To fill Battle Ground’s soon-to-be vacant city manager position, the City Council has opted to hire an outside agency to conduct the search.
The City Council voted 4-2, with one member absent, to approve city staff to seek a contract with recruitment firm Prothman to find a new city manager. The decision to seek an outside consultant comes a week following Erin Erdman’s announcement of her resignation, as she will be working for Kennewick, Washington as city manager, effective April 19.
According to a contract proposal, Prothman would provide the city with candidates for the position within a 10 to 14 week period. Prothman’s professional fee will cost Battle Ground $18,500. Other city expenses will include advertising at an estimated cost of $1,700 to $2,100. Background checks for candidates will cost $175 per candidate. The City will be responsible for candidate travel reimbursement.
Councilor Shane Bowman suggested the council consider from where the future candidates would be coming.
“There’s a big difference… in Arizona, Utah, Texas, on land use than there is here,” Bowman said. “When you’re recruiting in those areas, they may interview really well … but they don’t know anything that goes on with water, with (growth management) and those types of things.”
Prothman guarantees if the chosen city manager resigns within 18 months, the firm will conduct an additional search without the $18,500 professional fee. The city would still be responsible for travel, advertising and background check costs.
Battle Ground Human Resources Manager Tamara Gunter told the City Council the soon-to-be vacant position does not have a job description. Mayor Troy McCoy and Bowman will work with Gunter to develop a new description at a future meeting.
An addendum brought by McCoy to change the city manager’s contract was denied by a lack of motion. The addendum would have changed the city manager base salary to $208,000. Communications Manager Alisha Smith told The Reflector the current base salary is approximately $203,000.
A final contract between Battle Ground and Prothman will be voted upon by the Council at a future meeting.
