FAIRMONT– On Monday the Fairmont City Council received an update on the search for both an interim city administrator and full-time city administrator. Currently the city is without either following the resignation of Cathy Reynolds, whose last day was this past Friday.

At the last council meeting, it was shared that a candidate had agreed to serve as interim city administer but later pulled his application and would not accept the position after being contacted by some council members and members of the community.

On Monday the council was presented with a contract for a firm that offers recruiting services.

Council Member Britney Kawecki asked why the hiring committee, which consists of Council Member Michele Miller and Mayor Lee Baarts, had recommended choosing this firm.

Baarts said they started looking through a list of firms from the League of Minnesota Cities. Then they contacted South Central Co-op Services.

“We were down to GovHR and that’s how we ended up with them,” Baarts said.

Miller added that GovHR is the only firm that provided a proposal for recruiting services for the city administrator position.

“We only got one proposal for the RFP (Request for Proposal) for a full-time administrator?” asked Kawecki.

Baarts confirmed that of all the firms they reached out to, only one said it would help the city with its search for an administrator.

“Now we’re to the point that we have to use them for an interim because we’re not getting calls back from other people,” said Miller.

“We’re going to request them to look for an interim and full-time at the same time,” Baarts added.

Council Member Jay Maynard said he thinks the council needs to stop “back seat driving” and let the committee do its job.

Council Member Randy Lubenow said he thinks the hiring committee needs to better communicate with the rest of the council on what’s happening. Baarts said he’s been sending emails to update the council and noted that there hasn’t been much activity as many firms weren’t giving them calls back.

The council approved contracting with GovHR for recruiting services. The timeline for the recruitment is anticipated to be approximately 14 weeks until a candidate is selected.

Next, the council considered interim council communications. The council had previously adopted a policy which provides a framework for council communications with staff and the city attorney which are handled through the city administrator. With the absence of a city administrator or interim city administrator, the manner of council communications needed to be discussed.

Baarts said so far the different department heads have been made a point of contact.

“I think the plan is, council members, if you have something that you want directed to staff, you’re to send it to the mayor and the mayor will send it to one of us four,” said City Clerk Patty Monsen.

Miller praised the plan to communicate through the mayor. Baarts said he’s told staff that they will continue to do their best.

“We need to continue to move forward and we need to take steps,” Baarts said.

The council approved a motion to have council communication routed through the mayor until an interim city administrator can be appointed.

Maynard made a motion that all council agenda requests be put on hold until an interim city administrator is appointed.

“I have a concern about this because we don’t know when we’re getting a city administrator and council has the power to pull an agenda (item) from the agenda and we’re a strong council, weak mayor form of government. A number of things could come up and as council we should have the authority… to put items on the agenda,” said Kawecki.

“To me this is a workload issue,” said Maynard.

Baarts said if there’s an issue and council wants to add something to the agenda– or remove something– it could be done and will be considered when the time comes.

The motion passed 3-2 with Lubenow and Kawecki voting no.

Finally, the council approved a motion giving Finance Director, Paul Hoye, interim purchasing authority of $25,000.

In other news, the council:

— Approved the petition for sealcoat work at Heritage Acres at an estimated cost of $2,385.

— Approved Diana Bradley to the HRA (housing redevelopment authority) Commission.