July 28, 2005

By Robert Mihalek

Village Council during a meeting last week appointed five people to serve on the committee that will lead the search for a new manager to replace Rob Hillard, who is leaving the Village on Sept. 1.

At the same time, Council agreed with a suggestion from Hillard that the Village planner, Phil Hawkey, serve as the interim manager once Hillard steps down and until his successor is in place. Hawkey also served as acting manager for nearly three months in the spring, when Hillard took a leave of absence and was treated for exhaustion.

In addition, Hawkey told the News that he “fully intends to apply” for the manager’s job.

“I would love to have the manager’s job, and I love the job I have now,” he said.

At their meeting July 18, Council members unanimously voted to name the following to the Manager Search Committee: Council members Mary J. Alexander and Bruce Rickenbach, Police Chief John Grote, Village Finance Director Sharon Potter and local resident Al Schlueter. Council also agreed to allow the committee to select one more villager to represent the community and two human resource professionals from either the Yellow Springs business community or the community at large, and to allow Hillard to appoint another member of the Village staff to the committee.

Council named the search committee members after meeting in executive session, which was not open to the public, to discuss possible appointments.

Council members said little as they voted on the appointments. Council president Tony Arnett said that the committee would begin work in “all due haste.”

Arnett also said that the committee’s meetings would be open to the public, but he added that Council would consult with Village Solicitor John C. Chambers to determine “to what extent” they can be open, since the committee will be discussing personnel issues.

The makeup of the committee initially was suggested by Rickenbach, who proposed that Council form a committee to lead the search for Hillard’s replacement. Council approved Rickenbach’s proposal at its previous meeting, on July 5.

At the end of June, Hillard handed in his resignation as Village manager. He is stepping down on Sept. 1. Hillard has accepted the manager’s position in Allegan, Mich., the same job he held from 1995 to 2000 before he joined the Village. He is returning to Michigan to be closer to his family in that state.

During last week’s Council meeting, Hillard recommended to Council a transition plan for the Village after he leaves.

Hawkey will be named the interim manager, while continuing to serve as the Village planner and coordinate the Village’s capital improvement projects. Hillard said he would work with Chambers to draw up a contract for Hawkey, who joined the Village as the part-time zoning administrator in April 2003, then was promoted in early 2004 to the full-time job of Village planner, a position Hillard created.

Hillard also recommended that Ed Amrhein, the assistant Village planner who works part-time, temporarily increase his hours to 40 for the rest of the year.

In addition, Hillard reported that he increased the responsibilities of Michael Applin, the supervisor of the Village electric and water distribution departments, and Harold “Dunie” Hamilton, the supervisor of the sewer, streets and parks departments. Hamilton’s additional duties include hiring and coordinating the lifeguard staff at Gaunt Park Pool and overseeing the Public Works facilities. Applin has been placed in charge of the Village’s employee safety programs and record keeping, and the Village drug-testing program.

Hillard also created two new positions: foreman of streets, sewer and parks and foreman of electric and water distribution. Dave Conley and Kelley Fox were promoted to these respective positions. Hillard shifted from himself to Grote the responsibility for issuing vendor permits.

After the Council meeting last week, Hawkey said that Hillard’s transition plan would “get us through the rest of the year” and allow the Village to complete the projects the government has planned.

He also said that even though he’d like the manager’s job, he appreciates the search process Council has established. Being hired for the manager’s position “without going through a process,” he said, “could undermine whoever is chosen.” He added, “I realize there will be other qualified candidates” who apply.

The search committee will be responsible for all stages of the search process, except making the final decision on a candidate, which is Council’s responsibility.

As part of the search, the committee will convene focus groups, including villagers and representatives of the business, education and nonprofit communities, to gather information needed to “clarify the values and assess the needs necessary for the selection” of a new manager; recommend a candidate profile and job description; recommend a “search strategy” for Council’s approval; and screen the applicants and select the top five candidates for Council’s consideration.

The top five candidates will go through an informal interview process with the search committee and the community. The committee will further be responsible for recommending a final list of two or three candidates for “intensive and open scrutiny and interviews” by Council and the community, the resolution establishing the committee states.