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Council left with 2 names for top job
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · May 18, 2017
Two of four finalists remain after two others dropped out of the running for West Branch city administrator, the mayor said Monday.
Of the two who remain, both are “very good” candidates, and the candidate a consensus of the City Council likes also remains.
Mayor Roger Laughlin said one candidate took a job at a private school northeast of here, and the other reported that, after further discussions with family, decided to remain at the town in which the family resides.
Laughlin said he was “disappointed” the second candidate did not determine that before the first round of interviews.
“I’m excited about both of these” remaining candidates, the mayor said.
With the field cut in half, the council at Monday’s regular meeting questioned the format established to move the candidates from room to room, facing two city officials at a time for the second round of interviews.
Laughlin suggested hosting a reception at his home, though council members disagreed on that idea.
Council member Mary Beth Stevenson wondered if that was “allowed.” She said she thinks Laughlin has good intentions, but “that seems inappropriate.”
The council also brought up that, should a quorum appear at the mayor’s home, then that would be, legally, considered a public meeting and would need to be open to the public.
Council member Tim Shields agreed with Stevenson, and Laughlin agreed to drop the idea.
Council member Colton Miller said he wondered why each candidate would be asked the same questions by each pair of interviewers.
Stevenson agreed, saying that seemed “bizarre.”
Laughlin and Interim City Administrator Nick Shimmin said they would talk with consultant Patrick Callahan to clarify his plan for the interviews to answer those questions.
The council seemed to agree that they would prefer to conduct the second round of interviews as a whole.
City attorney Kevin Olson said that would mean another quorum in a room, and to do that would require that the candidates file letters that they want to conduct the interviews in closed session. Shimmin noted that the candidates did that for the first round of interviews, so those letters are “on file.”
Stevenson favored an hour-long interview with the entire council.
“They’ll be really run through the ringer,” she said. “That’s a long interview, but this is a high-pressure job.”
The original plan with four candidates had the council meeting from 1 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. Friday, then again from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
“I hate to rewrite Pat’s schedule,” Laughlin said.
Council member Brian Pierce noted that was meant to accommodate four candidates; Shields noted that “we’re paying him.”
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