MUKILTEO – A new city administrator will need to deal with issues such as moving the ferry terminal, remodeling or rebuilding the Rosehill Community Center and overseeing construction of the new city hall.
And the new administrator will need to get along with his top boss.
“Here, the administrator works for me, so he has to be able to work well with me,” Mayor Joe Marine said. “He may not always agree with me, but at the end of the day, my decision is final.”
The search for a new city administrator in Mukilteo is about to get under way.
On Monday, the City Council is expecting a report from the Bellevue-based Prothman Company about the process of hiring a new city administrator.
The firm – which helps cities and counties find temporary and full-time employees – will assist with the job search. The city will pay Prothman Company about $20,000 for its services, Interim City Administrator Lee Walton said.
The City Council will get a chance to evaluate finalists for the job, and Marine will make the final decision on who to hire.
Marine describes his ideal city administrator as a “linchpin” who connects elected officials with city staff members.
“I’m looking for someone who will fit in well with how we’re doing things,” Marine said.
The position will likely be advertised nationally with a salary range of $110,000 to $125,000, Walton said. Whoever gets the job will manage the city’s five department managers and approximately 90 employees.
The job was left open earlier this year when former administrator Rich Leahy, who’d been with the city since 1995, departed for a job in Woodinville. Leahy was paid an annual salary of $113,256 plus benefits.
The city’s plan is to have a new city administrator on the job by September.
“Being able to work with the mayor and council is very important,” Marine said. “You’ve got to be able to manage your staff and keep the direction moving forward.”
City Councilman Tony Tinsley said he’ll be looking for a candidate who is comfortable with municipal law and has good managerial and recruiting skills.
“I think Mukilteo deserves outstanding people, and we need a city administrator who will not stand for anything less,” Tinsley said.
Walton – who also worked as an interim city administrator in Arlington and Sultan – said the city can expect up to 60 applicants for the job. Of those, five or six applicants will probably be interviewed as finalists, he said.
“Just as important in that final process is selling the city,” Walton said. “You may have people applying for the job, and they’re not totally convinced this is the right situation. This is a mutual courtship.”
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
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