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