City manager interviews go to wine country

Council is taking its search for a city manager on the road to a Niagara-on-the-Lake resort Saturday to ensure confidentiality for job applicants, officials say.

Some critics are asking why private interviews couldn’t happen in a local hotel – while others question why job interviews are scheduled that day at all.

Council has yet to debate a repeatedly delayed motion from Coun. Maureen Wilson seeking to overhaul the mandate and membership of the council steering committee overseeing the recruitment process, with an eye toward a greater focus on diversity and gender equity. Citizens are slated to delegate to councillors on the idea Wednesday. Ward 3 Coun. Nrinder Nann also has a notice of motion proposing to postpone the recruitment meetings. The next planned meeting of the search committee is scheduled for Feb. 9 – this Saturday – at White Oaks Resort and Spa, a popular conference centre in Niagara wine country.

City spokesperson Jacqueline Durlov said the venue was chosen to “respect the confidentiality of the job candidates. ”

When asked why Niagara was chosen over closer municipalities or hotels elsewhere in Hamilton, she said the city’s headhunting consultant is “familiar with the venue.” Committee members are not expected to stay overnight at the resort for the meeting, Durlov said.

Taking the meeting on the road spurred criticism online, including from former city councillor Matthew Green, who called it an “obvious attempt to stifle public scrutiny” and poked fun at the “country club type resort” location.

Official city meetings that discuss personnel matters are legally allowed to be conducted behind closed doors but are supposed to open and end in public session.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said Tuesday the consultant recommended the location as ideal to ensure the privacy of job applicants, some of whom may still be employed elsewhere. The mayor said search committee members aren’t there for wine tours or a spa day. “We booked a conference room, we’ll interview some applicants and we’ll go home,” he said.

The room booking cost wasn’t immediately available Tuesday, but Hamilton has budgeted $60,000 for its headhunting consulting search.

Hamilton has been in the market for a new top bureaucrat since longtime city manager Chris Murray left to take the same job in Toronto last August.