Agenda - Council Work Session - 03/22/2022

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RELEVANT LINKS: The difference is that in one case, the consultant would coordinate most of the tasks, while in the other, it would be the designated staff member in consultation with the mayor or the entire council. A. Establishing qualifications for the position The mayor and council will want to start by thinking carefully and broadly about the qualifications they would like in a new manager/administrator. For a moderately sized or larger community (e.g., population 4,000 to 51000)1 it would be very reasonable to expect previous experience as an assistant city manager/administrator in a similar-sized or even larger city. Ideal candidates would hold a bachelor's degree and some candidates will have a master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., public administration, public affairs, business administration, leadership, urban affairs). Smaller communities (e.g., under 2,500) have often reported better results attracting less experienced city administrator candidates, including candidates with limited previous work experience (e.g., someone who has served as an assistant in a larger city, a candidate with experience that is not directly related but still generally relevant, or someone who has just graduated from a master's level program but has little or no experience). Beyond that, the council will want to think about specific demonstrated skills they may desire—i.e., staff leadership, policy work with the council, media relations, financial management, community and economic development, intergovernmental relations. No candidate is going to be strong in all areas! What skills are most important to the city at this time? It will be helpful to assess the strengths of existing staff, and then think about what skills the administrator/manager should bring in order to create a well- rounded staff team. Also remember managers and administrators are usually trained as generalists; if a particular skill is important, but not highly critical, most can learn quickly and apply those generalist skills in addressing particular issues and problems. On the more intangible side, the city administrator/manager is a critical position for setting a"tone" for the city. What personal traits will work best for the city at this time? What"style" is needed to earn the confidence of the council and effectively lead the staff? What values does the community expect to see in its city administrator/manager? ICMA. Two basic core values any administrator/manager should bring to the job are MCMA. a keen understanding of the public purposes and obligations of the city (which would be different than those for a private corporation) and a strong commitment to highly ethical behavior. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and its state counterpart, the Minnesota City/County Management Association(MCMA), are the professional associations for city and county managers and administrators. League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 3/7/2022 Hiring a City Manager or Administrator Toolkit Page 3