Firm Hired to Aid in LG City Manager Search

The La Grange City Council hired an executive search firm to help them select the next City Manager.

La Grange City Manager Shawn Raborn announced earlier this year his plans to retire. Raborn told the Record on Tuesday that he plans to step down at the end of September. The Council met in executive session Monday night, July 11, to discuss the city manager position.

After returning to open session, the Council voted to hire the company Government Professional Solutions (GPS) of Gun Barrel City to lead a search for Raborn’s successor. The cost is $21,500.

Raborn said the company will work with the Council to develop a job description, candidate profile and search strategy. He said the City would advertise the job opening around the state for about a month. GPS will then screen the applicants and conduct background checks. Raborn said he expects the company to present a list of candidates to the Council about three months from now. He expected the interview process to take another month.

“The time frame looks like it will be January before they get someone in here,” Raborn said in an interview on Tuesday.

With Raborn leaving at the end of September, that will leave the City with about three or four months without a permanent manager. The agenda for Monday’s executive session, included an item about appointing an interim city manager. However, they took no action on appointing an interim Monday night.