News Commentary: Commission's City Manager Search Gets Off to a Ragged Start

By Mike Lednovich

Fernandina Beach is searching for its most important executive, the city manager.

Mayor Bradley Bean, who has no expertise in the hiring of top executives, Tuesday repeatedly opposed using a professional executive search firm, which specializes in identifying and vetting the best city manager candidates. Bean pushed his objection to hiring a search firm at least five times during the city commission workshop and voted 'no' on issuing a request for proposals to find such a firm.

Bean instead argued that a neophyte citizens committee -- composed so far of a paper mill manager, a local attorney, a dentist and a former city commissioner who is a restaurateur and business developer -- could do the job as well as a professional firm. "People (city managers) who are looking to work in such a job are aware and ready to apply and we don't need to spend the $50K on a hiring firm," Bean argued.

While they may be professional in their respective fields, none of citizen committee volunteers  have the experience to sort through 60 complex applications; conduct extensive background searches; determine leadership and communications competencies of each candidate; conduct interviews and then compile a list of finalists.

"I think that's total amateur hour. We need to hire a professional," said Commissioner Chip Ross of the mayor's push not to spend money for a search firm. "Having a board of five citizens who have absolutely no experience in hiring a city manager: I think that's really foolish."

The city's human resources director has pegged the estimated cost of using a search firm at between $25,000 to $50,000.

There are well documented merits of why cities engage executive search firms to find their next city manager. Naples, Fort Walton Beach, Indianola, Miami Beach, Clearwater, Atlantic Beach, Gainesville, Juno Beach, Pompano Beach, Fort Myers and St. Pete Beach are among the Florida cities that have recently hired executive search firms in their searches for a city manager.

The reasons the majority of cities hire executive search firms to identify their best city manager candidates include:

* They offer a full array of service and relieve city staff, a committee and city commissioners from recruiting/screening chores. Their level of service (and cost) depends on the city's specifications for the position.

* They actively solicit candidates and have candidates already identified.

* They can dedicate more time to the project than the city can.

* They know the current availability of managers, often throughout the United States, who are seeking a new community.

* They have extensive experience and can verify a track record of success. Many firms offer a one-year guarantee of a candidate once hired, refunding any fees.

 Bean later drew a line in the sand and said any search firm would have to be based in Florida. Commissioner James Antun said he favored "casting a wider net" for candidates and would consider out of state firms in the RFP.

In reviewing the first steps in finding a new city manager, Mayor Bean never mentioned creating a city manager job description to ensure it accurately reflects the city's expectations and job requirements.  Nor did he mention preparation of a profile of the city manager skills, training and qualities of the "ideal" candidate. Also no review of the present salary range, which is crucial in order to ensure the city remains competitive, was even discussed.  These are the crucial first steps recommended by the National League of Cities. Under Bean's plan, these tasks would be left to the citizens committee.

 Bean then threw what he called a final 'hail Mary' opposing using a search firm.

"I'm confident in our committee, and this committee paired with our HR department will receive a whole bunch of applications. Applications will come in and that will be the funnel. We need people who are interested in coming here and these people will be filtered by this committee."

Five minutes later, Bean still wanted his way. "I want to reiterate one more time that my plan would be we get these applications and our own citizens would narrow it down and we would come in for the final solution."  Bean lost the vote 4-1.

So thus far, no process for hiring a city manager is unanimously endorsed by the commission. With Bean's overbearing objection to hiring professional recruiters, the city commission is a house divided.

With the absence of an organized approach and strong, consistent leadership from the city commission, the recruitment of a city manager could morph into a negative experience with long-term consequences, starting with eroding the city’s ability to attract top-flight candidates for a city manager and other senior staff members.

Is the object to be fast or is it to hire a good city manager? All I hear is speed, speed, speed. Let's slow down and do it right and get a good city manager," Commissioner Ross said.  "This process is going to take four to eight months. It's not going to be any quicker than that."