WILLMAR -- Willmar City Administrator Charlene Stevens is one of three finalists for the city administrator position for the City of Lakeville, the SunThisweek newspaper in Lakeville reported this week.
The newspaper said Lakeville residents will have a chance to meet the finalists during a public forum at City Hall next Wednesday night.
Stevens has been Willmar city administrator since August 2011. She was assistant county manager in Sedgwick County in Kansas for five years before moving to Minnesota.
The other candidates are Justin J. Miller, city administrator of Mendota Heights, and Eric S. Hanson, city manager of Indianola, Iowa.
In a news release, Council Member Colleen LaBeau said the finalists are outstanding.
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LaBeau said each finalist offers the "skills, knowledge and leadership qualities we expect in our new city administrator.''
Before the public meets the finalists, Lakeville City Council members will spend the afternoon with each candidate individually, according to the newspaper. In addition to responding to questions from the council, each candidate will present to the council a one-page plan for addressing organizational change and briefly discuss strategies to implement them into the workplace that includes 185 full-time employees.
Also, each finalist will tour the city with interim City Administrator Allyn Kuennen.
City Council members are expected to make an offer to one of the candidates by Nov. 3 and take action on the hire at a subsequent meeting, according to Dave Unmacht, the consultant with Springsted who has guided the city’s search process.
The salary range is $134,414 and $161,295 plus benefits, according to an advertisement for the position.
Lakeville City Council members began searching for a new administrator in July after Steve Mielke resigned to lead Dakota County’s physical development division.
