Hiring moves forward

The Orland City Council has given the go-ahead to negotiate a contract with a new city administrator.

Members met in closed session Monday to discuss the issue and decided to move the process along, according to Vice Mayor Bruce Roundy.

“We are in the process to hire a new city manager,” Roundy said.

He said the council directed city staff to proceed with tendering an offer to a candidate and then negotiating a contract.

Roundy added there were two really good candidates considered, and he believes people will be happy with the choice, he said.

He could not offer a timetable for hiring a new manager but suggested it might be completed within a month.

Interim City Manager Joe Riker retired June 30 after working for Orland six years.

In the spring, the council ordered the recruitment of his replacement, and the city began advertising for a new manager on the Internet, in professional magazines and via brochures.

The city received about 19 responses, Riker said, from applicants across the country when the recruitment period ended June 30.

That list was narrowed down to about six, he said, and five candidates accepted interviews in August.

From there, the list dropped to two or three who were interviewed by council members and committees of city staff and citizens, Riker said.

The final choices later were “vetted” with background checks and contacts with references, Riker said.

Now all that is left is to make an employment offer and see if he’s interested, Riker said, Monday afternoon.

Riker has been working as interim city manager for the city since his retirement with the goal of helping run it until his successor is on board.

He works part time under an hourly contract. Riker had made a salary of about $94,000 a year without benefits, he said.

Council members said they hoped to get an experienced but younger manager to take his place – someone who might be here a few years before retiring or moving on to another job.

The identity of the candidate being considered will not be revealed until someone has accepted an offer and signed a contract, city officials said. The terms and duration of the contract also will not be revealed until negotiations are completed and the council approves it.