City begins steps to fill city manager position

Finding a new city manager to take over Bret Bauer’s position after Bauer leaves next month will be the job of the Holton City Commission and city staff, commissioners noted during their regular meeting on Monday.

Bauer said he and “city staff” would get to work designing an advertisement for a new city manager to be distributed by the League of Kansas Municipalities and the International City Managers Association, as well as being advertised in The Holton Recorder. Bauer’s last day with the City of Holton will be Thursday, June 16 before taking a similar position in Gun Barrel City, Texas, it was reported.

Bauer told commissioners that many cities, when looking for someone to fill a position such as city manager, will work with consultants — or, as Commissioner Dan Brenner referenced them, “headhunters” — to find candidates for such positions. But in the case of finding someone to replace Bauer, Commissioner Tim Morris said he did not want to go that route.

“I have no interest in hiring a firm, or anything like that,” Morris said. “We’ve done a very good job of advertising within the confines of what we have available to the city.”

If the city chose not to go with a consultant in finding a new city manager, City Clerk Teresa Riley said the police department could not be called upon to run “background checks” on city manager candidates. Those checks could only be conducted if they are “in connection with a criminal investigation,” Riley said.

The commission would also have to decide what criteria to use when choosing a new city manager, such as doing their own “vetting” and determining whether education or experience would play more of a role in making that choice. Holton City Attorney Dennis White noted that commissioners would also be charged with determining the best “fit” for the position.

“In a small town, everybody’s going to be qualified, one way or another,” White said. “You’ll have to ask how they got along where they were and how well they’re going to fit in Holton.”

Bauer agreed, noting that “not everybody can come in here and be successful.” Still, he said he expected the city to receive several inquiries and applications for the city manager’s position.

“I’d be surprised if you got less than 50 applications,” he told commissioners.

In other business on Monday, commissioners approved the $26,900 purchase of a 2017 Ford Explorer Interceptor from Foster Ford of Holton for the Holton Police Department to replace a 2008 Chevrolet Impala in the police department’s fleet. The purchase was approved on a 4-1 vote, with Morris opposed.

Holton Police Chief Gale Gakle expressed his preference for the Explorer, noting that the all-wheel drive vehicle provides a “dust-free environment” for the equipment officers are required to carry in their patrol vehicles. This is especially necessary now that police officers are making more trips down dirt roads to Prairie Lake to check the area, Gakle said.

The Explorer will be purchased from the police department’s capital outlay fund, and Bauer said the department had enough budgeted for this year to cover the purchase. Concerning disposal of the 2008 Impala, it will be sold at auction, with Gakle noting “we’ll get more money that way,” as opposed to using it for trade-in value in the purchase.

Three bids were received for the purchase of a new vehicle, including two from Foster Ford — a bid of $25,600 for a 2016 Ford Taurus, in addition to the bid for the Explorer — and a $38,500 bid from Clark Chevrolet of Holton for a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe.

Commissioner Dan Brenner asked Gakle if the police department would be interested in getting an “unmarked” police car. Gakle replied that while he was “not opposed” to having an unmarked car in the fleet, he preferred to have all police patrol vehicles identifiable to the public.

“If you’re in an unmarked car, the people won’t know it’s you,” Gakle said. “I don’t think it would put out the kind of publicity that we want.”

Commissioners also:

* Approved minutes from the May 2 meeting and budget appropriations made since that meeting.

* Discussed budget requests for 2017 from the city’s street, fire, police, parks and recreation and administrative departments (see related story).

* Approved a proclamation setting Saturday, Sept. 28 as Poppy Day, by request of the American Legion Auxiliary.

* Approved, by resolution, the city’s participation in the Kansas Housing Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance to first-time homebuyers. Bauer noted that the city would have no monetary liability for participating in the program.

* Heard a comment from Meerpohl about use of foul language by some teens who hang out at Linscott Park. Bauer said he would speak with Gakle about the issue.

* Received “the final draft” of a petition to be submitted to the Kansas Department of Transportation from Brenner, who noted that Jackson County and Holton Community Hospital officials have also signed the petition, which will be “hand-delivered” to KDOT. Safety issues on U.S. Highway 75 north of the city near the entrance to the hospital and the Holton Industrial Park have been a discussion topic at recent meetings.

* Heard a comment from Brenner about possibly coming up with ideas for school field trips.

* Met in executive session for 10 minutes with Bauer, Riley, White and Assistant City Manager Kerwin McKee present to discuss matters of attorney-client privilege. No action resulted from the session.

* Adjourned the meeting at 8:10 p.m. All commissioners were present.