With City Manager George Lewis retiring Jan. 10
– and the placement of a permanent successor months away – the
Hollister City Council will interview candidates today for an
interim position as the city’s foremost decision-maker.
With City Manager George Lewis retiring Jan. 10 – and the placement of a permanent successor months away – the Hollister City Council will interview candidates today for an interim position as the city’s foremost decision-maker.
Council will interview three candidates, each of whom is a retired city manager from the central section of the state, Lewis said.
Interviews should last about two to three hours and take place during closed session, Mayor Brian Conroy said.
“It could be two months. It could be six months. It could be eight months,” Conroy said. “We don’t know. It’s very important. We need somebody there managing the city.”
Lewis said it is common for retired city managers to submit their names into a pool organized by the League of California Cities, which recommends candidates – according to geographic region – for available temporary positions throughout the state.
Lewis announced his retirement Sept. 13 after five years as Hollister’s city manager.
Councilman Tony LoBue and former Councilwoman Peggy Corrales made up a subcommittee to interview several executive search firms. They recommended Bob Murray and Associates for the job.
The estimated cost for the search firm’s services is a maximum of $25,000.
The firm is currently in the process of a nationwide search, with the deadline for applications Friday. Bob Murray and Associates will next conduct a two-month to four-month recruiting period.
“My understanding is they’ll go through applications, and based on their knowledge they’ll recommend a number of applicants to be reviewed by the city,” Lewis said.
Conroy stressed not rushing through the process because the job’s immense level of importance to the city’s future.
“It needs to take time, especially at this point in the city’s history,” Conroy said. “It’s important that we do get a good city manager, someone who will set goals, create a road map and hold people accountable.”
LoBue, now the sole member of the subcommittee, prescreened two of the three interim city manager candidates. Councilman Robert Scattini had already replaced Corrales on Council when the interviewing process had started.
“I’ve got to give Tony (LoBue) credit for taking time to interview these people,” Conroy said. “Now, all of us on the Council have questions.”
Although the length of the upcoming interim period is unknown, Lewis said a new city manager should be chosen by the end of the appropriated recruiting period.
Lewis said during that time – and once the permanent city manager takes over – he would be willing to discuss issues to help out during the transition period.
“I’ll do consulting of some kind for a few years,” Lewis said.
But he expressed confidence city staff can handle such consulting with the interim and permanent city managers.
“We have a great staff here,” Lewis said. “They know what’s going on in the departments.”
As Lewis’ final week approaches, he expressed mixed emotions about his departure from city government.
“This has been an exciting job,” Lewis said. “But there are also a lot of things on the other side I’d like to do, which working full-time prevents you from doing.”
Aside from consulting, Lewis said he may do engineering work in some capacity. He called himself an “engineer by profession.”
“I’m not going to sit around watching TV and drinking beer,” he said.
