Consulting firm will be used in city manager search

Firm would

screen applicants

By CHRIS VETTER

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The city should hire a 'headhunter' firm to help find a new city manager, says the city personnel committee.

The city council will likely hire Brimeyer Group, an executive search consulting firm, at its Dec. 19 meeting.

City Manager Dick Salvati announced Dec. 5 that he plans to retire in the first half of 2001. He has offered to stay until a new city manager is in place.

Brimeyer Group, based out of Hopkins, helped Sleepy Eye and St. James find new city managers recently, said Council President Dan Beranek.

"They do basically everything," Beranek said Monday. "They place announcements and buy ads. They'll screen applicants."

Beranek said he called a number of cities, from Fergus Falls to Mounds View, that used Brimeyer Group, and those cities reported good results from the consulting firm.

The cost of the search will be about $16,000, with some additional expenses that could increase the total another $3,000, Beranek said.

"I think for $16,000, it's money well spent," Beranek added.

Because the hiring must be approved by the city council, Brimeyer will not be able to begin until Jan. 1. Beranek said the consulting firm will likely narrow the field of applicants to about 10 candidates by May or June.

The city council would then become involved in the process, conducting personal interviews and inviting candidates to town, Beranek said.

Salvati's annual salary is approximately $85,000. Beranek said the salary range would be wide open, depending on the experience of a city manager, and would fall between $50,000 and $110,000 a year.

A new area for the city will likely involve offering a contract to the prospective city manager. Salvati has never had a contract in his 32 years with the city, but contracts are quite common now, Beranek said.

"Sometimes, to get a good person, that's the only reason they come," Beranek said.

The League of Minnesota Cities would likely help in drafting a contract, he added.

In addition to drafting budgets and working the council, a new city manager will be heavily involved in the design stage of new park and recreation facilities that will be built in 2002.