HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 5.E 09/10/2018DATE: September 10, 2018
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City -Council
FROM: John C. Brown, City Manager`.) 4
SUBJECT: Award of a Contract to W. Brown Creative Partners for City Manager
Recruitment Services and Selection of Councilmembers to Serve on a
Subcommittee to Represent the City Council Through the Recruitment Process
RECOMMENDATION
Receive this report, provide direction as appropriate and select two to three members of the City
Council to serve on a subcommittee to represent the City Council through the recruitment
process.
BACKGROUND
On August 6, 2018, I announced my retirement, advised the City Council I would solicit
proposals from consulting firms that specialize in senior and executive level recruitments, and
indicated I would discuss a vendor of choice at your September 10, 2018 meeting. I also
suggested the Council consider establishing a subcommittee to represent the Council through the
recruitment and selection process. '
Talking to professionals in the industry, and per direct observation, there is a lot of outward
movement in the public management profession as the workforce ages. As such, recruiting well-
qualified candidates has become more difficult in recent years and with more competition
between agencies for a more limited candidate pool. It is staff's goal to bring the Petaluma City
Council the greatest number of highly qualified candidates from which to select. We believe the
Council is also best served selecting a recruiter that brings the greatest level of overall service:
developing a candidate profile, conducting outreach and candidate screening, managing the
interview and selection process, providing a high level of direct service to the City Council,
conducting background checks, and representing the City in contract negotiations.
DISCUSSION
A Request for Proposals was circulated on August 9, 2018 to seven consulting firms that
specialize in senior and executive management level recruitments. Three firms responded by the
August 27, 2018 deadline: Avery and Associates (Avery), Teri Black and Company (Black), and
W. Brown Creative Partners (Brown). Staff analyzed the three proposals for responsiveness to
the RFP, consultant background, recruitment and outreach approach and strategy, proposed
experience. Interviews were also conducted with Teri Black and Wendi Brown, and reference
checking conducted on their two firms. City staff has a long-standing relationship with Avery,
having partnered on recruitments for senior and mid-level staff positions including Public Works
Director, Fire Chief, Human Resources Director, and Assistant City Attorney and Assistant
Public Works Director. As such, staff is familiar with Avery's approach, services, and work
product and did not feel it necessary to conduct an interview with, or check references on, that
firm.
The proposals we received are similar in structure and approach, the firms are staffed with
competent professionals, and all have recruited many senior and/or executive level management
positions. All three proposals are flexible, in that they rely on contact with and guidance from
the City before final strategies and work scopes are determined. Proposed timing ranged from
13-17 weeks. Proposed not -to -exceed costs differ slightly, but are only one consideration when
awarding an agreement for professional services.
A key to all three proposals is the development of a professional profile including desirable
characteristics in a City Manager and the organizational challenges and opportunities they will
address. That information is gained through discussions with Council members and key staff.
It's not uncommon for communities to solicit additional input from key stakeholders, and/or the
public. Of the three proposals, Black and Brown offer more stakeholder outreach, which could
include interviews, a group meeting, or community surveying. Both firms indicated community
surveying would be an effective means of complimenting Council and staff input. Guidance in
this area would be one effective role to play for a City Council Sub -committee.
Because the pool of qualified candidates is more limited than it once was, it's important for
recruiting firms to have a broad network of candidates upon which to draw, and a broad network
of contacts that can provide leads to candidates that may be up-and-coming. It's also important
that recruiters have effective strategies and utilize effective and innovative means to market to
quality candidates. In this regard, Avery has the greatest experience filling City Manager
vacancies. Black and Brown appear to be making greater use of social media and internet-based
outreach. All three firms rely on personal contacts to solicit interest in a given position. Avery
and Black's recruiting materials are more traditional in appearance; Brown's materials reflect
more current marketing approaches.
All three firms rely on personal interviews to recommend a list of candidates the Council will
consider for interviews, and look to the candidate profiles and Council guidance when
recommending the candidates most likely to satisfy the Council's requirements.
Regarding the selection process, managing the scheduling and logistics of the interview process,
including question development, interview proctoring, and direct services to the Council during
the process, Black and Brown offer the most comprehensive service; background checks
highlighted Brown's strengths in this area, in particular. As well, these two firms appear to offer
more in-depth background checking and lead negotiator services.
With respect to timing, both Avery and Black proposed timing of 17 weeks. Brown, proposed
13 weeks. Upon further conversation with Ms. Brown regarding the timing and effect of the
November elections on the selection process — which should be taken into account in fairness to
new council members and the City Manager alike — she'd revise her estimate in line with the
other two proposers.
As noted, not -to -exceed costs differ slightly, with Avery, Black and Brown proposing not -to -
exceed costs of $26,900, $28,500, and $25,400, respectively.
Any of the three proposers could serve Petaluma's needs. On the whole, however, staff believes
W. Brown Creative Partners' proposal best addresses the considerations discussed in the
Background section of this report and for that reason, was deemed vendor of choice.
The City Manager routinely approves professional services agreements without City Council
authorization and is authorized to approve other contracts in amounts in the range of these "
proposals. As such, it is my intention, short of City Council direction to the contrary, to execute
a professional services contract with W. Brown Creative Partners for City Manager Recruitment
Services.
Recruiting the next City Manager, in my view, should not be a City Manager -driven process,
which is one reason why a fiill-service recruiting approach makes good sense. I view my role as
supportive in nature, such as selecting a consultant to conduct the reciLlitment, logistically
supporting that consultant, and providing advice and input as needed. Selecting the next City
Manager is the Council's purview, and in that regard each City Council member will be asked
for input to define the ideal candidate. Each City Council member will also be involved in
screening interviews, and those remaining in January will participate in the final hiring decision.
To properly represent the City Council throughout the recruitment and selection process,
however, it's recommended your Council select a subcommittee of two to three members. That
group can be instilimental in providing guidance, acting as a sounding board, and representing
the Council as a whole without having to regularly convene the entire body. Ideally, the Mayor
and Council can select a subcommittee at the September 10, 2018 meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The estimated not -to -exceed cost of the recommended contract is $25,400. This amount can be
paid from the City Manager's budget and will be supported by the salary savings generated by
appointing the Assistant City Manager to the interim City Manager position for the period
between my retirement, and the date the new City Manager comes aboard.
ATTACHMENTS
None
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