By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Three city manager candidates Dowagiac City Council interviewed Jan. 29 to succeed Bill Nelson came from 33 initial applicants, Interim City Manager Rose Scherr said Thursday.
Sturgis Assistant City Manager Keith Campbell; Kentwood Mayoral Assistant Keith Van Beek; and Linden City Manager Dale Martin applied along with male and female candidates from as far away as Florida, Iowa and South Carolina, Scherr told Dowagiac Rotary Club Thursday noon at Elks Lodge 889.
Scherr, who joined the city shortly after Nelson's October 1996 arrival, is Dowagiac's human resources director for employment-related issues, such as hiring, training and safety.
Scherr pinch-hit for Mayor Donald Lyons, who was in Linden as part of Dowagiac's visit to the community of 3,600 15 miles south of Flint in Genesee County.
Linden, whose council meets in an 1871 mill, was named a "Cool City" by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Aug. 15, 2005.
Scherr recounted the search process for Rotarians.
"The first step, of course, was to try to convince Bill Nelson not to leave. Bill was hired six months prior to my starting with the city, so I was very fortunate to have worked with him for 10 years. He was a great boss. The next person we hire is going to have big shoes to fill. I can tell you from a staff position that Bill was a great manager. He was not a micro-manager. That style fits very well with us" because of veteran department heads – most of whom sat in on the interviews.
"They're hired to do their jobs, they know their stuff and you let them do their jobs until they need to be redirected on their goals. That's when the city manager steps in," she said.
Scherr, accompanied by city Treasurer Robin Coffey, added, "That Bill became one of several highly respected city managers in the state of Michigan is definitely to our advantage" in recruiting his replacement.
A committee was established to oversee the hiring process that consists of Mayor Lyons, Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Comstock, Third Ward Councilman Leon Laylin, City Clerk Jim Snow and Scherr.
"It should be noted," she said, "that the responsibility for hiring lies with the council. The final decision is theirs."
Scherr said one of the first things done as part of the process was to establish criteria for the position – "What are we looking for? What goals and objectives are on the horizon that the candidate would need to know about? We developed a position advertisement and (posted it) on the Michigan Municipal League Web site and also on the American Municipal Power Web site and in its weekly newsletter."
The ad describes the position's responsibilities, necessary knowledge, skills and abilities and current and pending issues the city faces.
A detailed profile was also developed to tell about Dowagiac, its city government and the process in general.
"Confidentiality plays a large part in the process," Scherr said. "Most candidates request confidentiality at the application level and we must abide with that request. However, once a candidate is selected for an interview and agrees to that interview, that information then becomes public."
Candidates received a variety of pertinent information, including copies of the city charter, the current budget, a personnel manual and various financial reports and documents.
Now that the one-hour candidate interviews have concluded, the next step is for the mayor, Comstock and Laylin to visit the communities.
Sturgis has already been visited.
"Most of the candidates have been here two to three times already," she said. "The next step after the tours is we will determine if second interviews are needed. After they are conducted, hopefully, within 24 hours we'll be able to make a decision. We'd like to have someone on board in 60 to 90 days. Once we make an offer, council will negotiate the compensation and benefits."