July 7, 2005

By Diane Chiddister

At their meeting Tuesday, July 5, members of the Village Council approved a resolution which establishes a community search committee to conduct the process of hiring a new Village manager.

“I think that we’re a bright enough, smart enough community that we could do it,” said Council member Bruce Rickenbach, who introduced the resolution, which was modeled on a similar proposal he made as a Council member in 2000, when Council last hired a Village manager. At that time, Council hired a professional search consultant instead.

The resolution passed unanimously, 4-0, with Tony Arnett, Jocelyn Hardman, Denise Swinger and Rickenbach voting in favor. Council member Mary Alexander was absent.

Current Village manager Rob Hillard announced last week that he will be leaving his job on September 1 to return to his previous job as manager-clerk in Allegan, Michigan. Hillard cited the need to be closer to family as his reason for leaving Yellow Springs.

In his resolution, Rickenbach stated that “it is only with openness, inclusion and participation that the community can truly buy into the appointment and support of the new Village manager.”

Other Council members agreed that a community-based process would offer benefits.

“I’m in favor of this. I have done it both ways,” said Arnett, referring to the use of a committee versus a search firm. “I’m very comfortable using a search committee. It will create momentum by pulling everyone in and sets up the new hire to be more successful.”

Hardman noted that using a volunteer-based search committee will also save money for the Village.

The resolution states that the search committee should consist of two members of Council, two villagers, two Village employees and two human resource professionals from either the Yellow Springs business community or the community at large. The committee would have responsibility for all stages of the search process, beginning with convening focus groups of diverse community members to “gather data needed to clarify the values and assess the needs necessary for the selection of a new Village Manager.”

The committee will next recommend a candidate profile and job description, conduct the search and screen the applicant pool to select the five top finalists to recommend to Council, which will then make the final selection.

The resolution further instructs the search committee to “reach into not only the usual white male pool of candidates, but also into the less usual pools of potential candidates that include females, persons of color, persons of different ethnic origins, persons of all sexual and religious orientations, persons of all ages, and persons who are physically challenged.”

Hillard cautioned Council members to “be conscious of time,” and noted that a professional search firm would offer the advantage of moving more quickly to fill the position before he leaves in September. In response, Rickenbach stated that he included two human resource professionals on the committee so that they would “already have resources at their fingertips.”

Council members agreed that the committee needs to get up and running soon, and stated as a goal that the process be completed in three months, one month after Hillard leaves. They requested that Hillard make a recommendation to Council at its July 18 meeting for an interim process for covering the manager’s job.

Council agreed to advertise immediately for committee members. Interested persons should apply by July 15 by sending a letter of interest to Clerk of Council Deborah Benning at 100 Dayton Street or emailing her at dbenning@yso.com. Council will choose committee members at its July 18 meeting.