Star-Journbal Editor
If you've always wanted to be in charge of the City of Hillsboro, here's your chance. Applications now are being accepted for the vacant city administrator's position, and it pays $60,000 to $70,000 a year.
The top job could be yours, if, and only if, you can leap the high hurdles standing between you and the boss's chair at city hall.
The timeline for advertising, screening, and interviewing for the city administrator's position was approved Feb. 13 during a special meeting of the Hillsboro City Council.
The help wanted ads soon will be published in trade magazines for city administrator-types, and on the Internet.
The posting reads, in part:
— The candidate's background should include exposure to all aspects of a full-service community including electric, water, wastewater, and solid waste utilities.
— Bachelor's degree in public administration or related field required, MPA [master's in public administration], or similar preferred.
— The ideal candidate will have a strong work ethic, an ability to engage potential stakeholders constructively, and have the ability to effectively delegate while maintaining appropriate levels of accountability and operational control.
— Applicants should have at least four years of relevant experience.
— The job requires strong administrative, financial management and communication skills.
The job description for an ideal city administrator was written by consultant Mark Tomb from the League Executive Administrative Position Search (LEAPS) program. Because neither the council nor the mayor has the time or know-how to conduct a thorough job search, the city is paying about $4,000 for LEAPS' expertise.
Tomb wrote the description after reviewing the results of a survey he asked each council member to complete, listing the attributes they want the next city administrator to possess.
The search became necessary after the council voted Jan. 24 to terminate the contract of former city administrator, Steve Garrett. He spent six years on the job, but was let go after a series of unsatisfactory job reviews.
Tomb said a six-year tenure was above average for a city the size of Hillsboro.
"Having another six or seven-year tenure again is something to look forward to," Tomb said.
Tomb will begin screening the applications on March 28, and select 10 to 15 of them to show to the council. The council will invite 10 candidates for first-round interviews, April 13-14.
In addition to their education and experience, the council also specified that the next city administrator must be able to prove he or she can get along well with subordinates, elected officials, and the public.
"I think communication skills was really a recurring theme of what you were looking for," Tombs said. "Questions for the on-sight interviews will be helpful in determining what their skills and strengths are in that area."
Tomb said it was important for the council to offer Saturday interviews.
"Saturdays tend to work because if a candidate has an existing position it's easier for them to not be noticed leaving and coming over for a Saturday interview, so leaving that as an option is kind of important."
Not only will the interviews give the council an opportunity to size-up the candidates, Tomb said they also will give the candidates an opportunity to size-up the city, and the city council.
"We want to go into the interview process with the belief that you're interviewing them, but they're also interviewing you," he said. "I think that makes sure that there is a good fit and that there is long tenure."
