Paradise starts search for city administrator

The Paradise City Council Monday approved two items that will allow the city to begin searching for a full-time interim city administrator.

Mayor Amanda Black said that bringing on a city administrator has been one of her goals, as it would provide stability and continuity as elected officials come and go. A city administrator would also be effective in the implementation of new policies and procedures as Paradise experiences growth, she said.

“We’ve made some good strides, and I think we are ready to start the next phase, which would be to get an interim city administrator to look where we’re at … and figure out the best way for us to have a more permanent hire,” Black said.

The first agenda item dealing with a city administrator, a resolution authorizing the mayor to work with a municipal employee placement firm, described the position as part-time. But Black said after talking with another city administrator, pursuing a full-time interim would suit Paradise better.

Black said that ideally, an interim city administrator would help the city with its budget, review its policies, find areas of improvement and determine what the city can afford regarding hiring an administrator and what their specific duties would be.

The council then went into discussion of how much an interim city administrator would be paid, and, if the council chose to hire someone permanently in the future, what the financial commitment would be. Black suggested the interim contract not exceed six months and $60,000.

“We may be able to get a full-time (permanent) person for less than $100,000 when we get to that, but I won’t know until I get someone who’s more experienced and knowledgeable in here to help me do it, and we want someone who will be able to commit the time and get them a contract that will make it worth their while,” Black added.

Black clarified to the council that while a municipal employee placement firm would help find candidates for the interim role, ultimately the council will decide who is awarded the contract.

“…It’s big town thinking, and are we ready for that? Because that’s a big chunk of change for a handful of months,” Council member Matthew Whitten said.

The resolution to authorizing the mayor to work with a municipal employee placement firm was passed by a 3-1 vote. Whitten was the lone dissenting vote, saying that he needed more information.

The council then entered into discussion of the following agenda item, which was an ordinance for a budget amendment to provide funds from reserves to cover the financial expense of a city administrator.

“I feel like this is going to be a one time thing. They’re going to come in and do all this work and we may just need part-time contract help,” council member Cody Anderson said. “I don’t think this is going to be a permanent position, that’s just my thought. I think there’s a lot of backlogged stuff that definitely needs to be done, but I think we can get to a point where it’s just a couple of hours here.”

The council also discussed the possibilities of the contract being drawn out by the interim city administrator, with the person either not being motivated enough to get the work done, or the inverse of being so thorough that they keep finding work to do.

Anderson made a motion for the budget amendment, with the specification that it does not exceed $60,000. Council member Leland Whitsitt seconded, with Lance Tucker and Whitten voting against. Black cast the tie-breaking vote to approve the ordinance.