City manager search outline presented
City staff, community will be able to share their views
The search is on for a new city manager, now that Garth Sherwin has retired after serving the City of Lethbridge for 32 years. Sherwin was appointed city manager in July 2008. His resignation is effective Jan. 3, 2018. Whomever is chosen for the position will not only have big shoes to fill, but a learning curve as well.
“In our own community, we’ve only seen two city managers and now an interim city manager in a period of about 30 years,” said interim City Manager Kathy Hopkins. “It is a significant role in the community and as part of this organization, and not one that city council intends to take lightly.”
A city manager search committee was established at the Oct. 30 meeting, with Mayor Chris Spearman and councillors Joe Mauro, Belinda Crowson and Jeffrey Coffman as members. They were tasked with reviewing the City Manager Bylaw and to establish a recruitment process for the new city manager.
Hopkins presented an outline of the committee’s recruitment strategy at Monday’s council meeting. She said it is a long process as it has to be accepted by the community, understood and participated in by stakeholders.
“Selecting a chief administrator is perhaps the most important decision that elected local officials will make for their community,” said Hopkins, quoting the International City/County Management Association.
The recruitment strategy incorporates both inhouse and external recruitment agency expertise. It begins with developing a chief administrative officer profile with attributes the ideal candidate would possess.
City staff will be interviewed and complete a survey. Interest groups and citizens will have a chance to share their views in an online survey and/or during a Community Issues Committee meeting on Jan. 15. Written submissions must be received by Jan. 8. The final profile will be approved by consensus of council.
“What our desire is, is to present to council and for council to present to the community as an open and transparent process as possible,” said Coffman. “We do want to make certain the community has a say as to the traits of the person who next fills the seat of the city manager of the City of Lethbridge.”
A request for proposals for recruitment support will be circulated shortly for responses by the third week of January, with selection in early February. The timeline to select a new city manager is targeted for mid-April.
As to when a new city manager could be in place will depend on the chosen candidate, said Hopkins.
Ultimately it is the nine members of city council who will make the final decisions “on the process, on the direction and definitely on the outcome,” said Coffman.