Mountlake Terrace may pick new manager Saturday

Published 4:54 pm Friday, January 24, 2014

Mountlake Terrace Council could select city manager Saturday after interviewing three final candidates

The Mountlake Terrace City Council could choose a new city manager at a 5:30 p.m. Saturday meeting after interviewing the candidates earlier in the day.

Starting at 9 a.m., each of the seven City Council members will meet individually with each of the three finalists. Since each of the meetings involves only one Council member, none of the morning meetings is subject to the state open public meetings act.

The whole council will meet in a public meeting at 2:15 p.m. but go into executive session for all seven council members to hold group interviews with each of the three candidates.

The council will meet again at 5:15 with a final decision on selection of a new city manager on the agenda.

The three finalists come from a national search, but all are from Washington state. They are: Arlene Fisher, city administrator for the city of Cheney near Spokane; Subir Mukerjee, city administrator for the city of Milton in south King County; and Phil Messina, who most recently served as city manager of Ridgefield in southwest Washington.

The new city manager will replace interim City Manager Scott Hugill, who has served since longtime City Manager John Caulfield left in early September to become city manager in Lakewood, south of Tacoma.

Citizens will be able to meet the finalists at an open house Friday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 at the Mickey Corso Community Clubhouse at Ballinger Park.