Task force holds a pivotal role in recruiting the next city manager
The selection of Austin’s next city manager will be the most important decision Mayor Steve Alder and the City Council make in the coming months.
The success of the 10-1 council system depends on a productive and trusting partnership with the city manager and creates the most basic building block of successful policymaking and implementation.
In recognition of the importance of conducting a transparent selection process, the council created the City Manager Search Advisory Task Force, which is composed of an appointee from the mayor and each council member.
The panel is charged with developing and conducting a community engagement process to shape a candidate profile. The public is invited to help identify the types of skills, abilities, experience and personal characteristics that are essential in Austin’s next city manager.
This front-end input is critical because it will inform both the recruiting efforts and the subsequent candidate pool and narrowing of those individuals to qualified semifinalists.
The city manager selection process will have three phases:
The task force will independently collect public input and submit recommendations on the candidate profile to the City Council and the city’s selected recruitment firm, Russell Reynolds Associates.
The recruitment firm will use the task force’s feedback to recruit qualified candidates for consideration.
The Austin City Council will deliberate and select a new city manager.
The importance of this first phase cannot be overstated. Valuable perspectives on Austin’s opportunities and challenges will come from all council districts and constituents, including neighborhoods, businesses, city employees, environmental groups and other stakeholders.
Resident input will point us in the right direction to ensure that successful candidates are aligned with Austin’s goals for our future as a vibrant, livable city.
The task force will solicit the public’s input through four types of opportunities:
Public meetings to receive input on the city manager profile began Monday and will continue Friday, plus June 28, July 8 and July 12.
Each task force member will conduct a meeting or gather feedback within their council member’s district. The formats and timing will vary according to the specific needs and preferences of each district.
A structured initiative will educate city staff on the process, seek feedback and provide opportunities for the city’s professional staff to participate in public hearings.
With development assistance from the city and Russell Reynolds Associates, the task force will sponsor a website platform for people to submit ideas and recommendations on the profile for a city manager. There will also be an option to call 311.
Austin residents have an opportunity to help shape the selection of our next city manager. Our city is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the country.
The opportunities and challenges associated with this growth must be identified quickly to ensure we grow with grace.
We will need a city manager who is uniquely qualified. We seek your input.