Politics & Government

Search Firm Proposes Plan for Hiring a New City Manager

Timeline calls for Rockville to name a new city manager in early March.

A draft of what Rockville is looking for in a new city manager is due to the mayor and City Council on Friday under a timeline proposed last week by the firm conducting the search.

In a Dec. 1 memorandum, John A. Anzivino, senior vice president for search firm Springsted Inc., recommends a schedule that would have the mayor and council name a new city manager in early March.

Scott Ullery .

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On Nov. 28, the City Council voted unanimously to appoint Jennifer Kimball as acting city manager. Kimball had served as assistant city manager since January 2009.

In taking the first steps in the search for Ullery’s successor, Springsted conducted interviews in October and November with immediate past and newly elected council members.

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The interviews were to gather “thoughts concerning the specific duties and responsibilities of the [city manager] position, as well as individual expectations concerning desirable training, experience, professional and personal characteristics of the ideal candidate,” Anzivino wrote in the memo, which was included in a packet of materials at a council “retreat” at City Hall on Dec. 1.

Springsted also is interviewing “key City department heads to gain insight into their needs and expectations concerning the City’s new Manager and to identify key issues” for Rockville in the years ahead, Anzivino wrote.

Based on the council interviews, Springsted decided that the best way to solicit public input on the search was to contact members of civic and homeowners associations, he wrote. The firm is using a list provided by the city to contact the community groups.

Information from the interviews with council members, staff members and community members will be used to write a position profile. The profile will be submitted to the mayor and council for review, comment and approval.

Key dates in the recruitment and selection process include:

  • Friday—Draft position profile provided to the mayor and council.
  • Wednesday—Receive mayor and council’s comments on the profile.
  • Dec. 16—Candidate recruitment and application process begins.
  • Jan. 17—Candidate recruitment and application process ends.
  • Jan. 31—Springsted reports on the candidates during a closed session with the mayor and council.
  • By Feb. 7—Springsted meets with the mayor and council to discuss candidates to interview.
  • Late February—Mayor and council conduct initial interviews with candidates.
  • Early March—Second round of interviews. Mayor and council select top candidate and begin contract negotiations.
  • Early March—Mayor and council names new city manager.

Dates are subject to change based on the availability of council members to attend meetings in January and beyond, Anzivino wrote.

Springsted also is surveying compensation and benefits packages offered to managers of communities similar to Rockville.

“The City Council will find this useful both in recruiting the new Manager and also in employment negotiations with the City’s top candidate,” Anzivino wrote.

The previous council voted in October to pay Springsted $20,800 to conduct the search.

The timeline is a bit behind .

Leaving the search process for the new council is in line with the wishes of several candidates in last month’s city election.

“As noted in our conversations with the Mayor and Council members prior to the election it appeared to be wise to delay development of the position profile until the election was complete and the new members of the Council sworn in so that all members could provide their thoughts concerning the qualities, skill sets, education and experience which the City’s new Manager should possess,” Anzivino wrote.

Rockville operates under a council-manager form of government. The city manager provides management and administrative support for the day-to-day business of the city, including carrying out policy enacted by the City Council.


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