The Mill Creek City Council will interview a pair of prospective candidates for an interim city manager post next week.
Both candidates are retired city administrators who have experience in not only the Puget Sound region, but within Snohomish County itself.
Michael Caldwell, formerly Lynnwood’s city administrator, and Jerry Osterman, who has worked for Bothell and Mukilteo, are the first two candidates who will interview for the interim post. Both candidates were provided to the city by Seattle-based Prothman Company, an executive placement firm. Both candidates are retired from the regular full-time careers.
Greg Prothman told the Mill Creek City Council on Nov. 30 that he reviewed the resume’s of five candidates before settling on Caldwell and Osterman, both of whom have interim city manager experience. The city is looking to hire an interim city manager to bridge the gap between Bob Stowe’s tenure and hiring a permanent replacement.
“The market for interim managers is very thin right now,” Prothman said, adding that many of his clients are already placed in interim positions around Washington.
Stowe resigned his post Nov. 16 to accept the same position with Bothell.
An interim city manager would have the same authority as Stowe, unless the Council decided to pass an ordinance limiting the manager’s powers, according to city attorney Scott Missall.
A time for interviewing the two candidates wasn’t officially set at the meeting, but initial plans were to conduct the interviews at 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6 at City Hall. The City Council can opt to hire one of the two men or expand the search with candidates from another executive placement firm.
“I don’t want to be stuck with these two in case they don’t fit,” said Council member Donna Michelson, a position echoed by Mayor Terry Ryan. “We should have somebody in the back pocket just in case.”
Council member Mark Bond, however, urged keeping the process simple, a position echoed by colleague John Hudgins.
“I don’t want to make the selection process overly complicated,” Bond said. “We don’t have time.”
Stowe’s last day with Mill Creek is Jan. 14, and the Council would like to have an interim replacement start work a few days before Stowe leaves. Stowe has been Mill Creek’s city manager since 1995.
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