Nine Secret Semifinalists Selected for La Grange City Manager Vacancy

La Grange City Council selected nine semi-finalist candidates for the vacant City Manager position at a meeting Monday night, Oct. 25. The Council met in a closeddoor executive session with consultant Bret Bauer of Government Professional Solutions (GPS) to review the job applicants. Interim City Manager Frank Menefee was absent from the meeting (he was attending a mandatory training class that day). City Secretary Janet Bayer said the City received 16 applications for the job. Bauer informed the semifinalists about their selection on Tuesday. GPS will now interview the semi-finalists. Those interviews will be recorded for Council to review. Bayer said Council will then select finalists for the position, which will probably take place in late November or early December. She said Council will conduct in-person interviews with each of the finalists. Bayer said the process may also include an interview panel with City staff. City staff will also give each candidate a tour of the City at that time, Bayer said.

The City has not released the names of the semi-finalists, citing privacy concerns. Bayer said the City Council has no plans to involve citizens in the selection process.

Also Monday night, the Council voted to set the salary range for the new City Manager at between $130,000 to $175,000 annually, which includes base salary plus benefits. Former City Manager Shawn Raborn was making a base salary of $122,948; with contractual benefits, his total salary was $149,914.