City Council Minutes 2024 07 16 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes July 16, 2024 Page 6 of 7 Mayor Leh stated the Council currently needs to select an Interim City Manager. The Council can look for an outside person, perhaps using a recruiting firm, or appoint someone from within. Councilmember Hoefner stated time is of the essence to find a permanent City Manager and he feels it would not be a good use of time to get a search firm for an interim when we could use the current Deputy City Manager as the interim. He would rather start work quickly to fill the City Manager position and focus on that. Councilmember Fahey agreed with Councilmember Hoefner. The Acting City Manager can handle this job and is familiar with the City. Handling this appointment expeditiously would hasten hiring a permanent City Manager. Councilmember Hamlington agreed and stated staff needs stability and guidance and she sees no need for an outside search. We should focus on finding a new City Manager. Councilmember Kern supports this choice for efficiency purposes, to get a new City Manager on board quickly, and for continuity of government. Councilmember Bierman agreed with everyone; it makes no sense to delay. Mayor Leh stated it is clear we don't need to look outside for an interim candidate and Deputy City Manager Fox has the support of the Council. He agreed there is a need to provide stability for staff. He added he has a lot of confidence in the staff we have. Mayor Leh asked if the Council was comfortable making the appointment this evening and making it conditional on negotiating a contract that could come back at a later meeting on a consent agenda. He suggested appointing two councilmembers to work with the City Attorney in contract negotiations. There was consensus to move forward in this manner. Mayor Leh and Councilmember Kern agreed to be the two members to help negotiate the contract. Public Comments — None. MOTION: Mayor Leh moved to appoint Acting City Manager Fox as Interim City Manager subject to successful negotiation of the terms of an employment contract. Councilmember Hoefner seconded the motion. VOTE: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (Mayor Pro Tem Dickinson absent). Acting City Manager Fox thanked everyone for their confidence in her and stated she looks forward to taking on the role.