Firm Outlines the LG City Manager Search Process

Monday night the La Grange City Council heard from Bret Bauer of Government Professional Solutions, the firm hired by the Council to help them search for a new city manager. La Grange City Manager Shawn Raborn announced earlier this year that he would retire at the end of next month. Bauer said he hopes to present a group of finalists for the Council to interview before Thanksgiving. Bauer gave a survey to each of the Council members and asked them to submit written responses. Bauer said he would use their responses to develop an ideal candidate profile.The questions included “How would you describe the ideal candidate?”, “What do you not want in your next city manager?” and “What kind of management style do you see needing in this position?”

“This is the most important part of the process,” Bauer said. “The results of those questions will form the foundation of your entire recruitment. I take your data to create an ideal candidate profile. When the applications come back to me, I will grade those applications based on your responses to those questions.”

Bauer said he will also use the Councimembers’ responses to write a job description. Bauer said he will submit the job description for their approval at the Sept. 12 City Council meeting. Once approved, Bauer said he will draft a recruitment brochure. Bauer said he will distribute the brochure and advertise for the position. He proposed an advertising period of 30 days. Bauer said the position will be advertised with professional organizations such as the Texas Municipal League and the International City/County Management Association Bauer said he will then grade the applications based on criteria set by the Council. “Once we get to that point, we’ll schedule a meeting for us to sit down and go through the candidate pool,” Bauer said. “At that point in time, you will make the first decision about who will be identified and selected as a semi-finalist. That number could be 10 to 15, or whatever number you are comfortable with.”

Bauer said he and his partner will meet with each of the each of the candidates and record those meetings. He will submit the recordings to the Council for their review. Bauer said he will assist the Council in narrowing the pool of finalists to four to six candidates. The finalists will complete another questionnaire and undergo background checks. Council will then conduct in-person interviews with the finalists.

“To get from where we are today to in-person interviews, it will be somewhere in the middle part of November, hopefully before Thanksgiving,” Bauer said. “That’s my rough ballpark.”

Councilwoman Kathy Weishuhn asked Bauer whether other cities he has worked with involve citizens in the selection process. She asked about possibly distributing the survey to citizens and other stakeholders in the community.

“We’ve had clients who include outside stakeholder groups, and other clients have said absolutely not,” Bauer said. “I don’t believe there’s a right or wrong way to do that. It comes down to what you are comfortable with.”

Bauer suggested that each Council member seek feedback from constituents about what kind of city manager they would like to see.

“Regardless of how you might seek that feedback, now would be the time to do it if you’re going to do it,” Bauer said. “The time to do this is not a month from now. We will be well into the process at that point in time.”

“I think it’s a good idea to get ideas from other people,” said Councilwoman Patsy Zbranek. “But I don’t think we need to give them the survey. I think they leave it up to us when they elect us. But I think we need to get input from people and talk to them.” “At the end of the day, you have the final decision,” Bauer told the Council. “You can ask me my opinion on a certain candidate, a semi-finalist or even a finalist, and I will be happy to share my opinion. But please understand, that’s just my opinion and you will have the final decision.” It appears doubtful the Council will select Raborn’s replacement before the end of the year. The Council previously appointed Assistant City Manger Frank Menefee to serve as interim city manager after Raborn retired next months