Mayor Tim Reazin and Commissioner Alex Curnes will take on the role of selecting a search firm to recruit candidates for city manager.
Commissioners discussed next steps related to the city manager search Monday night following the submission of applications from seven search firms.
The firms are the Austin Peters Group, GovHR USA, the League of Kansas Municipalities, OMNI Human Resource Management, Strategic Government Resources, Virchow Krause and Raftelis. More about each of the firms is included at the bottom of this story.
The city issued a request for qualifications to search firm services to help recruit and hire a replacement for City Manager Barack Matite, who announced his resignation at the last city meeting. His last day will be during the week of Jan. 9.
Matite was present virtually for the meeting, and expressed his gratitude to the commission for their partnership since becoming city manager in August 2016.
“It’s always a pleasure working with you all,” Matite said. “I’m one lucky guy to have you as a commission, and to have you to always work with me.”
Prior to the main meeting, a special meeting discussed proposed changes to city employee compensation.
The city commissioned Baker Tilly to see if employee salaries were competitive in the local market, and if they should be altered.
Commissioners approved the pay plan and position grade assignments recommended by the group, which includes a 5% cost of living adjustment and a potential 2.5% wage adjustment for tenured employees to address wage compression.
City staff also recommended a 1.5% merit increase, available to all full-time employees in March 2023. Matite said there are sufficient funds to cover the implementation costs of these wage increases, which will be over $490,000.
The city’s master fee schedule was also updated and included adjustments to city water rates. Water rates were increased by 5%, wastewater by 7%, and there are new membership options at the community center, all detailed in this Eudora Times article.
Reazin said it’s important residents know the reasoning behind rate increases, and he said they can come to him and other commissioners with questions.
City boundaries were also updated by commissioners to account for land annexed north of the city for a new main lift station.
The resolution will now be filed with the Douglas County clerk, the register of deeds, the Douglas County election commissioner and the state transportation engineer.
Commissioners also discussed the 2023 Downtown Grant Program, which has a budget of $15,000. They voted to award $4,600 to Main Street Wine and Spirits to repaint the building’s exterior, and $7,500 to Quilting Bits and Pieces to replace its roof and the concrete in the parking lot.
Reazin said initiatives like the RAISE grant, which is federally funded and meant to improve infrastructure, are important for the city’s development.
“Kevyn, Barack and I have met with community leaders and state representatives recently to talk about the RAISE grant,” Reazin said. “Any time you get to talk to someone about it, whether it’s an elected official with the county or anywhere else, it’s nice to be able to share that information.”
Parks and Recreation Director Sally Pennington presented updates about Pilla Park in a work session.
Over the last six months, the Parks & Recreation and Public Works departments have worked together to get updated costs and estimates for a complete site renovation, including the parking lot and playground area.
Staff worked with CFS Engineers to conduct a site survey to show the details of the entire site, from parking lot to green space. The cost estimates for the site work, including asphalt, concrete and demolition, are expected to be about $139,000.
Updated cost and design options were also gathered from multiple playground vendors for a new shade structure along with inclusive and nature-themed play pieces. The bids for the playground portion are estimated to be approximately $275,000.
The proposed plan includes renovating the entire park and ensuring an accessible park. This will also upgrade the overflow parking options from the City Hall parking lot, as more people are coming into Eudora, according to staff notes on the agenda.
The parking lot and site work are grouped into Phase One, while the playground itself is in Phase Two.
“This is just an update to show that we haven’t not been acknowledging Pilla Park. It’s just going to have to be in phases,” Pennington said.
Commissioners also approved updates to the city employee handbook in the work session.
All employees in the police department, paid employees in the fire department and some in public works must live within a 30-minute response time to their site of work, according to the handbook.
Other updates include an expansion of the city’s anti-harassment policy and a rewriting of the nepotism section, in order to remove the discouragement of hiring relatives. Commissioners brought up instances of siblings working together as lifeguards at the city’s pool.
The city also renamed its funeral leave policy to bereavement leave to allow for paid time off to grieve and cope in addition to time off needed to attend services. The maternity leave policy was renamed parental leave to enable the employee to care for and bond with a newborn or a newly adopted or newly placed child.
New policies, including tuition reimbursement, were added to provide more competitive benefits to employees.
Following the work session, commissioners entered into executive session to discuss an upcoming staff vacancy.
The next City Commission meeting will be Jan. 9.
The search firm applicants
The chosen search firm will help the city determine what it’s looking for in a city manager, recruit candidates, screen candidates, guide the interview process, create reports on finalists, and advise on salary, benefits and other employment terms.
The city received applications from seven firms interested in the role. The names and applications of the firms were not included in the City Commission’s agenda packet. The Eudora Times received the documents after filling out an open records request and paying a fee.
The seven firms to respond to the city’s advertisement were:
1. The Austin Peters Group in Fort Collins, Colorado: The firm said it has completed projects for over 160 local governments and has a history of working with Kansas communities since it originally started in Overland Park and Manhattan. The mayors of Valley Center, Derby, Greensburg and Osage City are listed in testimonials.
The firm noted its recruitment process is “inclusive of governing body members and local government staff, and if preferred, we will take advice from key stakeholders.”
The interview process for finalists may include community and facility tours, forums with employees and a panel interview with the City Commission. One hour is suggested for a meeting with community leaders and one hour is provided for a public reception.
The proposed fee is approximately $21,600.
2. GovHR USA in Northbrook, Illinois: The firm led the hiring of the Wyandotte County administrator this year, among others across the country.
The application noted the firm believes in engaging with stakeholders early in each recruitment process to “fully understand the challenges and opportunities inherent in the position.” This includes interviews with community stakeholders, community forums to gather input, surveys with city employees and/or the community for feedback, and conversations with city department heads.
GovHR USA noted it would work with the city to develop an interview schedule for finalists, listing an interview with the hiring committee, tour of city facilities and interviews with senior staff. The price estimate is $23,500, with consultant travel expenses not included.
3. The League of Kansas Municipalities in Topeka: The league has conducted 70 searches in the last 25 years and said it has experience placing administrators in Kansas. The application noted the league “knows the needs and idiosyncrasies of local Kansas communities.”
The league said it would conduct surveys with the governing body to determine the skills and qualities needed for the position. No information was provided on the finalists’ interview schedule besides allotting one week for interviews.
The proposed cost is about $7,000. The league touted in its application that its prices are “a fraction of the cost of a private firm” while acknowledging it was less knowledgeable on regional and national candidate recruitment.
4. Omni Human Resource Management in Overland Park: The firm has worked with 500 organizations in the last 25 years, including the cities of Overland Park and Blue Springs.
The firm emphasized its relationships with candidates and clients throughout the hiring process, noting candidates nowadays are also interviewing employers for culture and fit.
In the initial stage, the firm would help secure input from key stakeholders and, if desired by the client, create and distribute an online survey to obtain feedback/input from key staff, the City Commission and other stakeholders regarding key criteria required for the city manager role.
With finalists, the firm noted it would facilitate a second round of formal interviews before the search committee selects a candidate. The price estimate is $25,000.
5. Raftelis in Cincinnati: The firm has completed 300 searches and begins its process by conducting a needs assessment to identify the benchmarks for the search by meeting with commissioners, department heads and key staff, as well as facilitating a focus group with residents.
The aim is to not just discuss the technical skills needed for the position, but also what makes for the right organizational fit in terms of traits and experiences, the application said.
The multi-step interview process could include writing exercises, presentations, panel interviews, tours, and a department director or key staff meet-and-greet. The firm will also develop first-year organizational goals for the hired candidate to ensure the applicants know what will be expected if they are hired.
The price estimate is $29,500.
6. SGR in Keller, Texas: The firm has 700 local government clients and notes that most of its principals are former local government officials, giving them “perspective and depth of local government expertise.”
Semifinalists will need to complete a written questionnaire and an online interview. The firm suggests a stakeholder engagement process for finalists, such as offering community stakeholder surveys, interviewing community leaders and/or offering a public forum at the outset of recruitment, hosting a community leader reception, a meet and greet, or round robin forum meetings with various community groups during a multi-day interview process.
The cost estimate is $24,900, not including ad placement costs.
7. Virchow Krause in Overland Park: The firm provides executive recruitment and human resources services to local governments, conducting over 1,500 executive searches in the last 20 years. This includes the city administrator in Hutchinson and city manager in Overland Park.
The initial phase includes meeting with city commissioners, management team members and/or key stakeholders to understand the city’s leadership vision, strategic direction and candidate expectations.
Semifinalists are screened via video interviews, while finalists undergo a strengths assessment and management/leadership style testing to determine if the candidate is a good fit.
The firm customizes the process of finalist interviews according to the city’s directives, which may include meetings with department heads, a community meet and greet, and tours of the city. The cost estimate is about $26,950.
Overall, the firms expect the search to take three to four months.
Reach reporter Abby Shepherd at [email protected]
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