MONTEVIDEO - Montevideo city council members will be interviewing two candidates to serve as interim city manager.
Council members agreed to interview Bill Lavin, retired after 31 years of service in Granite Falls, and Richard Almich, retired after 29 years of service in Le Sueur. Council members discussed succession plans at their meeting on Monday, according to Angie Steinbach, who is currently serving as interim city manager.
Two council members will conduct phone interviews with the candidates on Thursday and make a recommendation to council members.
Council members would like to appoint an interim city manager yet this month to work alongside Steinbach before she leaves her position in early January. Formerly the city's assistant city manager, Steinbach will be leaving to become county administrator in Yellow Medicine County.
Council members approved a resignation/retirement agreement with City Manager Steve Jones on Dec. 4. Jones had served as city manager for 20 years.
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Council members will launch a search for a full-time city manager early next year, but have not yet made decisions on how to proceed with the search, according to the interim city manager. Council members anticipate it could take three to four months to bring a new manager on board, based on information from consultant Gary Weiers of David Drown and Associates.
At their meeting on Monday, council members also approved contracting with Herreid & Associates Consulting, Inc., of Afton, to perform a three-phase workplace climate assessment. The process will include gathering feedback from city staff, identifying issues and developing an action plan to address them, and working with management and council members to identify future needs and objectives.