameters and should
not include references to politics, religion, age, racial origin, and sexual preferences.
When the initial interview process is over, the gov-
erning body should avoid impulsive action but rather
take whatever time is necessary to arrive at a comfort- able and well-reasoned decision. At this point, either
one person has emerged as the clear choice of the
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 15 governing body; or, more likely, the pool of candidates has been narrowed down to two or three individuals
that the governing body would like to further pur-
sue. In most cases, the process will involve a second
interview of this smaller group of finalists. However,
if there is one clear choice, please refer to the section entitled “Making the Final Selection.”
Second Interview
If, after the initial intervie
w, there
are two or three candidates that the governing body
would like to further consider, a couple of options
exist for setting up a second interview:
1. The go
verning body may invite the finalists back
for a second, more in-depth interview, coupled
perhaps with some sort of community function.
This arrangement often provides the governing
body with the insight needed to make a final
decision.
2. The go
verning body may invite the finalists back
for a second, more in-depth interview, coupled
with an opportunity for community leaders and/or
staff to provide input into the selection of the chief
administrator.
In either case, finalists should be notified of their
status, congratulated for being among the select few
who will be further considered, informed of the pro-
cess, and asked for permission for the governing body
to conduct reference checks.
Reference Checks
As the go
verning body is now
deciding between two or three qualified candidates, it
is important at this point to conduct reference checks
that provide additional information on which to base
the decision. References should be checked to learn
about each finalist’s ability to work effectively with
people, to develop a more complete understanding of
the finalist’s work experience and specific accomplish- ments, and to see if the finalist’s qualifications match the profile for the position. The following suggestions are important for ensuring consistency and thorough-
ness when conducting reference checks:
■ The reference checks may be performed by mem-
bers of the governing body, staff, or executive
recruitment firm. In general, however, it is advis-
able to limit the number of people performing the
checks to one or two. It may be difficult, depend-
ing on the number of candidates, to have one
person perform all the reference checks, especially
if there are three references for each candidate.
Further, it can be helpful if two people compare
notes on the same candidates.
■ Be consistent in discussing issues with and asking
questions of each candidate in order to provide a
good basis for comparison.
■ Contact enough people to ensure a consistent read-
ing as to the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.
If a reference can say only good things about the
candidate, he or she should be asked directly what
weaknesses the candidate has.
Decision Point: Inviting the Candidate’s Spouse/
Partner
While the focus of the r
ecruitment is on the
chief administrator, the governing body may formally
invite the candidate’s spouse/partner to the com-
munity during the interview process. Generally, this
type of invitation occurs only after the first interview process has narrowed the group of candidates down to
the top two or three. The spouse/partner should never
be included in the formal interview process, nor made
to feel as if he or she is being interrogated in any way.
If the governing body formally invites the spouse/
partner to accompany the candidate, it is important
that this part of the process be as well organized as
all the other parts that concern the candidate directly.
Here, too, an important impression about the commu-
nity is being made. The interests of the spouse/partner should be carefully determined and accommodated.
On the other hand, the governing body may use an
informal, non-structured approach to the involvement
of the spouse/partner. Understanding that a candidate
may bring his or her spouse/partner along to explore
the community as a possible future home, the govern-
ing body may consider having a packet of relevant
community information available.
Decision Point: Community Involvement
The go
v-
erning body must decide whether to involve commu-
nity members or committees in the interview process.
In most cases, the local government assumes respon-
sibility for the interviews and conducts the process
of selecting the new chief administrator without the
involvement of members of the community.
In some cases, however, governing bodies have
chosen to supplement the usual discussion between
members and finalists by inviting community
leaders to participate. For example, finalists may
meet with selected community leaders to answer
questions and receive their input on matters they
consider important to the local government. If this
option is taken, the purpose of the meeting should
be made clear to all involved. Both the finalist and
the community members should know whether
these meetings are intended simply to provide the
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16 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R finalist with additional information on the local
government or whether the community group will
also be involved in the actual selection process. In
the latter case, although the input from the commu-
nity will be valuable, it should be made clear that
the governing body will make the final selection
based upon a variety of factors.
Decision Point: Staff Involvement
The go
verning
body must also decide whether to involve staff mem-
bers in the interview process. It may choose to supple- ment the usual discussion between members and
finalists by inviting staff members to participate. For example, finalists may meet with selected department
directors to answer questions and review departmental
operations in more detail.
If this option is taken, its purpose should be made
clear to all involved. Both the finalist and the staff
members should know whether these meetings are
intended simply to provide the finalist with additional information on the local government or whether the
group will also be involved in the selection process. In the latter case, although the input from the staff will be valuable, it should be made clear that the govern-
ing body will make the final selection based upon a
variety of factors.
Major Decision Point: Making the Final
Selection
After the second interviews, there should be one
person who is the clear first choice of the majority, if not all, of the governing body. It is important to both the governing body and the potential new hire that
the decision be unanimous, if possible. A unanimous
vote from the governing body demonstrates a commit-
ment of support to the new chief administrator and
sends a positive message to both the organization and
the community. If the governing body is divided on
the appointment and the decision is not unanimous,
however, the chosen finalist should be advised of this
prior to accepting the position.
Once the selection has been made, the governing
body, staff, or executive recruiter should contact the
finalist, confirm his or her willingness to accept the
position, and obtain permission to conduct a very
thorough background check, which will be performed
by an outside party. This process includes interviews
with individuals in the candidate’s current commu-
nity, an investigation into possible criminal history,
and a credit check, which requires the candidate’s
consent.
Another element of this final selection process may
include some or all of the members of the governing
body making an on-site visit to the finalist’s current
community. Often finalists insist that an agreement
regarding terms and conditions of employment be
agreed upon before being open to a site visit.
Once the governing body is satisfied with the
results of that process, it may inform the finalist and move ahead to put together a total compensation
package and discuss other related arrangements. How-
ever, if the governing body is unable to satisfactorily conclude negotiations with its first choice, it may need to engage in discussions with one of the other final-
ists. Thus, it should refrain from notifying the other
finalists until all arrangements have been finalized
with the first-choice candidate.
From a public image standpoint, it is impera-
tive that all candidates learn about the final selec-
tion from the governing body or its representative,
as opposed to hearing about it from a third party or
reading about it online or in a newsletter or profes-
sional publication. A representative from the govern-
ing body, staff, or executive recruitment firm should
personally contact the runners-up prior to or at the
same time that a news release about the appointment
is issued.
It is important that the vote for the new chief
administrator be unanimous, if possible. This
sends a positive message to the organization
and the community.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 17
1. Ultimately , what salary will be acceptable to the
governing body?
2. What is the bar
gaining range?
3. What is the curr
ent salary of the applicant?
4. What type of salary and total compensation
package did the candidate discuss during the
interview?
ICMA, the National Association of Counties,
and state leagues of cities and counties are sources
of information on the salaries of local government
administrators around the country. Prior to initiating
negotiations, the governing body should compare its
salary range with that of other governing bodies in
same region of the country.
Elements of Total Compensation
Elements of a
total compensation pack
age typically include:
■ Base salary
■ Deferred compensation
■ Severance pay
■ Use of government car or car allowance
■ Use of technology or technology allowance
■ Retirement plan
■ Medical and other insurance (dental, optical, life,
disability)
■ Vacation accrual
■ Holidays
■ Sick leave accrual
■ Membership dues, conference, and professional
development attendance fees.
9. The Negotiation Process
O
nce the local government has made its decision
and the finalist has indicated a willingness to
serve as the chief administrator, a number of final
arrangements must be completed. These include
negotiating a compensation package and completing
transition activities. Only after these arrangements are concluded can the new chief administrator relocate
and begin work for the community.
Preparation for Negotiation
The governing body needs to ensure that relations
with the new administrator get off to a good start. At
this point, nothing should happen that causes the new
administrator to reconsider.
It is important that the governing body identify a
single individual to act as the negotiator for the local gov- ernment. Depending on the approach that the governing
body has selected, the negotiator may be a member of
the governing body; a member of the staff, such as the
interim chief administrator or the municipal attorney;
or the executive recruiter. The following are important guidelines regarding the structure of the negotiations:
1. The atmospher
e should be friendly and relaxed.
2. The negotiator should be fle
xible. Negotiating
implies a willingness to consider options and
alternatives in pursuit of an acceptable package.
There may well be more than one way to meet the
financial objectives of the new administrator.
3. The go
verning body should be realistic. No mat-
ter how beautiful and desirable the community or
position may be, the finalist is unlikely to accept
the new position without an increase in pay over
his or her present salary.
Major Decision Point: Negotiating
Compensation
In compensation negotiations, base salary is a good
place to start. The ICMA Compensation Guidelines,
which are provided in Appendix B, are a good source
of information to help with this part of the process.
The person conducting the negotiation on behalf of
the local government should keep the following
questions in mind:
The governing body should rely on a single individual
to handle its part of the negotiation process.
The process should be friendly and
relaxed; the negotiator should be flexible;
and the governing body should be realistic in
its guidelines to the negotiator.
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18 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R Before the negotiation begins, the governing
body should ask the candidate to provide a written
itemization of his or her current total compensation.
After receiving this information, the person negotiat-
ing on behalf of the governing body should outline
a proposed package and provide it to the candidate.
Usually there will be no negotiation on those benefits
that are similar among local governments, such as
medical insurance and holidays. The variables most
often relate to base salary and particular financial
objectives, such as deferred compensation, health
insurance, and requirements to join a state retirement
system.
The proposed compensation package should
(1) leave the individual whole on basic benefits,
(2) provide an appropriate step forward in cash-related benefits, (3) ensure an increase in take-home pay, and
(4) deal with any particular financial objectives that
the new administrator may have.
Noncompensation Elements
During the negotia
-
tions, some issues will arise that do not relate to the total compensation package but may well have signifi-
cant financial implications for both the local govern-
ment and the new administrator. Both parties need to
be flexible and realistic in dealing with these issues:
■ Relocation expenses: It is common for local
governments to pay the one-time cost of relocating
the administrator and his or her family and house-
hold furnishings to the new local government.
Sometimes both parties agree on a “not-to-exceed”
figure based on estimates from moving companies.
■ Temporary housing: An allowance for temporary
housing is usually provided until the new adminis-
trator is able to sell his or her former home and/or
relocate his or her family. Typically, this amount is
sufficient to cover the cost of a modern furnished
apartment or condominium. Again, both parties
may agree to a fixed time period or amount.
■ Commuting expenses: As with temporary hous-
ing, the local government often will agree to reim-
burse the administrator for periodic family visits or
for the spouse/partner to visit for house-hunting
purposes.
■ Housing assistance: Regional variations in the cost
of housing or housing financing can complicate
the negotiations. There is considerable precedent
for local governments—using appropriate safe-
guards and limits—to assist in the purchase and/or
financing of housing for the new administrator. A
variety of options exist, including a loan or a salary
supplement.
Employment Agreements
It is in the inter
ests of
both the community and the chief administrator to
have a written summary of the terms and conditions
of employment to which both parties have agreed.
The stable working situation created by such an
agreement helps to attract and keep top-flight admin-
istrators in a generally mobile profession. ICMA
recommends the use of employment agreements
because the detailing of salary, benefits, and other
conditions of the administrator’s job puts those items
where they belong—in a contract where both par-
ties can know what is expected—and removes them
from the daily agenda of the chief administrator and
members of the governing body.
While such an agreement usually does not refer to
a specific term of employment and permits either the
governing body or the chief administrator to terminate
for cause or at will, it should include a section provid- ing the administrator with severance pay for a fixed
period of time if he or she is terminated. This provides important personal and professional security for local
government chief administrators, as they have the
rather unique situation of working at the pleasure of
the governing body with the possibility of dismissal
for any reason at any time.
While not a lengthy legal document, the employ-
ment agreement is usually drafted by the local govern-
ment’s attorney. The new administrator is often given
an opportunity to prepare a first draft for consider-
ation. If an employment agreement is not used, a
formal letter of understanding, at a minimum, should
be prepared.
As a final note on this process, the governing
body should be prepared for the possibility that it will be unable to reach agreement on compensation or
other matters with the first-choice candidate. In these instances, the governing body typically enters into
negotiations with its second-choice candidate. As indi- cated previously, once an agreement has been final-
ized, all other candidates should be promptly notified
that they were not selected.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 19
10. The Transition Process
A
fter the governing body and new chief adminis-
trator have reached agreement on the issues of
compensation, starting date, and method and timing
of announcing the selection to both the community
and the administrator’s former local government, the
transition process begins.
Announcing the Selection
The announcement of the selection should be well
planned and coordinated between the governing body
and new chief administrator. Two factors should pre-
cede any formal announcement of the appointment:
■ The successful candidate has formally accepted the
position and the negotiations have been concluded;
and
■ The successful candidate has been given the
opportunity to notify his or her current governing
body about the appointment.
This public announcement should be coordinated
carefully to recognize the instantaneous nature of elec- tronic communication.
Additional Elements
Additional elements that the governing body may
employ to ensure a smooth transition for the new chief
administrator are as follows:
■ General assistance: For a smooth transition, the
local government should offer whatever general
assistance the new administrator might need in
moving, such as introductions to realtors and
bankers and support to the spouse/partner in find-
ing suitable employment.
■ Orientation meetings: The governing body should
arrange to introduce the new chief administrator
to department heads and local government staff.
While the new administrator may have met some
of these individuals during the interview process, a
special meeting or reception can be a pleasant way
to turn over responsibility. Similar meetings, brief-
ing sessions, and/or receptions can be arranged
to introduce the new administrator and his or her
family to community groups, civic leaders, and
residents in general.
■ Local government work session, orientation,
and review of objectives: It is desirable to have
an initial work session with the new administrator
to discuss and clarify initial expectations on both
sides and to review goals and objectives. Even
though some of these issues may have been raised
during the interview process, communication
from the outset can help ensure a smooth working
relationship.
■ Performance evaluation: Using the position’s
goals and objectives as a starting point, the gov-
erning body and new chief administrator should
agree to an annual or semiannual review of the
administrator’s performance. This established and
formal process helps to ensure that communication
between the parties is maintained, that progress
is monitored, and that goals and objectives are
reviewed and refined on a regular basis.
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20 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R
11. Conclusion
selecting the right person for the job is critical for the governing body and for the community.
This guidebook addresses a number of factors to
consider in recruiting, selecting, negotiating, and hir- ing a professional local government manager. In doing
so, it elaborates on the “best practices” for identify- ing the appropriate skills and background of a chief
administrator, noting that the governing body must
identify the qualities, characteristics, experience, and areas of expertise that would be found in the ideal
candidate. Throughout the entire process, clear com-
munication to staff, the community, and the media is
essential for achieving the governing body’s goals. In
the end, the process of recruiting and selecting a chief administrator should be a positive and unifying experi- ence, resulting in the appointment of an individual
who represents and embodies the governing body’s
vision for the future.
ICMA and its members are resources available
for providing guidance and recommendations in the
recruitment of a chief administrator. With this docu-
ment, we hope we have provided a basic understand-
ing of the process involved in selecting a professional local government manager who meets the needs of
the community.
C
hoosing a chief administrator can be the most
significant action of the governing body. The
chief administrator is a leader, coach, and chief of
strategy for the staff team whose job it is to imple-
ment a vision, policy, and procedures; accomplish
goals; and achieve the desired output of the orga-
nization. Similar to a chief executive officer of a
Fortune 500 company, the chief administrator is also
responsible for serving an elected governing body,
managing the financial aspects of the organization,
directing the employees, ensuring quality customer
service, and implementing legal and ethical stan-
dards. Furthermore, unique to public agencies, the
chief administrator oversees an organization that is
focused on providing a variety of services to the com-
munity rather than on making a profit.
In addition to a very diversified portfolio of ser-
vices that must be provided and interests that must be
served fairly, the chief administrator is responsible for an organization that must balance its budget; provide
for and encourage public input into decision making;
and understand, respect, and appreciate the politi-
cal environment. In summary, the position of chief
administrator requires a variety of skill sets—not every person is capable of performing the role. Therefore,
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 21 Appendix A
ICMA Code of Ethics with Guidelines
a member considering several offers or seeking several
positions at the same time, but once a bona fide offer
of a position has been accepted, that commitment
should be honored. Oral acceptance of an employment
offer is considered binding unless the employer makes
fundamental changes in terms of employment.
Credentials. An application for employment or for
ICMA’s Voluntary Credentialing Program should be
complete and accurate as to all pertinent details of
education, experience, and personal history. Members
should recognize that both omissions and inaccuracies
must be avoided.
Professional Respect. Members seeking a manage-
ment position should show professional respect for
persons formerly holding the position or for others
who might be applying for the same position. Profes-
sional respect does not preclude honest differences of
opinion; it does preclude attacking a person’s motives
or integrity in order to be appointed to a position.
Reporting Ethics Violations. When becoming aware
of a possible violation of the ICMA Code of Ethics,
members are encouraged to report the matter to ICMA.
In reporting the matter, members may choose to go on
record as the complainant or report the matter on a
confidential basis.
Confidentiality. Members should not discuss or
divulge information with anyone about pending or
completed ethics cases, except as specifically autho-
rized by the Rules of Procedure for Enforcement of the
Code of Ethics.
Seeking Employment. Members should not seek
employment for a position having an incumbent
administrator who has not resigned or been officially
informed that his or her services are to be terminated.
The ICMA Code of Ethics was adopted by the ICMA membership in 1924, and most recently amended by the membership in May 1998. The Guidelines for the Code were adopted by the ICMA Executive Board in 1972, and most recently revised in July 2004.
The mission of ICMA is to create excellence in local governance by developing and fostering professional local gov- ernment management worldwide. To further this mission, certain principles, as enforced by the Rules of Procedure, shall govern the conduct of every member of ICMA, who shall:
1. Be dedicated to the concepts of effectiv e and
democratic local government by responsible
elected officials and believe that professional gen-
eral management is essential to the achievement of
this objective.
2. Affirm the dignity and w
orth of the services ren-
dered by government and maintain a constructive,
creative, and practical attitude toward local govern-
ment affairs and a deep sense of social responsibil-
ity as a trusted public servant.
Guideline
Advice to Officials of Other Local Governments. When
members advise and respond to inquiries from elected
or appointed officials of other local governments, they should inform the administrators of those communities.
3. Be dedicated to the highest ideals of honor and
integrity in all public and per
sonal relationships in
order that the member may merit the respect and
confidence of the elected officials, of other officials and employees, and of the public.
Guidelines
Public Confidence. Members should conduct them-
selves so as to maintain public confidence in their
profession, their local government, and in their perfor- mance of the public trust.
Impression of Influence. Members should conduct
their official and personal affairs in such a manner
as to give the clear impression that they cannot be
improperly influenced in the performance of their
official duties.
Appointment Commitment. Members who accept an
appointment to a position should not fail to report for that position. This does not preclude the possibility of
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22 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R
4. R ecognize that the chief function of local govern-
ment at all times is to serve the best interests of all of the people.
Guideline
Length of Service. A minimum of two years generally
is considered necessary in order to render a profes-
sional service to the local government. A short tenure
should be the exception rather than a recurring experi- ence. However, under special circumstances, it may
be in the best interests of the local government and
the member to separate in a shorter time. Examples
of such circumstances would include refusal of the
appointing authority to honor commitments concern-
ing conditions of employment, a vote of no confidence
in the member, or severe personal problems. It is the
responsibility of an applicant for a position to ascer- tain conditions of employment. Inadequately deter-
mining terms of employment prior to arrival does not
justify premature termination.
5. Submit polic
y proposals to elected officials; provide
them with facts and advice on matters of policy
as a basis for making decisions and setting com-
munity goals; and uphold and implement local
government policies adopted by elected officials.
Guideline
Conflicting Roles. Members who serve multiple roles—
working as both city attorney and city manager for the
same community, for example—should avoid participat-
ing in matters that create the appearance of a conflict of interest. They should disclose the potential conflict to the governing body so that other opinions may be solicited.
6. R
ecognize that elected representatives of the
people are entitled to the credit for the establish-
ment of local government policies; responsibility
for policy execution rests with the members.
7. R
efrain from all political activities which under-
mine public confidence in professional administra-
tors. Refrain from participation in the election of
the members of the employing legislative body.
Guidelines
Elections of the Governing body. Members should
maintain a reputation for serving equally and impar-
tially all members of the governing body of the local
government they serve, regardless of party. To this
end, they should not engage in active participation in
the election campaign on behalf of or in opposition to
candidates for the governing body.
Elections of Elected Executives. Members should not
engage in the election campaign of any candidate for
mayor or elected county executive.
Running for Office. Members shall not run for elected
office or become involved in political activities related to running for elected office. They shall not seek politi- cal endorsements, financial contributions or engage in
other campaign activities.
Elections. Members share with their fellow citizens
the right and responsibility to vote and to voice their opinion on public issues. However, in order not
to impair their effectiveness on behalf of the local
governments they serve, they shall not participate in
political activities to support the candidacy of indi-
viduals running for any city, county, special district, school, state or federal offices. Specifically, they shall not endorse candidates, make financial contributions,
sign or circulate petitions, or participate in fund-rais- ing activities for individuals seeking or holding elected office.
Elections in the Council-Manager Plan. Members
may assist in preparing and presenting materials that
explain the council-manager form of government to
the public prior to an election on the use of the plan.
If assistance is required by another community, mem-
bers may respond. All activities regarding ballot issues should be conducted within local regulations and in a
professional manner.
Presentation of Issues. Members may assist the gov-
erning body in presenting issues involved in referenda
such as bond issues, annexations, and similar matters.
8. Mak
e it a duty continually to improve the member’s
professional ability and to develop the competence
of associates in the use of management techniques.
Guidelines
Self-Assessment. Each member should assess his or
her professional skills and abilities on a periodic basis.
Professional Development. Each member should
commit at least 40 hours per year to professional
development activities that are based on the practices
identified by the members of ICMA.
9. K
eep the community informed on local govern-
ment affairs; encourage communication between
the citizens and all local government officers;
emphasize friendly and courteous service to the
public; and seek to improve the quality and image
of public service.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 23
10. R esist any encroachment on professional respon-
sibilities, believing the member should be free to
carry out official policies without interference, and
handle each problem without discrimination on the
basis of principle and justice.
Guideline
Information Sharing. The member should openly
share information with the governing body while
diligently carrying out the member’s responsibilities as set forth in the charter or enabling legislation.
11. Handle all matter
s of personnel on the basis of
merit so that fairness and impartiality govern a
member’s decisions, pertaining to appointments,
pay adjustments, promotions, and discipline.
Guideline
Equal Opportunity. All decisions pertaining to
appointments, pay adjustments, promotions, and dis-
cipline should prohibit discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, political affiliation, disability, age, or marital status.
It should be the member
s’ personal and profes-
sional responsibility to actively recruit and hire a
diverse staff throughout their organizations.
12. Seek no fa
vor; believe that personal aggrandize-
ment or profit secured by confidential information
or by misuse of public time is dishonest.
Guidelines
Gifts. Members should not directly or indirectly solicit any gift or accept or receive any gift--whether it be
money, services, loan, travel, entertainment, hospital- ity, promise, or any other form--under the following
circumstances: (1) it could be reasonably inferred or
expected that the gift was intended to influence them
in the performance of their official duties; or (2) the gift was intended to serve as a reward for any official action on their part.
It is important that the prohibition of unsolicited
gifts be limited to circumstances related to improper
influence. In de minimus situations, such as meal
checks, some modest maximum dollar value should be
determined by the member as a guideline. The guide-
line is not intended to isolate members from normal
social practices where gifts among friends, associates, and relatives are appropriate for certain occasions.
Investments in Conflict with Official Duties. Member
should not invest or hold any investment, directly or
indirectly, in any financial business, commercial, or
other private transaction that creates a conflict with
their official duties.
In the case of real estate, the potential use of
confidential information and knowledge to further a
member’s personal interest requires special consider-
ation. This guideline recognizes that members’ official actions and decisions can be influenced if there is a
conflict with personal investments. Purchases and
sales which might be interpreted as speculation for
quick profit ought to be avoided (see the guideline on
“Confidential Information”).
Because personal investments may prejudice or
may appear to influence official actions and decisions, members may, in concert with their governing body,
provide for disclosure of such investments prior to
accepting their position as local government adminis-
trator or prior to any official action by the governing body that may affect such investments.
Personal Relationships. Member should disclose
any personal relationship to the governing body in
any instance where there could be the appearance of
a conflict of interest. For example, if the manager’s
spouse works for a developer doing business with the
local government, that fact should be disclosed.
Confidential Information. Members should not dis-
close to others, or use to further their personal inter- est, confidential information acquired by them in the
course of their official duties.
Private Employment. Members should not engage
in, solicit, negotiate for, or promise to accept private employment, nor should they render services for pri-
vate interests or conduct a private business when such
employment, service, or business creates a conflict with or impairs the proper discharge of their official duties.
Teaching, lecturing, writing, or consulting are typi-
cal activities that may not involve conflict of interest, or impair the proper discharge of their official duties.
Prior notification of the appointing authority is appro- priate in all cases of outside employment.
Representation. Members should not represent any
outside interest before any agency, whether public
or private, except with the authorization of or at the
direction of the appointing authority they serve.
Endorsements. Members should not endorse com-
mercial products or services by agreeing to use their
photograph, endorsement, or quotation in paid or other
commercial advertisements, whether or not for compen-
sation. Members may, however, agree to endorse the
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24 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R following, provided they do not receive any compensa-
tion: (1) books or other publications; (2) professional development or educational services provided by non-
profit membership organizations or recognized educa-
tional institutions; (3) products and/or services in which the local government has a direct economic interest.
Members’ observations, opinions, and analyses
of commercial products used or tested by their local
governments are appropriate and useful to the profes-
sion when included as part of professional articles and reports.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 25 Appendix B
ICMA Guidelines for Compensation
M
aintaining public trust and integrity in local
government requires both effective governance
and management of the organization. The following
guidelines are intended to establish a best practice for establishing and negotiating compensation for local
government executives and staff and to clarify the
roles and responsibilities of the governing body, local government manager, and employee.
The Principles
Compensation and personnel matters should be guided
by the core principles of the ICMA Code of Ethics. ICMA affirms that the standard practice for establishing the compensation of local government managers be fair,
reasonable, transparent, and based on comparable public salaries nationally and regionally. ICMA members should act with integrity in all personal and professional matters in order to merit the trust of elected officials, the public and employees. Local government managers have an
ethical responsibility to be clear about what is being
requested and to avoid excessive compensation.
Elected officials perform a critical governance role
providing oversight of the management of the organi-
zation. To that end, they must be engaged in establish- ing the process for determining the compensation for
all executives appointed by the governing body.
Compensation should be based on the position
requirements, the complexity of the job reflected in the composition of the organization and community, the
leadership needed, labor market conditions, cost of living in the community, and the organization’s ability to pay.
The Process for Negotiating Executive
Compensation
To establish fair and reasonable compensation, the gov- erning body operating as a committee of the whole or as a designated evaluation and compensation subcommit-
tee, should design and implement the methodology for
setting the compensation of the local government man-
ager and any other appointees of the governing body.
Compensation benchmarks should be established
based on comparable local government or public sec-
tor agencies.
The governing body should engage experts
whether contracted or in house as necessary to pro-
vide the information required to establish fair and
reasonable compensation levels.
All decisions on compensation and benefits must
be made by the entire governing body in a public
meeting.
Compensation Guidelines for Local
Government Executives
A starting point for the elected officials and local
government manager in any salary negotiation should
be to
1. Determine the r
equirements of the job and the
experience needed to successfully perform the job
duties.
2. Ex
amine market conditions to learn what compa-
rable public sector executives earn. A best practice
would be to gather information using pre-deter-
mined comparable benchmark local governments
or public sector agencies.
3. Under
stand the services provided by the local gov-
ernment along with the nature of the current issues
in the organization and in the community, and
then compare these with the individual’s expertise
and proven ability to resolve those issues.
4. Identify the local go
vernment’s current financial
position, its ability to pay, and the existing policies toward compensation relative to market conditions.
5. W
eigh factors such as the individual’s credentials,
experience and expertise when setting salary.
6. Consider additional compensation in ar
eas where
the cost of living is high and the governing body
wants the manager to reside within the commu-
nity. In addition, other unique and special circum-
stances may be taken into consideration, such as
difficult recruitment markets and the particularly
challenging needs of the public agency.
7. Seek legal advice as needed and appr
opriate dur-
ing periods prior to the beginning of employment
when terms and conditions are being negotiated
and finalized.
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26 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R Severance
Severance provisions established in the employment
agreement must be both reasonable and affordable so
that the cost of the severance is not an impediment
to fulfilling the governing body’s right to terminate a manager’s service, if desired, but is consistent with
the role and expectations of the position. The ICMA
Model Employment Agreement (see Appendix F)
recommends a one year severance but recognizes that
the length of service with an organization may justify
a higher severance.
Compensation Changes
1. Benefits and salary incr eases should be reasonably
comparable to those that local government execu-
tives receive within the designated benchmark or
regional market area and generally consistent with
other employees.
2. Merit adjustments or bonuses should be contingent
upon performance and the o
verall financial posi-
tion of the local government to afford additional
compensation payments. Provisions regarding con-
sideration of periodic merit adjustments in salary
should be pre-determined.
3. Local go
vernment managers must recognize and
effectively manage conflicts of interest inherent
in compensation changes. Managers should avoid
taking steps regarding pension and other benefits
where they will be the sole or primary beneficiary
of the change. Examples include:
■ Dramatically increasing salary thereby leading to
pension spiking.
■ Recommending or implementing single highest
year to determine retirement benefits
4. An individual should r
eceive a single salary
that recognizes all duties and responsibilities
assigned rather than different salaries for different
assignments.
5. Local go
vernment managers should not put their
personal compensation interests before the good of
the overall organization and that of the citizens.
Transparency
1. Local go vernment managers should provide their
total compensation package to the governing body
when requesting compensation changes so that the
governing body has a comprehensive view of the
compensation package.
2. In the inter
est of fairness and transparency, there
should be full disclosure to the governing body,
prior to formal consideration and approval, of the
potential cost of any benefit changes negotiated
during employment.
3. When the terms and conditions of emplo
yment are
being renegotiated with the employer and at the
end when the employment is being terminated,
ICMA members have a duty to advise the elected
officials to seek legal advice.
4. In the inter
ests of transparency, the salary plan
and salary ranges for local government positions,
including that of the manager, should be publicly
accessible on the agency’s website.
General Compensation Guidelines for All
Employees
1. Each local go vernment should establish benchmark
agencies, which are determined using set criteria
such as, but not limited to,
■ Geographic proximity
■ Similarity with regard to the nature of the ser-
vices provided
■ Similarity in employer size/population size
■ Similarity in the socioeconomic makeup of the
population
■ Other similar employers in the immediate area.
2. The local go
vernment should develop appropri-
ate compensation levels that are in line with their
labor market. Doing so will enable the organization
to establish and maintain a reputation as a com-
petitive, fair, and equitable employer as well as a
good steward of public funds.
3. When considering an
y salary or benefit changes,
the immediate and anticipated long-term financial
resources of the organization always should be
taken into account.
4. Appr
opriate financial practices should be followed
to both disclose and properly fund any related
future liability to the local government.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 27 Appendix C:
Professional Organizations to Consider Posting
Position Vacancy
International City/County Management Association (ICMA) 777 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-289-4262
JobCenter
Rates/Information:
www.icma.org/en/icma/career_network/employers/
difference
American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW , Suite 700
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-393-7878
PublicServiceCareers.org (online)
Rates/Information:
www.publicservicecareers.org/?pageid=617
National Association of Counties (NACo)
25 Massachusetts Avenue NW , Suite 500
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-6226 or 1-888-407-6226
JobsOnline (website) and County News Job
Market/Classified Ad (newspaper)
Rates/Submissions:
www.naco.org/programs/jobsonline/Pages/
JobsOnlineSubmission.aspx
National Association of County Administrators (NACA)
777 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20002
Email: [email protected]
National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA)
777 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 807
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-408-9300
NFBPA Career Center
Ad Rates/Information: careers.nfbpa.org/rates.cfm
Phone: 1-866-964-2765
E-mail (Job Posting Sales): [email protected]
National League of Cities (NLC)
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue NW , Suite 550
Washington, DC 20004
Nation’s Cities Weekly Classifieds
Rates/Submissions:
www.nlc.org/news-center/nations-cities-weekly/
classifieds/ncw-submit-classified
International Hispanic Network (IHN)
2107 North First Street, Suite 470
San José, CA 95131
Phone: 408-392-0232
Job Posting
Rates/Submissions:
www.ihnonline.org/jobsaddform.asp
STATE MUNICIPAL LEAGUES
Alabama League of Municipalities ( www.alalm.org)
535 Adams Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: 334-262-2566
Municipal Classified Ads
Posting Information: [email protected]
Alaska Municipal League ( www.akml.org)
217 Second Street, Suite 200
Juneau,
AK 99801
Phone: 907-586-1325
AML Classifieds
Informational Brochure:
www.akml.org/uploads/MunicipalClassified
AdGuidelines.pdf
Phone: 1-877-636-1325
Email: [email protected]
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28 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R League of Arizona Cities and Towns (www.azleague.org)
1820 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: 602-258-5786
Municipal Employment Opportunities
Rates/Information:
www.azleague.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=jobs.main
Email: [email protected]
Arkansas Municipal League ( www.arml.org)
301 West 2nd Street
North Little Rock, AR 72115
Phone: 501-374-3484
City & Town Municipal Mart
Rates/Information:
www.arml.org/classifieds.html
Submissions: 501-374-3484
League of California Cities ( www.cacities.org)
1400 K Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-658-8200
Western Cities
Rates/Submissions:
www.westerncity.com/Western-City/
Job-Opportunities/How-to-Post-a-Job
Colorado Municipal League (www.cml.org)
1144 Sherman Street
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 303-831-6411 or 1-866-578-0936
CareerLink
Postings: www.cml.org/CareerLink.aspx
Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (www.ccm-ct.org) 900 Chapel Street, 9th Floor
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: 203-498-3000
Municipal Job Bank
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.ccm-ct.org/Plugs/job-bank.aspx
Delaware League of Local Governments ( www.dllg.org)
P.O. Box 484
Dover, DE 19903
Phone: 302-678-0991
*Provides no employment listings*
Florida League of Cities (www.floridaleagueofcities.com) 301 South Bronough Street, Suite 300
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone: 850-222-9684 or 1-800-342-8112
FLC E-News
Information/Submissions:
www
.floridaleagueofcities.com/Publications
.aspx?CNID=179
Phone: 850-322-7221
Georgia Municipal Association ( www.gmanet.com)
201 Pryor Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-688-0472
Classifieds/Marketplace
Submissions:
www.glga.org/SubmitListing.aspx
Phone: 678-686-6209
Hawaii (none available)
Association of Idaho Cities ( www.idahocities.org)
3100 South Vista Avenue, Suite 310
Boise, ID 83705
Phone 208-344-8594
Employment Opportunities
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.idahocities.org/index.aspx?nid=213
Illinois Municipal League ( www.iml.org)
500 East Capitol Avenue
Springfield, IL 62701
Phone: 217-525-1220
Classifieds
Information/Submissions:
www.iml.org/contact.cfm?user=rturner&subject
=Submit%20Classified%20Ad
Rates: www.iml.org/page.cfm?category=640
Indiana Association of Cities and Towns
(www.citiesandtowns.org)
200 South Meridian Street, Suite 340
Indianapolis, IN 46225
Phone: 317-237-6200
Municipal Dispatch
Contact Publications and Marketing Director
Staff Directory:
www.citiesandtowns.org/topic/subtopic.
php?fDD=2-15
47 of 69
Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 29 Iowa League of Cities ( www.iowaleague.org)
317 Sixth Avenue, Suite 800
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: 515-244-7282
Classifieds
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.iowaleague.org/Pages/SubmitClassified.aspx
League of Kansas Municipalities ( www.lkm.org)
300 SW Eighth Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603
Phone: 785-354-9565
Kansas Government Journal (and online)
Rates: www.lkm.org/classifieds/jobs
Submissions: [email protected]
Kentucky League of Cities ( www.klc.org)
100 East Vine Street, Suite 800
Lexington, KY 40507
Phone: 859-977-3700 or 1-800-876-4552
City Job Opportunities Online
Submissions: www.klc.org/employment_post.asp
Louisiana Municipal Association ( www.lma.org)
700 North 10th Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: 225-344-5001 or 1-800-234-8274
Maine Municipal Association ( www.memun.org)
60 Community Drive
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: 207-623-8428
Job Bank and Classifieds
Information/Rates:
www2.memun.org/public/wantads/itemlist.cfm
Submissions: [email protected]
Maryland Municipal League ( www.mdmunicipal.org)
1212 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: 410-268-5514 or 1-800-492-7121
Classifieds
Submissions: [email protected]
Massachusetts Municipal Association ( www.mma.org)
One Winthrop Square
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Phone: 617-426-7272
The Beacon (and online)
Information/Rates:
www.mma.org/ad-rates-and-details
Submissions: www.mma.org/ad-submission-form
Michigan Municipal League ( www.mml.org)
1675 Green Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Phone: 734-662-3246 or l-800-653-2483
Classifieds
Information/Rates:
www.mml.org/classifieds/guidelines.html
Submissions:
www.mml.org/classifieds/classifiedsform.php
League of Minnesota Cities ( www.lmc.org)
145 University Avenue West
St. Paul, MN 55103
Phone: 651-281-1200 or 1-800-925-1122
City Job Opportunities
Information/Rates:
www.lmc.org/page/1/posting-city-jobs.jsp
Submissions: [email protected]
Mississippi Municipal League ( www.mmlonline.com)
600 East Amite Street, Suite 104
Jackson, MS 39201
Phone: 601-353-5854
Classifieds
www.mmlonline.com/classifieds.aspx
Contact MML Staff – Staff Directory:
www.mmlonline.com/contact.aspx
Missouri Municipal League ( www.mocities.com)
1727 Southridge Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109
Phone: 573-635-9134
Career Center
Information/Rates:
www.mocities.com/networking
Submissions: [email protected]
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30 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R Montana League of Cities and Towns ( www.mlct.org)
208 North Montana Avenue, Suite 106
Helena, MT 59601
Phone: 406-442-8768
Job Openings
Submissions: Contact Office Manager
Staff Directory: www.mlct.org/about-mlct/staff.html
League of Nebraska Municipalities ( www.lonm.org)
1335 L Street, #A
Lincoln, NE 68508-2596
Phone: 402-476-2829
Job Postings
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.lonm.org/careers.html
Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities
(www.nvleague.org/admin/about.htm)
310 South Curry Street
Carson City, NV 89703
Phone: 775-882-2121
New Hampshire Local Government Center (www.nhlgc.org)
25 Triangle Park Drive
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: 603-224-7447
Classifieds
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.nhlgc.org/classifieds/submitad.asp
New Jersey State League of Municipalities
(www.njslom.org)
222 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: 609-695-3481
Classifieds
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.njslom.org/classifieds_jobs.html
New Mexico Municipal League ( www.nmml.org)
1229 Paseo de Peralta
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: 1-800-432-2036
Classifieds
Information/Submissions:
www.nmml.org/blog/category/classifieds/
positions-available
New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal
Officials (www.nycom.org)
119 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
Phone: 518-463-1185
Help Wanted Classifieds
Information/Submissions:
www.nycom.org/mn_class/helpwanted.asp#
North Carolina League of Municipalities (www.nclm.org)
215 North Dawson Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 919-715-4000
Southern City, League Letter, and/or online:
Information:
www.nclm.org/resource-center/Pages/jobs.aspx
Rates/Submissions:
www.nclm.org/programs-services/publications/
Pages/southern-city.aspx
North Dakota League of Cities ( www.ndlc.org)
410 East Front Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58504
Phone: 701-223-3518
Municipal Ads – Job Opportunities
www.ndlc.org/index.asp?Type=B_
BASIC&SEC={D835005A-831C-4BB1-BF46-
7D93A07A0083}
Contact NDLC Staff – Staff Directory:
www.ndlc.org/index.asp?Type=B_
BASIC&SEC={846F9FCA-A6EE-4082-B241-
8DA3E991D99A}
Ohio Municipal League ( www.omlohio.org)
175 South Third Street, Suite 510
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-221-4349
Classified Advertisements
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.omlohio.org/Classifieds.htm
Oklahoma Municipal League ( www.oml.org)
201 Northeast 23rd Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Phone: 405-528-7515
Job Listings
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.okml.webs.com/joblistings.htm
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 31 League of Oregon Cities ( www.orcities.org)
1201 Court Street NE, Suite 200
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-588-6550
Personnel Recruitment – Jobs
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.orcities.org/JobsInterims/Jobs/tabid/816/
language/en-US/Default.aspx
Available Interim Candidates:
www.orcities.org/JobsInterims/Interims/tabid/
5849/language/en-US/Default.aspx
Pennsylvania League of Cities & Municipalities
(www.plcm.org)
414 North Second Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: 717-236-9469
Municipal Job Junction
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.plcm.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=
{24C2F4FE-80F6-4E58-BA9F-53345F31E1D7}&DE
Rhode Islad League of Cities and Towns
(www.rileague.org)
One State Street, Suite 502
Providence, RI 02908
Phone: 401-272-3434
Available Positions
Information/Submissions:
www.rileague.org/site/classifieds/available.html
Municipal Association of South Carolina ( www.masc.sc)
1411 Gervais Street
Columbia, SC 29211
Phone: 803-799-9574
Job Openings:
Information/Submissions:
www.masc.sc/municipalities/Pages/
Postinganadvertisement.aspx
South Dakota Municipal League (www.sdmunicipalleague.org) 208 Island Drive
Fort Pierre, SD 57532
Phone: 605-224-8654
Classifieds
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.sdmunicipalleague.org/index.asp?Type=
B_JOB&SEC=%7B9C4C9345-D0E6-470D-A708-
181FD9B26F51%7D
Tennessee Municipal League ( www.tml1.org)
226 Capitol Boulevard, Suite 710
Nashville, TN 37219
Phone: 615-255-6416
Classifieds
Contact Administrative Assistant – Staff Directory:
www.tml1.org/staff.php?ln_ses=1%7C4
Texas Municipal League (www.tml.org)
1821 Rutherford Lane, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78754
Phone: 512-231-7400
Career Center
Information/Submission: www.tml.org/careercenter.asp
Utah League of Cities and Towns ( www.ulct.org)
50 South 600 East, Suite 150
Salt Lake City, UT 84102
Phone: 801-328-1601 or 1-800-852-8528
Job Bank
Submissions: www.ulct.org/jobbank/index.html
Vermont League of Cities & Towns ( www.vlct.org)
89 Main Street, Suite 4
Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: 802-229-9111
Classifieds
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.vlct.org/marketplace/classifiedads
Virginia Municipal League ( www.vml.org)
13 East Franklin Street
Richmond, V A 23219
Phone: 804-649-8471
Marketplace – Jobs in Local Government
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.vml.org/JOBS/Jobs.html
Association of Washington Cities ( www.awcnet.org)
1076 Franklin Street SE
Olympia, W A 98501
Phone: 360-753-4137
JobNet
Information/Submissions:
www.awcnet.org/Jobnet/ForEmployers.aspx
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32 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R West Virginia Municipal League ( www.wvml.org)
2020 Kanawha Boulevard
Charleston, WV 25311
Phone: 304-342-5564 or 1-800-344-7702
Classifieds
Information/Submissions: [email protected]
League of Wisconsin Municipalities (www.lwm-info.org)
122 West Washington Avenue, Suite 300
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-267-2380
Classifieds
Information/Rates/Submissions:
www.lwm-info.org/index.asp?Type=B_
JOB&SEC=%7B428BF440-C1B3-494D-
8B98-837FE87BCFCA%7D
Wyoming Association of Municipalities (www.wyomuni.org) 315 West 27th Street
Cheyenne, WY 82001
Phone: 307-632-0398
Classifieds
Information:
www.wyomuni.org/index.asp?Type=B_
JOB&SEC={AE206698-9002-49A0-983C-9CFCD28D226}
Submissions: [email protected]
51 of 69
Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 33 Appendix D:
Potential Interview Questions3
It is suggested that each member of the governing body ask the same question(s) of each candidate.
Candidate Thoughts on Role of
Administrator
1. In y our opinion, what role should the administra-
tor have in the community?
2. Do y
ou believe the administrator should be an
active member of a service or fraternal organiza-
tion? If yes, why?
3. Ho
w do you deal with the news media?
4. Ho
w do you deal with special-interest or single-
interest groups?
5. What is the best w
ay for an administrator to deal
with an angry constituent?
Personnel Experience
1. Ho w and when do you delegate responsibility and
authority?
2. Ha
ve you ever been at the bargaining table and
been actively engaged in negotiating an agreement?
3. Ha
ve you taken part in mediation, fact finding,
or arbitration? Which ones? Please explain your
experience in such process(es) including your role/
level of involvement and your thoughts regarding
the outcomes of these experiences.
4. Ha
ve you ever had to discipline, demote, or fire an
employee? Please elaborate.
5. Ho
w do you educate, encourage, and motivate
your staff?
6. Ar
e you familiar with state and federal laws relat-
ing to nondiscrimination, sexual harassment,
employees with disabilities, and equal opportunity?
7. Ha
ve charges of violation of state or federal
employment laws or a grievance ever been filed
against you or your city? Please explain.
8. What e
xperience have you had in the preparation
and implementation of personnel rules, regula-
tions, procedures, and compensation plans? Please
describe.
Candidate Traits/Experience/
Qualifications
1. Pr ovide a brief summary of your education and
work experience.
2. Please briefly describe y
our experience with
a.
Land use planning
b. Economic de
velopment/redevelopment
c. T
ax increment financing
d.
Business attr
action and retention programs
e. Beautification pr
ograms
f.
Business assistance pr
ograms—e.g., façade
improvement, code compliance
g.
Anne
xation
h.
Subdivision policies and r
egulations, particu-
larly as they relate to storm-water management
i.
Zoning
j.
Building code administr
ation
k.
Municipal facilities e
xpansion—in particular,
water and wastewater utility expansions
3. Ho
w would you describe your leadership and man-
agement styles?
Interaction with Governing Body
1. What do y ou perceive to be the chief administra-
tor’s role in working with the governing body, local
government attorney, and clerk?
2. What ar
e your expectations of the governing body
in relation to
a.
Y
ourself
b. Other staff
3. Ho
w and when do you communicate with the
governing body?
3 Adapted from the Illinois City/County Management Association’s A Guide to the Recruitment and Selection of a Chief Administrative Officer.
52 of 69
34 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R
9. What is y our experience with employee benefits
administration, group health insurance, and risk
management?
10. What in y
our opinion is the most serious issue
today in local government personnel management?
11. Ho
w and when should private sector resources (e.g.,
contractors) be used to provide village services?
Financial Management Experience
1. Is ther e a difference between a financial plan and a budget? If so, please explain how they differ.
2. Ar
e/were you the designated budget officer for
your local government? Did you prepare and pres-
ent the budget to the council, and upon adoption,
were you responsible for implementation? Please
explain the outcomes of various budget processes
and any challenges you encountered through bud-
get development through council adoption.
3. What is y
our experience with debt financing?
Please give an example.
4. Ha
ve you secured and administered any type of
loans or grants? Please give an example.
5. Describe the most successful capital impr
ovement
project you were responsible for and what made it
successful?
6. Ha
ve you reviewed our annual budget and/or
annual report? If yes, what is your impression of
our financial condition?
7. What is y
our opinion of “pay as you go” financ-
ing of maintenance and capital projects? Special
assessments? Special taxing districts?
8. What type of financial r
eports do you provide the
elected body and with what frequency?
9. Ha
ve you read our comprehensive or general plan?
What are your impressions or thoughts?
Intergovernmental Relations Experience
1. What e xperience have you had in dealing with
a.
Councils of go
vernment/intergovernmental
agencies?
b. County go
vernment?
c. Other local go
vernments (schools, parks, etc.)?
d.
State agencies?
e. F
ederal agencies?
f.
State legislatur
e?
g.
Congr
ess?
2. Do y
ou feel comfortable “lobbying”?
External Organizational and Professional
Association Relations
1. Ha ve you been an active participant in the activi-
ties of a statewide municipal league, statewide city
or county management association, the Inter-
national City/County Management Association
(ICMA) or other professional organizations devoted
to local government? Please give examples of your
activities.
2. Ar
e you an ICMA Credentialed Manager? If so, how
do you fulfill your annual professional develop-
ment requirement?
53 of 69
Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 35 Appendix E
Relations with Applicants—Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
■ Keep all candidates informed of their status at all
times.
■ Identify one point of contact through which every-
thing flows, including contacts with candidates,
reference checks, etc., in order to ensure that the
information, messages, and details are consistent
and that the process is fair and equitable.
■ Keep all information strictly confidential through-
out the entire recruitment and selection process
unless state law requires otherwise.
■ Create an outreach strategy that will ensure a
diverse candidate pool.
■ After carefully reviewing all applicant submittals,
select a short list of the most promising candidates.
■ While maintaining the confidentiality, carefully
check educational credentials and references on
those candidates judged best qualified.
■ Invite those candidates judged best qualified
for initial interviews at the local government’s
expense.
■ Send the candidates under consideration an
information packet that may include the outreach
brochure and copies of your government’s budget,
charter, annual report, and other pertinent docu-
ments; or provide the information on where to find
this material on the agency’s website.
■ Pay expenses of the candidates invited to a sec-
ond interview (and of their spouses/partners, if
applicable).
■ Perform detailed background checks on the final
candidate(s).
■ Visit, if possible, the local governments in which
the most promising candidates work.
■ Be prepared to enter into a formal written employ-
ment agreement with the successful candidate.
■ Promptly notify all other candidates once the
selection has been made and the position has
been accepted. However, it is best to wait until the
selected finalist has accepted the position and the
agency and candidate have mutually agreed to the
provisions of the employment contract.
Don’t:
■ Let the selection process last too long.
■ Expect to get all the necessary information about
the candidates from written material.
■ Forget that you are seeking overall management
ability, not technical competence in one specialized
field.
■ Forget to consider candidates who are assistant
managers as well as current managers
■ Overlook the need for candidates to possess
municipal administrative experience and the
advantages or value of college or university train-
ing, post degree training, and continued profes-
sional development.
■ Release for publication any names or local govern-
ments of candidates unless state law requires it.
54 of 69
36 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R Appendix F
ICMA Model Employment Agreement
Introduction
This Agreement, made and entered into this [date], by
and between the [local government] of [state], [town/
city/county] a municipal corporation, (hereinafter
called ”Employer”) and [name], (hereinafter called
“Employee”) an individual who has the education,
training and experience in local government manage-
ment and who, as a member of ICMA, is subject to the
ICMA Code of Ethics, both of whom agree as follows:
Section 1: Term
Recommended
A. This agreement shall remain in full force in effect
from [date] until terminated by the Employer or
Employee as provided in Section 9, 10 or 11 of this
agreement.
Option 2
The term of this agreement shall be for an initial
period of [#] years from [date] to [date]. This Agree-
ment shall automatically be renewed on its anniver-
sary date for a [#] year term unless notice that the
Agreement shall terminate is given at least [#] months
(12 months recommended) before the expiration date.
In the event the agreement is not renewed, all com-
pensation, benefits and requirements of the agreement
shall remain in effect until the expiration of the term of the Agreement unless Employee voluntarily resigns.
In the event that the Employee is terminated, as
defined in Section 9 of this agreement, the Employee
shall be entitled to all compensation including salary, accrued vacation and sick leave, car allowance paid
in lump sum plus continuation of all benefits for the
remainder of the term of this agreement.
Section 2: Duties and Authority
Employer agrees to employ [name] as [title] to per-
form the functions and duties specified in [legal
reference] of the [local government] charter and by
[legal reference] of the [local government] code and
to perform other legally permissible and proper duties
and functions.
Section 3: Compensation
Recommended
A.
Base Salary: Emplo
yer agrees to pay Employee
an annual base salary of [$ amount], payable in
installments at the same time that the other man-
agement employees of the Employer are paid.
B.
This agr
eement shall be automatically amended to
reflect any salary adjustments that are provided or
required by the Employer’s compensation policies.
C.
Consider
ation shall be given on an annual basis to
increase compensation.
Option 1
The Employer agrees to increase the compensation of
the Employee dependent upon the results of the perfor-
mance evaluation conducted under the provisions of
Section 12 of this Agreement. Increased compensation
can be in the form of a salary increase and/or a bonus.
Option 2
The Employer agrees to increase the compensation by
[%] each year.
Option 3
The Employer agrees to increase the compensation
each year by the minimum of the average across the
board increase granted to other employees of the
Employer.
Option 4
The Employer agrees to increase the compensation of
the Employee dependent upon the results of the per-
formance evaluation conducted under the provisions
of Section 12 of this Agreement in addition to provid-
ing a fixed annual increase in the Employee’s salary
based on an agreed upon economic indicator, such as
the Consumer Price Index.
Section 4: Health, Disability and Life
Insurance Benefits Recommended
A. The Emplo yer agrees to provide and to pay the pre-
miums for health, hospitalization, surgical, vision,
dental and comprehensive medical insurance for
55 of 69
Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 37 the Employee and his/her dependents equal to that
which is provided to all other employees of the
[local government] or, in the event no such plan
exists, to provide coverage for the Employee and
dependents.
B.
The Emplo
yer agrees to put into force and to make
required premium payments for short term and
long term disability coverage for the Employee.
C.
The Emplo
yee may elect to submit once per cal-
endar year to a complete physical examination,
including a cardio-vascular examination, by a
qualified physician selected by the Employee, the
cost of which shall be paid by the Employer.
D.
The Emplo
yer shall pay the amount of premium
due for term life insurance in the amount of three
(3) times the Employee’s annual base salary,
including all increases in the base salary during the
life of this agreement. The Employee shall name
the beneficiary of the life insurance policy.
Option 1
A.
The Emplo
yer agrees to provide for health, hospi-
talization, surgical, vision, dental and comprehen-
sive medical insurance for the Employee and his/
her dependents equal to that which is provided to
all other employees of the [local government] or,
in the event no such plan exists, to provide cover-
age for the Employee and dependents. Employer
shall pay all premiums for the Employee and the
Employee’s dependents.
B.
The Emplo
yer agrees to put into force and to make
required premium payments for short term and
long term disability coverage for the Employee.
C.
The Emplo
yee may elect to submit once per cal-
endar year to a complete physical examination,
including a cardio-vascular examination, by a
qualified physician selected by the Employee, the
cost of which shall be paid by the Employer.
D.
The Emplo
yer shall pay the amount of premium
due for term life insurance in the amount of three
(3) times the Employee’s annual base salary,
including all increases in the base salary during the
life of this agreement. The Employee shall name
the beneficiary of the life insurance policy.
Option 2
1. The Emplo
yer shall provide travel insurance for the
Employee while the Employee is traveling on the
Employer’s business, with the Employee to name
beneficiary thereof. Should the Employee die while
on travel for the Employer, the Employer shall
cover the full cost of retrieving and transporting
the Employee’s remains back to the custody of the
Employee’s family.
Section 5: Vacation, Sick, and Military
Leave
Recommended
A.
Upon commencing emplo
yment, the Employee
shall be credited with sick and vacation leave
equal to the highest annual accrual provided to all
other employees. The Employee shall then accrue
sick and vacation leave on an annual basis at the
highest rate provided to any other employees.
B.
Upon commencing emplo
yment, the Employee
shall have access to a bank of 180 sick days to be
used in the case of serious medical conditions.
This leave can only be used to provide coverage
during the waiting period between the onset of
illness or disability and the point at which short or
long term disability coverage takes effect and may
be renewed after each occurrence.
C.
The Emplo
yee is entitled to accrue all unused
leave, without limit, and in the event the Employ-
ee’s employment is terminated, either voluntarily
or involuntarily, the Employee shall be compen-
sated for all accrued vacation time, all paid holi-
days, executive leave, and other benefits to date.
D.
The Emplo
yee shall be entitled to military reserve
leave time pursuant to state law and [local govern-
ment] policy.
Additional Option
1. The Emplo
yee shall annually be credited with five
(5) days of executive leave.
Section 6: Automobile
The Employee’s duties require exclusive and unre-
stricted use of an automobile to be mutually agreed
upon and provided to the Employee at the Employ-
er’s cost, subject to approval by Employer which
shall not be withheld without good cause. It shall be
mutually agreed upon whether the vehicle is pur-
chased by the city, provided under lease to the city
or to the Employee, or provided through a monthly
allowance.
Option 1 – Monthly Vehicle Allowance
The Employer agrees to pay to the Employee, during
the term of this Agreement and in addition to other
56 of 69
38 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R salary and benefits herein provided, the sum of [dol-
lar amount] per year, payable monthly, as a vehicle
allowance to be used to purchase, lease, or own, oper-
ate and maintain a vehicle. The monthly allowance
shall be increased annually by [% or $] amount. The
Employee shall be responsible for paying for liability, property damage, and comprehensive insurance cover-
age upon such vehicle and shall further be responsible
for all expenses attendant to the purchase, operation,
maintenance, repair, and regular replacement of said
vehicle. The Employer shall reimburse the Employee at
the IRS standard mileage rate for any business use of
the vehicle beyond the greater [local government] area.
For purposes of this Section, use of the car within the greater [local government] area is defined as travel to locations within a _____ mile (recommended fifty (50)
mile) radius of [local government office].
Option 2 – Employer Provided Vehicle
The Employer shall be responsible for paying for liabil- ity, property damage, and comprehensive insurance,
and for the purchase (or lease), operation, mainte-
nance, repair, and regular replacement of a full-size
automobile.
Section 7: Retirement
Recommended
1. The Emplo
yer agrees to enroll the Employee into
the applicable state or local retirement system
and to make all the appropriate contributions on
the Employee’s behalf, for both the Employer and
Employee share required.
2. In addition to the Emplo
yer’s payment to the
state or local retirement system (as applicable)
referenced above, Employer agrees to execute all
necessary agreements provided by ICMA Retire-
ment Corporation [ICMA-RC] or other Section
457 deferred compensation plan for Employee’s
[continued] participation in said supplementary
retirement plan and, in addition to the base sal-
ary paid by the Employer to Employee, Employer
agrees to pay an amount equal to [percentage of
Employee’s base salary, fixed dollar amount of [$],
or maximum dollar amount permissible under Fed-
eral and state law into the designated plan on the
Employee’s behalf, in equal proportionate amount
each pay period. The parties shall fully disclose to
each other the financial impact of any amendment
to the terms of Employee’s retirement benefit.
In lieu of making a contribution to a Section
457 deferred compensation plan, the dollar value
of this contribution may be used, at the Employ-
ee’s option, to purchase previous service from
another qualified plan.
Option 1
Recognizing that effective service with the community
is based in part on the stability provided through a
long-term relationship, the Employer shall provide a
retirement annuity, as directed by the Employee, at a
rate of [dollar amount], payable at the completion of
each quarter of the fiscal year. This annuity serves as a retirement contribution and does not require further
action of the Employer.
Option 2
The Employer shall adopt a qualified 401(a) defined
contribution plan offered through ICMA Retirement
Corporation for the Employee in the form of a money
purchase plan to which the Employer shall contribute
[%] of salary or [%] of compensation annually.
2A. Option: The Employee shall be required to
contribute [%] of base salary or [dollar amount] annu-
ally on a pre-tax basis as a condition of participation.
Option 3
The Employer shall adopt a qualified 401(a) profit-
sharing plan offered through ICMA Retirement Cor-
poration for the Employee in the form of a money
purchase plan to which the Employer shall contribute
[%] of all performance bonuses annually.
3A. Option: The Employee shall be required to
contribute [%] of base salary or [dollar amount] annu-
ally on a pre-tax basis as a condition of participation.
Section 8: General Business Expenses
Recommended
1. Emplo
yer agrees to budget for and to pay for pro-
fessional dues and subscriptions of the Employee
necessary for continuation and full participation
in national, regional, state, and local associations,
and organizations necessary and desirable for the
Employee’s continued professional participation,
growth, and advancement, and for the good of the
Employer.
2. Emplo
yer agrees to budget for and to pay for travel
and subsistence expenses of Employee for profes-
sional and official travel, meetings, and occasions
to adequately continue the professional develop-
ment of Employee and to pursue necessary official
functions for Employer, including but not limited
57 of 69
Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 39 to the ICMA Annual Conference, the state league of
municipalities, and such other national, regional,
state, and local governmental groups and commit-
tees in which Employee serves as a member.
3. Emplo
yer also agrees to budget for and to pay for
travel and subsistence expenses of Employee for
short courses, institutes, and seminars that are
necessary for the Employee’s professional develop-
ment and for the good of the Employer.
4. Emplo
yer recognizes that certain expenses of a
non-personal but job related nature are incurred by
Employee, and agrees to reimburse or to pay said
general expenses. The finance director is autho-
rized to disburse such moneys upon receipt of duly
executed expense or petty cash vouchers, receipts,
statements or personal affidavits.
5. The Emplo
yer acknowledges the value of having
Employee participate and be directly involved in
local civic clubs or organizations. Accordingly,
Employer shall pay for the reasonable member-
ship fees and/or dues to enable the Employee to
become an active member in local civic clubs or
organizations.
Option 1
Technology: The Employer shall provide Employee
with a computer, software, fax/modem, cell phone
and pager required for the Employee to perform the
job and to maintain communication.
Section 9: Termination
Recommended
For the purpose of this agreement, termination shall
occur when:
1. The majority of the go
verning body votes to ter-
minate the Employee at a duly authorized public
meeting.
2. If the Emplo
yer, citizens or legislature acts to amend
any provisions of the [charter, code, enabling legis-
lation] pertaining to the role, powers, duties, author- ity, responsibilities of the Employee’s position that
substantially changes the form of government, the
Employee shall have the right to declare that such
amendments constitute termination.
3. If the Emplo
yer reduces the base salary, compensa-
tion or any other financial benefit of the Employee,
unless it is applied in no greater percentage than
the average reduction of all department heads,
such action shall constitute a breach of this agree-
ment and will be regarded as a termination.
4. If the Emplo
yee resigns following an offer to accept
resignation, whether formal or informal, by the
Employer as representative of the majority of the
governing body that the Employee resign, then the
Employee may declare a termination as of the date
of the suggestion.
5. Br
each of contract declared by either party with a
30 day cure period for either Employee or Employer.
Written notice of a breach of contract shall be pro-
vided in accordance with the provisions of Section 20.
Option 1
In the event the Employee is terminated by the
Employer during the six (6) months immediately fol-
lowing the seating and swearing-in of one or more
new governing body members, and during such time
that Employee is willing and able to perform his duties under this Agreement, then, Employer agrees to pay
Severance in accordance with Section 10 plus salary
and benefits in accordance with Section 10 for any
portion of the six months not worked.
Section 10: Severance
Severance shall be paid to the Employee when
employment is terminated as defined in Section 9.
If the Employee is terminated, the Employer shall pro-
vide a minimum severance payment equal to one year
salary at the current rate of pay. This severance shall be paid in a lump sum unless otherwise agreed to by
the Employer and the Employee.
The Employee shall also be compensated for all
accrued sick leave, vacation time, all paid holidays, and executive leave. The Employer agrees to make a contri-
bution to the Employee’s deferred compensation account
on the value of this compensation calculated using the
rate ordinarily contributed on regular compensation.
For a minimum period of one year following termi-
nation, the Employer shall pay the cost to continue the following benefits:
1. Health insur
ance for the employee and all depen-
dents as provided in Section 4A
2. Life insur
ance as provided in Section 4D
3. Short-term and long-term disability as pr
ovided in
Section 4B
4. Car allo
wance or payment of lease, or provide
option to buy city vehicle at depreciated value
5. Out placement services should the emplo
yee desire
them in an amount not to exceed [$10,000 to
$15,000 recommended], and
6. An
y other available benefits.
58 of 69
40 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R If the Employee is terminated because of a convic-
tion of a felony, then the Employer is not obligated to pay severance under this section.
Section 11: Resignation
In the event that the Employee voluntarily resigns his/ her position with the Employer, the Employee shall
provide a minimum of 30 days notice unless the par-
ties agree otherwise.
Section 12: Performance Evaluation
Employer shall annually review the performance
of the Employee in [month] subject to a process,
form, criteria, and format for the evaluation which
shall be mutually agreed upon by the Employer and
Employee. The process at a minimum shall include
the opportunity for both parties to: (1) prepare a
written evaluation, (2) meet and discuss the evalua-
tion, and (3) present a written summary of the evalu-
ation results. The final written evaluation should be
completed and delivered to the Employee within 30
days of the evaluation meeting.
Section 13: Hours of Work
It is recognized that the Employee must devote a great
deal of time outside the normal office hours on busi-
ness for the Employer, and to that end Employee shall
be allowed to establish an appropriate work schedule.
Section 14: Outside Activities
The employment provided for by this Agreement shall
be the Employee’s sole employment. Recognizing
that certain outside consulting or teaching opportuni-
ties provide indirect benefits to the Employer and the
community, the Employee may elect to accept limited
teaching, consulting or other business opportunities
with the understanding that such arrangements shall
not constitute interference with nor a conflict of interest with his or her responsibilities under this Agreement.
Section 15: Moving and Relocation
Expenses
Recommended
Employee agrees to establish residence within the cor-
porate boundaries of the local government, if required, within [number] months of employment, and thereafter
to maintain residence within the corporate boundaries
of the local government.
A.
Emplo
yer shall pay directly for the expenses of
moving Employee and his/her family and personal
property from [location name] to [location name].
Said moving expenses include packing, moving,
storage costs, unpacking, and insurance charges.
B.
Emplo
yer shall reimburse Employee for actual
lodging and meal expenses for his/her family in
route from [location name] to [location name].
Mileage costs for moving two personal automobiles
shall be reimbursed at the current IRS allowable
rate of [cents amount] per mile.
C.
Emplo
yer shall pay Employee an interim housing
supplement of [dollar amount] per month for a
period commencing [date], and shall continue for
a maximum of [# ] months, or until a home is pur-
chased and closed on, within the corporate limits
of the [local government name], whichever event
occurs first.
D.
Emplo
yer shall reimburse Employee for a total of
[number] round trip air fares for Employee and
his/her family [amount of total tickets] at any time
during the first year of service to assist with house
hunting and other facets of the transition and relo-
cation process. The Employee and his/her family
may utilize and distribute the total [enter number]
individual round trip tickets in any combina-
tion of individual members making the trips. The
Employee shall be reimbursed for actual lodging
and meal expenses incurred by Employee or his/
her family members on any trips conducted prior
to relocation, as detailed herein.
E.
The Emplo
yee shall be reimbursed, or Employer
may pay directly, for the expenses of packing and
moving from temporary housing to permanent
housing during the first year of this agreement.
F.
The Emplo
yer shall pay the Employee’s tax liability
on all Employer provided benefits for relocation
and housing.
Option 1
The Employer shall pay a lump sum payment of [$] to
the Employee to cover relocation costs.
Section 16: Home Sale and Purchase
Expenses
Recommended
A.
Emplo
yee shall be reimbursed for the direct costs
associated with the sale of Employee’s existing
personal residence, said reimbursement being lim-
ited to real estate agents’ fees, and other closing
59 of 69
Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 41 costs that are directly associated with the sale of
the house. Said reimbursement should not exceed
the sum of [$].
B.
Emplo
yee shall be reimbursed for the costs inciden-
tal to buying or building a primary residence within
the [local government], including real estate fees,
title insurance, and other costs directly associated
with the purchase or construction of the house, said
reimbursement not to exceed the sum of [$].
Option 1
Employer shall reimburse Employee for up to three
discount points within thirty (30) days following pur-
chase of a home within the corporate limits of [local
government name], in an effort to minimize mortgage
rate differentials.
Option 2
Employer shall provide Employee with a _________
[fixed-interest, variable-interest, interest-only] loan to purchase a house. The amount of the loan shall
not exceed $________. The loan shall be repaid in
full to the Employer upon the occurrence of either of
the following events: (i) the home, or the Employee’s
interest in the home, is sold, transferred, or conveyed, or (ii) the Employee’s employment with the Employer,
for any reason, is terminated. The Employer and
Employee shall execute any and all documents neces-
sary to document this transaction. In the case where
the value of the home decreases, the Employee shall
not be required to repay the loan.
Option 3
Employer agrees to provide the Employee a loan for
the purchase of a home in an amount not to exceed
[dollar amount]. Employee shall pay Employer a
monthly mortgage payment of [dollar amount] for
interest, which is equal to the amount currently being
paid in principle and interest for the current residence.
Employee shall accrue equity at a rate of [% ] per
month.
Upon termination of employment with the
Employer, Employee shall have a maximum of six
months to sell the home while continuing to reside
in it under the terms and conditions here. Should
the home sell during the time period, Employer shall
receive 100% of the proceeds minus the percentage
of equity accrued by Employee as described above,
and minus the amount of equity originally invested
by Employee. Said accrued equity and original equity
shall both be payable to Employee upon closing. Said
original equity invested shall be calculated as an
amount equal to the percentage of original purchase
price, represented by the original equity investment
by Employee, and adjusted to be the same percent-
age of equity in the current sale price of the home. All closing costs borne by the seller shall be split between Employer and Employee in a proportion equal to
the equity share described above. Should the house
fail to sell within the allotted six month time period, Employer has the option of following the previous
arrangement to continue in place or to purchase
equity, calculated as provided above, plus the original cost of all improvements made to the property.
Section 17: Indemnification
Beyond that required under Federal, State or Local
Law, Employer shall defend, save harmless and
indemnify Employee against any tort, professional
liability claim or demand or other legal action, whether groundless or otherwise, arising out of an alleged act or omission occurring in the performance of Employee’s
duties as [job title] or resulting from the exercise of judgment or discretion in connection with the perfor-
mance of program duties or responsibilities, unless the act or omission involved willful or wanton conduct.
The Employee may request and the Employer shall not
unreasonably refuse to provide independent legal rep-
resentation at Employer’s expense and Employer may
not unreasonably withhold approval. Legal representa-
tion, provided by Employer for Employee, shall extend
until a final determination of the legal action including any appeals brought by either party. The Employer
shall indemnify employee against any and all losses,
damages, judgments, interest, settlements, fines, court costs and other reasonable costs and expenses of legal
proceedings including attorneys fees, and any other
liabilities incurred by, imposed upon, or suffered by
such Employee in connection with or resulting from
any claim, action, suit, or proceeding, actual or threat- ened, arising out of or in connection with the perfor-
mance of his or her duties. Any settlement of any claim must be made with prior approval of the Employer in
order for indemnification, as provided in this Section, to be available.
Employee recognizes that Employer shall have
the right to compromise and unless the Employee is
a party to the suit which Employee shall have a veto
authority over the settlement, settle any claim or suit; unless, said compromise or settlement is of a per-
sonal nature to Employee. Further, Employer agrees
to pay all reasonable litigation expenses of Employee
throughout the pendency of any litigation to which
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42 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R the Employee is a party, witness or advisor to the
Employer. Such expense payments shall continue
beyond Employee’s service to the Employer as long
as litigation is pending. Further, Employer agrees to
pay Employee reasonable consulting fees and travel
expenses when Employee serves as a witness, advisor
or consultant to Employer regarding pending litigation.
Section 18: Bonding
Employer shall bear the full cost of any fidelity or
other bonds required of the Employee under any law
or ordinance.
Section 19: Other Terms and Conditions of
Employment
The Employer, only upon agreement with Employee,
shall fix any such other terms and conditions of
employment, as it may determine from time to time,
relating to the performance of the Employee, provided
such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with or
in conflict with the provisions of this Agreement, the
[local government] Charter or any other law.
A. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement,
the Employee shall be entitled to the highest level of
benefits that are enjoyed by other [appointed officials, appointed employees, department heads or general
employees] of the Employer as provided in the Charter,
Code, Personnel Rules and Regulations or by practice.
Section 20: Notices
Notice pursuant to this Agreement shall be given by
depositing in the custody of the United States Postal
Service, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
(1)
EMPLO
YER: [Title and address of
relevant official (mayor, clerk, etc.)]
(2)
EMPLO
YEE: [Name and address for tax
purposes of Employee]
Alternatively, notice required pursuant to this
Agreement may be personally served in the same man-
ner as is applicable to civil judicial practice. Notice shall be deemed given as of the date of personal ser-
vice or as the date of deposit of such written notice in the course of transmission in the United States Postal
Service.
Section 21: General Provisions
A. Integr ation. This Agreement sets forth and estab-
lishes the entire understanding between the
Employer and the Employee relating to the employ-
ment of the Employee by the Employer. Any prior
discussions or representations by or between the
parties are merged into and rendered null and void
by this Agreement. The parties by mutual writ-
ten agreement may amend any provision of this
agreement during the life of the agreement. Such
amendments shall be incorporated and made a
part of this agreement.
B.
Binding Effect. This A
greement shall be binding
on the Employer and the Employee as well as their
heirs, assigns, executors, personal representatives
and successors in interest.
C.
Effectiv
e Date. This Agreement shall become effec-
tive on ______, ____.
D.
Se
verability. The invalidity or partial invalidity
of any portion of this Agreement will not effect
the validity of any other provision. In the event
that any provision of this Agreement is held to
be invalid, the remaining provisions shall be
deemed to be in full force and effect as if they have
been executed by both parties subsequent to the
expungement or judicial modification of the invalid
provision.
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 43 Index
Advertising campaigns
function of, 8
professional organizations that post vacancies for,
27–32
Alabama League of Municipalities, 27
Alaska Municipal League, 27
American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), 27
Applicants
diverse, 9
external, 9
internal, 9
relations, 10–11, 35
status notification for, 11, 35
Application forms, 10
Arkansas Municipal League, 28
Association of Idaho Cities, 28
Association of Washington Cities, 31
Background checks, 13
Candidates
background checks for, 13
guidelines to inform, 13–14
interview guidelines for, 14–15
potential interview questions for, 33–34
selection of, 13
Chief administrators. See also Selection
community engagement in profile of, 6
compensation of, 7, 17–18, 25–26
management of organization during recruitment of, 2
performance evaluation for, 19
profile development for, 6, 7
reasons for vacancies of, 3
recruitment assistance from retiring, 7
responsibilities of, 1, 20
transition process for, 19
Code of Ethics (International City/County Manage-
ment Association), 1, 21–24
Colorado Municipal League, 28
Community involvement
in chief administrator profile, 6
in interviewing process, 15 – 16
Commuting expenses, 18
Compensation Guidelines (International City/County
Management Association), 17, 25–26
Compensation package
changes in, 26
elements of, 7, 17–18
guidelines for, 25–26
negotiation of, 17 – 18, 25
Confidentiality, 11, 12
Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, 28
Council-manager government, 3
Delaware League of Local Governments, 28
Diverse applicants, 9
Elections, vacancy occurring prior to, 3
Employment agreements, 18, 26, 36 – 42
Florida League of Cities, 28
Geographic considerations, 8
Georgia Municipal Association, 28
Housing, 18
Hybrid recruitment method, 4, 5
ICMA Range Riders, 2, 5, 9
Illinois Municipal League, 28
Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, 28
In-house expertise recruitment method, 4
Initial interviews, 14
Interim administrators, 2
Interim management, 2
International City/County Management Association
(ICMA)
Code of Ethics, 1, 21–24
Compensation Guidelines, 7, 17, 25–26
Model Employment Agreement, 18, 36 – 42
position vacancy postings through, 27
Range Rider, 2, 5, 9
salary information, source of, 17
Voluntary Credentialing Program, 6
International Hispanic Network (IHN), 27
Interviews
initial, 14
questions for, 14–15, 33–34
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44 Re c Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R second, 15
selecting candidates for, 13
structure of, 14
Iowa League of Cities, 29
Kentucky League of Cities, 29
League of Arizona Cities and Towns, 28
League of California Cities, 28
League of Kansas Municipalities, 29
League of Minnesota Cities, 29
League of Nebraska Municipalities, 30
League of Oregon Cities, 31
League of Wisconsin Municipalities, 32
Local government, 7, 10
Local government managers, 1
Local government work session, 19
Louisiana Municipal Association, 29
Maine Municipal Association, 29
Management, during recruitment, 2
Maryland Municipal League, 29
Massachusetts Municipal Association, 29
Media, role of, 12
Michigan Municipal League, 29
Mississippi Municipal League, 29
Missouri Municipal League, 29
Montana League of Cities and Towns, 30
Municipal Association of South Carolina, 31
National Association of Counties (NACo), 17, 27
National Association of County Administrators
(NACA), 27
National Forum for Black Public Administrators
(NFBPA), 27
National League of Cities (NLC), 27
Negotiation process, 17–18
Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities, 30
New Hampshire Local Government Center, 30
New Jersey State League of Municipalities, 30
New Mexico Municipal League, 30
New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal
Officials, 30
North Carolina League of Municipalities, 30
North Dakota League of Cities, 30
Ohio Municipal League, 30
Oklahoma Municipal League, 30
Orientation meetings, 19
Outreach strategies, 8–9
Outside expertise recruitment method, 4
Pennsylvania League of Cities & Municipalities, 31
Performance evaluation, 19
Professional organizations, 27–32
Questions, interview, 14, 33–34
Recruitment
advertising as element of, 8
development of administrator profile, 6, 7
geographic scope as issue for, 8
hybrid method for, 5
in-house expertise method for, 4
initiation of, 3
management of organization during, 2
outreach strategies for, 8–9
outside expertise method for, 4
schedule for, 7
Recruitment process
confidentiality in, 11
elements of, 10–11
role of media in, 12
Reference checks, 15
Relocation expenses, 18
Resignation, 3, 7
Résumés
acknowledgement of, 11
confidentiality of, 12
review of, 13
Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, 31
Salary, 17
Schedule, recruitment, 7
Second interviews, 15
Selection
announcement of decision in, 19
application review as step in, 13
candidates to be interviewed as step in, 13
community involvement in, 15–16
decision process for, 16
interviews for, 14–15, 33–34
inviting candidate’s spouse/partner as step in, 15
reference checks as step in, 15
staff involvement in, 16
Severance provisions, 26
Souses/partners, candidate, 15
South Dakota Municipal League, 31
Staff members, involvement in candidate selection, 16
State municipal leagues, 27–32
Status notification, 11, 35
Temporary housing, 18
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Rec Ruitment Guideline s fo R s electin G a loc al Gove R nment a dminist Ra to R 45 Tennessee Municipal League, 31
Termination, 3, 7
Texas Municipal League, 31
Transparency, 26
Utah League of Cities and Towns, 31
Vacancies
professional organizations that post position, 27–32
reasons for, 3, 7
Vermont League of Cities & Towns, 31
Virginia Municipal League, 31
Voluntary Credentialing Program (International City/
County Management Association), 6
West Virginia Municipal League, 32
Work sessions, initial for expectations, goals, and
objectives, 19
Wyoming Association of Municipalities, 32
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 4 Section Name: STUDY SESSION Account Number: 10-1311 File ID: 23-7158 TO: City Council
FROM: Drew Corbett, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Manager's Office
MEETING DATE: February 06, 2023
SUBJECT:
Consideration of Winter Storm Damage Relief Fund
RECOMMENDATION:
Provide feedback and guidance to staff on contributing City funds to relief efforts for residents and businesses that suffered damage resulting from the recent winter storms and determine the criteria and administration method for distributing funding.
BACKGROUND:
At its regular meeting on January 17, 2023 during reports and announcements, Mayor Lee requested Council support for consideration of a City contribution to a relief fund for residents and businesses who suffered property damage during the most recent winter storms. Council agreed to agendize a study session for February 6, 2023.
During the staff presentation at the study session, staff will present considerations and options for Council and request feedback and direction. Specifically, Council will be requested to provide feedback and direction on the following:
- The amount of City funds to be contributed to this relief fund; - How the funds will be administered (i.e. through a third party or internally by City staff); - The criteria for residents and businesses to qualify for and receive funding to address property damage.
BUDGET IMPACT:
A contribution to a relief fund would be made from available fund balance in the General Fund. Given current estimates for the year end actuals for the current fiscal year, other priority funding efforts such as capital contributions, and the existing fund balance in the General Fund, staff estimates that a contribution of up to $150,000 can be appropriated without negatively impacting funding for operations over the short or long term.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This informational report is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
None
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CITY OF SAN MATEO
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STAFF CONTACT
Drew Corbett, City Manager
[email protected]
(650) 522-7002
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