More Manager Searching

I checked out the Cedar Rapids' City Council's personnel committee meeting this afternoon. All four members were present, including Monica Vernon, Chuck Swore, Don Karr and Justin Shields. 

Council member Chuck Wieneke watched silently from a corner. I was worried a council quorum might break out, but it didn't. Phew.

The city manager search was agenda item one. In fact it was the only agenda item.

Vernon, who chairs the committee, said the council's  "regional search," hunting for candidates locally and around Iowa, will end in a week or so. If that doesn't result in any possibilities , the city will request proposals from outside search firms to throw out a broader dragnet.

But the most interesting part of the meeting came when the committee went line by line through the job descrption used in 2006, when the now-departed Jim Prosser was hired as the city's first manager.

The editing spoke volumes about change brought by last fall's election.

In some places, where the old language described the manager having the power to do something, supervise, hire or appoint, the personnel committee added a phrase or two to assert more council oversight,  such as "with the advice and consent of the council," or "coordinated by council."

For example, the old description said the manager's duties include "Meet with local business groups, individuals, citizen groups, the media and other government officials regarding issues affecting the city."

The personnel committee decided to add "Be available to" at the front of the sentence and "coordinated by the council" at the end. I got the impression from the discussion  that speeches, interviews etc. may have to be cleared with the council.

Vernon and Karr in particular said they weren't keen on Prosser's practice of meeting with The Gazette's editorial board monthly. Vernon said, too often, Prosser would "get out in front of the council" on issues at those meetings.

The next manager will still make "recommendations," but  "provide options" may get the ax. He or she will represent the city in economic development activities, but now "in cooperation with the mayor." Rather than "enable" a strategic planning process, the new manager will "assist the council" with planning.

"We can make our own strategies. We don't require anyone spoon-feeding us," Vernon said.

Some other changes were aimed at making sure the description wouldn't filter out potential private sector candidates. For exampled a "background" in housing programs was replaced with an "interest."

None of this is set in stone. The whole council must still approve the final job description. And there will be some checking to make sure the changes don't run afoul of the charter. Oh, yeah, the charter.

Shields seemed worried that the committee went too far.

"You're taking a lot of role away from the city manager...and giving it all to the council," Shields said.

"What is his job anymore?" Shields said.

Or "her" job, as Vernon had to subtley add several times for the benefit of the male committee members.  

It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and whether it will have an impact on applicants. The power pendulum swinging away from the manager, coupled with the prospect of a charter commission meeting next year, may have some candidates thinking twice about signing on for duty here.

One dream candidate is already out. Vernon said Mike Van Milligan, Dubuque's city manager, is not interested.

And no wonder. This is from a Dubuque Telegraph-Herald editorial this morning:

Dubuque City Manager Mike Van Milligen's salary might look high-end when compared to most people's wages, but it's in line with those of his peers. Plus, as we've stated here previously, he's worth it.

Prosser was making $165,000. Vernon said she'd like to see money added to that number in the interest of making a high-quality hire.

If you want an outstanding city manager, you have to pay competitive wages. Van Milligen earns his $237,370 per year. He's excellent at his job. He is in demand. And that's the going rate. If he wasn't doing a good job, other cities wouldn't be trying to lure him away from Dubuque.