Agenda - Council - 01/27/2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Administrative Services Director Lasher stated that she believed the second one-third payment would be due at the interview stage, but noted that she would need to confirm that detail. She said that the second one-third payment would logically be owed at the interview stage and indicated that, if this understanding proved incorrect, the timing could be addressed through negotiation. Mayor Heineman acknowledged the cost of professional recruiting services but emphasized their potential value and effectiveness. He stated a preference for pursuing a recruiting firm as the primary option, followed by reposting the position. He expressed that outsourcing the role to a third party would be the least desirable option due to higher long-term costs. Administrative Services Director Lasher asked if the city council would agree to let her try again for another three weeks to get candidates in for interviews. Councilmember Specht stated that options appear limited and expressed openness to pursuing any approach staff are comfortable recommending, noting that alternative strategies could be considered if the initial approach does not prove successful. Administrative Services Director Lasher proposed making modest adjustments to the minimum qualifications for the City Engineer position, such as allowing equivalent education and reducing experience and supervisory requirements, to broaden the applicant pool without lowering hiring standards. She recommended reposting the position for an additional three to four weeks with these changes to determine whether qualified candidates could be identified. Mayor Heineman directed staff to repost the position for approximately one month and indicated that, if the effort is unsuccessful, the City should then engage a recruiting firm. Councilmember Specht asked City Engineer/Public Works Director Westby whether he was comfortable continuing to cover the responsibilities for a few more weeks and invited him to share his perspective candidly. City Engineer/Public Works Director Westby stated that while operations continue, he cannot give sufficient attention to either role while covering both positions. He expressed concern about his inability to support his teams fully despite their strong performance. He indicated that he could continue in the dual role for another month or longer, if necessary, but emphasized that doing so is not ideal. Councilmember Riley stated that the current staffing challenges were anticipated when the decision was made several years ago to combine the positions, which he had opposed at the time. He cautioned against treating the situation as an emergency, noting that it stemmed from a Council policy decision. City Engineer/Public Works Director Westby clarified that his earlier comments reflected his high standards rather than a current operational emergency. He stated that there are no major failures at this time and agreed that the situation is not critical. He emphasized the importance of advancing City Council Work Session / January 13, 2026 Page 5 of 8