The lingering search for a vacant airport manager position has
reached the interviewing stage, and city officials hope to meet
early next week to discuss their options.
The lingering search for a vacant airport manager position has reached the interviewing stage, and city officials hope to meet early next week to discuss their options.
Public Works Director Clint Quilter, who is overseeing the interviews and airport operations, said he cannot talk specifics about the candidates or the process because it is a personnel issue.
“I hope to sit down with the city manager during the first part of next week,” Quilter said.
The city has held two separate advertising periods of more than 30 days for the opening, which became vacant when former Airport Manager Allen Ritter left in December 2002 after eight years on the job.
The city’s first recruitment began in February, when officials had hoped the entire process would last 45 to 90 days. When that recruitment period ended in March, officials were not satisfied with the pool of 20 candidates.
Therefore, the City Council approved another round of advertising, which began the second week of April. Quilter could not convey the number of applicants this time around.
The airport manager became a full-time position during the latter part of Ritter’s tenure. Deputy Director of Public Works Lawrence Jackson had taken over as interim airport manager while performing his regular work, but he has since relinquished the airport manager duties to Quilter.
The position will earn between $53,000 and $64,000, and the person will be responsible for the airport’s operations, management of the property and obtaining grants, among other duties.
The city’s human resources staff had conducted a survey of six similar agencies in Northern California to calculate an average salary for airport managers in those cities, according to a staff report. The results showed Hollister pays 20 to 23 percent less than the average.
