Dear City Council Members,
We are 28 days away from an election that could bring a great deal of change to our City Council. Given the huge role that the
City Manager has on our City, it is critical that we wait to make any substantive decisions about the hiring of the City Manager
until after the election.
The Staff Report for Agenda Item I-4 recommends that the City Council appoint a subcommittee tonight to oversee the City Manager
section process. Given the imminent departure of Mr. McIntyre, it argues that immediate action should be taken, and even points
out that the Mayor has already directed staff to solicit proposals from professional recruiting firms.
It is not appropriate for a subcommittee to be appointed before the election that will develop the "ideal candidate profile" and
"the selection process." It's one thing to move forward with the soliciting of proposals for recruitment firms at this time
(though even the definition of a 'good firm' can be subject to values and policies - who the firm considers stakeholders, track
record of recruiting women and people of color, a generally diverse pool of applicants, etc., etc.), but an entirely different
thing to make any other decisions. The upcoming election may have a huge impact on the Council and it is critical that we give
those elected on November 6th, whether they be newcomers or incumbents, a chance to be part of the process.
I would also encourage the City to create an advisory committee of some sort made up of key stakeholders to give input into what
qualities they would like to see in a City Manager. This advisory committee should be made up of a diverse pool of interested
parties and ideally would have a part in the selection process as well.
Finally, I encourage you to go through this process in the most accessible/transparent way possible for the community at large.
Having this item last on the meeting's agenda does not inspire public participation and oversight.
There is a lot at stake in this process. Please make sure that it is done correctly.
Thank you for your consideration.
Jen--
Jen Wolosinjenwolosin@gmail.com [jenwolosin@gmail.com]
