The process of hiring a Soldotna City Manager advanced with the acceptance of the revised City Manager job description through a consent agenda passage of Resolution 2022-56 by the Soldotna City Council at the council’s December 14th general meeting.
Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney commented on the resolution, which had been passed through the consent agenda.
“Through that resolution (2022-056) on job description; changes to modernized the terminology and to bring it more current with the actual job that is being conducted now. Minor changes and clarifications and modernization of the City Manager job description that will be going out when we start advertising for the position.”
Human Resources Manager Jessica O’Reagan, through a memorandum to Whitney and members of the City Council, stated she had reviewed the updated salary data for comparable positions, and proposed the salary be advertised as $140,000 – $170,000,depending on experience.
Council Member Lisa Parker highlighted a change in the experience requirement to the job description which is included in the laydown resolution.
“One of the changes that we did make is originally you could substitute a degree with ten years of progressive experience. We changed that ten years to fifteen years of experience.”
The Mayor and Vice Mayor, in coordination with the HR Manager, are authorized to oversee the administrative tasks and scheduling necessary to proceed through the hiring process. The City shall begin advertising the vacancy as soon as practical and the position will remain ‘open until filled,’ with a first review date of January 16, 2023. The City will contract with an outside firm to assist with advertising the recruitment.
The HR Manager will perform reference checks on all candidates selected for interviews. Interview date(s) will be set and the publicly noticed meeting(s) will include application materials in the meeting packet. Candidates moving forward to the interview process will be contacted and provided the opportunity to withdraw their application prior to it being made public.
After the Council has selected a finalist for the position, a conditional offer of employment may be made subject to a successful background check. When the employment contract is tentatively agreed upon, it will be brought to the Council for consideration by Resolution.
The opening for Soldotna City Manager came about as a result of current City Manager Stephanie Queen giving her notice, November 29th, to not seek to renew her employment contract as Soldotna City Manager, with the current term of her employment agreement expiring on February 28, 2023.
