After initially moving forward with the Michigan Municipal League to aid city officials in their search for a new city manager, City Council members Monday night rejected a contract presented from the MML at a cost not to exceed $6,850 in addition to advertising and administrative costs estimated at a little more than $750.
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Councilman Rick Dawson, a staunch supporter of hiring the MML, made a motion to accept the contract as presented but that action died for lack of a second.
Other council members voiced concerns about how the contract was worded, and questions prevailed about whether the city would have to pay the executive search fee even if they were unable to hire one of the candidates presented.City Clerk and acting City Manager Diana Kollmeyer said that council was misreading the contract and that if they were unable to hire one of the screened candidates, that the MML search committee would continue to look and present applications until a candidate is hired.
"(Council members) knew there was going to be costs involved. The way I understood it is that if they don't get a viable candidate, then they keep looking."
The label of "viable candidate," bothered some of the council members as they were unsure whether they would be able to determine which candidates are suited for the position, or if that would be something determined by the MML representatives appointed to the search.
"We were told one thing before, and now we are being told something else," said Councilman George Chedraue, who has been at odds with other council members supporting hiring the MML. "We were told before that we wouldn't have to pay anything if we are unable to hire one of their candidates. Now we are being told that is not the case."
Mayor Richard Smith, who also supports the MML hiring, explained as such when the MML presents their list of screened candidates - he said it would be a list of four to five - then they consider their work complete and their "money earned," at that point.
The information presented from the MML does not specifically address whether the city would be obligated to pay the search and advertising fees if they are unable to hire a candidate. And that seems to be the major sticking point for Council members.
If approved, the contract sets out a timeline:
n May 26-30: Initiate advertisement with the MML and International City/County Management Association (ICMA) respective Web sites.
n June 23: Closing date for applications. Council will study the resumes from June 23 to 30.
n July 7: Special Council meeting to discuss applicants, closed to public. It is expected that applicants will request confidentiality.
n July 19: Interviews scheduled starting at 8:30 a.m. If approved, this date will have to be moved as Councilman Brian Blackburn will be out of town.
After those steps are met, Council will then extend a contract to a selected candidate, MML representatives also will help the negotiation of the contract as part of the agreement. They have suggested an annual salary between $65,000 to $72,000 be offered.
After the motion to approve the MML contract died, Kollmeyer continued to voice her support for the hiring.
"There are five people who would be working with us, and that's all they do (is search for candidates)," Kollmeyer said. "We told (MML representatives) what we wanted. We said, 'We are a family, we need the right person,' and we told them not to just send us candidates.
"They were very accommodating to our requests."
When asked by Councilman James Shrove if the search fee cost was negotiable, Kollmeyer said definitively that it was not.
"They are a professional organization. Their fees are non-negotiable," Kollmeyer said. "They basically said that we 'could take it or leave it.'"
Council members decided to schedule a meeting with MML representatives to clear up some of the confusion. The special meeting will be held 7:30 p.m. May 12 at city hall right after the 5:30 p.m. budget meeting.
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