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Orr Uission: To work together to resposihty grow our community, and to provide quality, cost-effective, and efficient government ierwlcea.
<br />CC Regular Session 7. 3.
<br />Meeting Date: 03/08/2016
<br />By: Colleen Lasher, Administrative
<br />Services
<br />Information
<br />Title:
<br />Adopt Resolution #16-03-050 to Hire the City's New Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director
<br />Purpose/Background:
<br />The purpose of this case is for the City Council to authorize the hiring of Mr. Matthew Kohner as the City of
<br />Ramsey's new Fire Chief /Emergency Management Director (EMD); which is necessary due to former Fire
<br />Chief/EMD Kapler's retirement. It should be noted that Fire Marshal Carey Schiferli will serve as the Interim Fire
<br />Chief until the the new Fire Chief begins.
<br />Mr. Kohner successfully passed three phases of interviews, including the final interview with the City Council
<br />during the February 23, 2016 work -session and has successfully passed the City's pre-employment testing process.
<br />Therefore, as a result of the City Council's direction on February 23, 2016, the recommendation is to hire Mr.
<br />Matthew Kohner as the City's new Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director, effective April 11, 2016, at an
<br />annual salary of $95,877 which is step 3 of the 2016 wage scale and to provide a credit of five vacation days. As a
<br />department head, Mr. Kohner will be subject to a one-year probationary period and all personnel policies and
<br />benefits will apply normally.
<br />Background of the Recruitment Process
<br />The City Council, via a consensus, directed staff to conduct an open competitive recruitment that would include
<br />both internal and external candidates in one collective recruitment.
<br />As a result of the City Council's direction to staff, the following occurred: 1) Advertising: staff advertised the Fire
<br />Chief/EMD opening with the following sources: City website, City Facebook pages, Anoka County Union and
<br />Anoka County Shopper, Star and Tribune with Diversity Outreach, QCTV Cable TV, League of Minnesota Cities,
<br />Metro HR Managers, Minnesota Works.net, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Minnesota State Fire Chiefs
<br />Association, Minnesota State Fire Department's Association, and internally; 2) Leadership Surveys: a Fire
<br />Department survey was conducted amongst the Paid -on-call Firefighters as well as the Ramsey and Nowthen City
<br />Councils, seeking feedback regarding the future leadership of the Fire Department; 3) Applications: staff received
<br />17 completed applications, of which 7 applicants met the minimum requirements of the position; and 4) Interview
<br />Processes and Panel Members First Interviews: All seven applicants were interviewed by the first interview panel
<br />which consisted of the following individuals: Police Chief, Fire Chief/EMD, Assistant City
<br />Administrator/Economic Development Manager, Human Resources Manager, City of Nowthen Chief
<br />Administrative Officer, one Paid -on-call Firefighter, and the Elk River Fire Chief. Second Interviews: Three
<br />candidates were recommended to advance on to the second interview panel which consisted of the following
<br />individuals: City Administrator, Police Chief, Fire Chief/EMD, Finance Director, Community Development
<br />Director, Public Works Superintendent, Human Resources Manager, Fire Marshal, City of Nowthen Chief
<br />Administrative Officer, one Paid -on-call Firefighter and the Elk River Fire Chief. Both panels unanimously placed
<br />Mr. Matt Kohner as their top candidate stating that, in both cases, Mr. Kohner, without a doubt, clearly excelled as
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