Executive Seach Services
PROPOSAL FOR
PROVIDING EXECUTIVE SEARCH SERVICES
FOR THE CITY MANAGER POSITION
FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS
FOR SALINA, KANSAS
NOVEMBER 15, 2004
GENERAL INFORMATION
FIRM NAME: THELEN CONSULTANTS
ADDRESS: 2398 South Eldridge St. Lakewood, Colorado 80228
PHONE: 303-239-1220
E-MAIL: THELENCON@AOLCOM
PROJECT MANAGER: AL THELEN
1. MISSION STATEMENT
The Thelen Consultants objective is to provide the best consulting services available
to local government; to carry out the work in a highly professional manner with
results which are specifically applicable to, and workable for, each unit oflocal
government that we serve. I strive to provide consulting services in an effective and
efficient manner to each client.
2. RECRUITMENT PHILOSOPHY
My philosophy in providing recruitment services is to rely on the job
description and ideal city manager profile that is developed through
discussions with elected officials as well as other information that will be
obtained in my research to guide our search process.
This process will
provide me the data that we need to recruit and screen applicants so I can
present my clients with five (5) to eight (8) candidates that meet their
specific specifications and candidates who will match the environment
and culture of the client's jurisdiction. The elected officials make the
selection of the successful candidate.
3. ABOUT THE PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO KEARNEY
Al Thelen will serve as project manager and will handle the work performed in
Salina.
ALAN A. THELEN
Alan A. Thelen formed the Thelen Consultants in 1997 after serving as a Vice
President in the Carl S. Becker Company, Inc., a local government consulting
company in Denver, Colorado from 1992-1997.
Mr. Thelen has served as the project manager for the executive search in the
following jurisdictions: Alliance, Kearney and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Kalispell,
Montana, Jefferson County and Central City, Fruita and Sterling, Colorado and East
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Cherry Creek Valley Water and Sanitation District located in the Denver Area and
Brookings, South Dakota. Mr. Thelen has extensive service as a city and county
manager. He served as the City Manager in Atchison and Leavenworth, Kansas for
ten (lO) years, Helena and Billings, Montana for eleven (11) years, Arapahoe County,
Colorado for five (5) years and the City of Titusville and Lake County, Florida for
five (5) years. He has served as Interim City Manager in the Cities of Alliance,
Nebraska, Kalispell, Montana, Fruita, Central City and East Cherry Creek Valley
Water and Sanitation District and Brookings, South Dakota while assisting with the
executive search for these jurisdictions.
Mr. Thelen has a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of
Kansas and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the State University of South
Dakota. He was awarded a lifetime membership in the International City Managers
Association in recognition of his service to local government. He serves as a "Range
Rider" for ICMA in the State of Colorado.
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4. ESTIMATED TIME TO PREPARE AND
COMPLETE SEARCH PROCESS
TASK MONTH I MONTH 2 MONTH 3 MONTH 4
I. Confer with officials, XXXXXXXX
prepare city
administrator profile
II. Prepare position XXXXXXXX
announcement, place
ads, identify potential
candidates
III. Prepare community XXXX
profile
IV. Screen applicants, XXXXXXXXXXXXX
resumes, interviews
V. Reference checks, XXXXXXXXXXXXX
semi-finalist
candidates
VI. Prepare candidate XXXXXXXXXXX XXXX
report, prepare for
interviews
VII. Finalist interviews XXXXXXXXX
VIII. Negotiations XXXXXXXX
with final candidate
IX. Administrative XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX
assistance, media
relations, status reports
X. Follow-up XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The timetable for completing the tasks identified in the proposal is shown on the bar
chart. I can start within seven days from your notice to begin the work. The final
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interviews by the Mayor and City Council can be completed in approximately 90
days from the date notice is given to initiate the project. Key dates, include the
placement of the position announcement in the International City Management
Association (ICMA) newsletter and firming up an early date for the final interviews.
It is important for all of the elected officials to be available for this final interview
session. The successful candidate's current employment obligations will determine
the date that the city manager can be on the job in Salina. This has averaged 45 days
in my recent searches. While there may be a desire to move more quickly with this
process, the selection of a new city manager is one of the most significant decisions
the Mayor and City Council have to make. It needs to be accomplished on a timely
but not on a hurried basis.
5. DESCRIPTION OF PRICING STRUCTURE
My proposed fees and reimbursement costs are as follows:
Fixed Fee for Professional Services
$10,500
Reimbursement for travel, food and
Lodging, based on 4 trips to Salina
Actual cost not to exceed
Reimbursement for cost of advertising
the position, actual cost not to exceed
Printing, telephone, postage and other
Office costs (fixed fee)
TOTAL Not to exceed
$ 2500
$
700
$ 1200
$ 14,900
This includes costs for the consultant to travel to Salina, it does not include
costs to bring the finalist for interviews with the Mayor and City Council.
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6. PROPOSED SCOPE OF SERVICES
I propose to carry out the recruitment to appointment process by performing
the following tasks:
TASK I. DEVELOP A JOB DESCRIPTION AND AN "IDEAL" CITY
MANAGER PROFILE
In order to develop a profile for the ideal candidate I will meet with
the Mayor and each member of the City Council, key staff and
community leaders, if desired, to develop information regarding
specific issues and challenges facing the city. The desired education,
experience and background of the "ideal" candidate will be
determined. I will work with you to identify the management skill
and style that is appropriate for the new manager. I will also collect
information regarding salary guidelines and benefits. The job duties
and responsibilities for the City Manager will be reviewed and a
current job description will be prepared. Once I have gained the
necessary information, I will prepare a draft recruitment profile and
job description and review it with the Mayor and City Council in a
group meeting and arrive at an agreement regarding the specifications
and an ideal profile for the position. The profile will guide all
subsequent recruitment efforts.
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TASK II. PREPARE POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT AND IDENTIFY
APPLICANTS:
I will draft and place the position announcement in the ICMA Newsletter and
other appropriate state and regional publications and newspapers. One of the
critical steps in any recruitment is the effort to identify and recruit good
candidates. In addition to placing ads in the appropriate identified publications. I
will use my "data base" and "networking" to identify candidates who meet your
specifications as identified in the profile and invite them to apply for the position
in Salina. In addition to print advertising, Thelen Consultants proposes to take
full advantage of the Information Age by advertising the position on the World
Wide Web with five services:
1. Local Government Job Net (www.1gi.org)
2. Govtjobs.com (www.govtiobs.com)
3. Jobs in Government (www.iobsingovernmlent.com)
4. The Job Service office http://co.iobsearch.org
5. Greener Pastures rhummer@KUed
Two of the services provide link capability whereby the prospective candidate can
immediately "click" into the Salina Home Page.
One of the services provides automatic e-mail notification to city manager candidates in
their registry. Candidates will be able to file an application on the internet. I am
confident that this recruitment process will generate from 35 to 50 applicants for Salina.
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TASK III. PREPARE COMMUNITY PROFILE:
This profile will include information about Salina, its history, and the city's
cultural and community facilities, the city government and its functions, major
issues to be faced by the city, the position and selection criteria established. The
interviews with the Mayor, Council Members and staff will provide data
regarding major issues. The data on Salina and the web sites mentioned in Task II
and other publications available in the city will be used to develop the community
profile. This community information will be included with the letter of invitation
and to inform other candidates about the position in Salina.
TASK IV. SCREEN APPLICATIONS AND RESUMES:
I will acknowledge all applications and resumes received and screen all
candidates against the criteria established by the Mayor and City Council.
Applicants whose qualifications most closely match or exceed those identified in
the job profile for the "ideal" candidate will be interviewed. The interviews will
include an assessment of the applicant's strengths and weakness and ability to
meet the expectations of the Salina Mayor and City Council. The candidate's
skills, background, experience and interest in relocating to Salina will be pursued.
Pursuant to this process, I will identify the top candidates for the position. (each
ofthese will meet the job profile approved by the Mayor and City Council.)
TASK V. REFERENCE CHECKS:
Each of the (5-8) semi-finalist candidates will be subject to detailed professional
and community reference checks. I will use some of the references provided by
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the candidate as well as others that I will obtain through my "networking" so that
I can thoroughly evaluate each candidate. These references and evaluations are
combined to provide frank and objective appraisals ofthe top candidates. I will
verify the college degrees of the candidates and arrange for criminal background
checks. .
TASK VI, CANDIDATE REPORT:
Based upon the results of the preceding tasks, a detailed report will be prepared.
The report will include information about each of the recommended finalist
including:
.
Reference comments
. Management style
. Outstanding achievements
. Current responsibilities
.
Candidates strengths as a manager
.
Candidates opportunities for improvement
.
Candidate salary history
.
Candidate resume
The report will be placed in a booklet with other material to assist the Mayor and
City Council in their final selection process.
I will provide a comprehensive briefing on the (5-8) semi-finalist candidates upon
delivery of the report and I will recommend a specific group of candidates for
final consideration. These candidates will not be ranked because at this point they
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will all be qualified and it will be a matter of "chemistry" between the Mayor,
City Council and the candidate that would produce the final decision.
TASK VII. FINALIST INTERVIEWS:
Once the Mayor and City Council have selected the three (3) to five (5) finalists, I
will assist in the development of a selection process that will insure fairness to the
final candidates and facilitate the final interview process. At the option of the
Mayor and City Council, we can facilitate the exposure of the candidates to such
groups as the City staff, and/or citizens groups, but the final selection needs to be
made by the Mayor and City Council. I recommend a city sponsored reception
for community leaders and city staff to become acquainted with the candidates. I
will provide suggested questions that the Mayor and Council members may wish
to use. I will notify the finalist of their selection and work with your staff to
arrange and schedule the final selection interviews. An advisory selection panel
can be arranged if desired by the council.
TASK VIII, NEGOTATIONS WITH FINAL CANDIDATE:
Once the Council has selected their choice for the position, it is important to
arrive at a contract that is mutually accepted by the new administrator and
Council. I will represent the Council during these negotiations.
TASK IX, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE:
It is my standard procedure to tell the media that we are working on behalf of the
City of Salina and public statements should come directly from the Mayor. In
Salina I will handle media relations as directed. Throughout the recruitment
process I will provide the Mayor and City Council with status reports. The
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finalist will be informed of their selection for an interview. Timely attention to
communication with everyone involved will enhance the recruitment process. I
will ask the Council to designate a staff person as a liaison for me to set up
appointments and follow up on other details.
T ASK X, FOLLOW - UP
I will follow-up periodically with the Mayor, City Council and City Manager
during the first year to monitor relationships and to suggest appropriate actions, if
any are necessary.
7. EXECUTIVE SEARCHES AND REFERENCES
Scottsbluff. Nebraska:
Dave Boeckner, Mayor
Phone: 308-635-0812
Ray Gonzolase, Councilman
Phone: 308-635-3206
Alliance. Nebraska
Mike Daffney, Mayor
Phone: 308-762-5553
Dan Kusek, former Mayor
Phone: 308-762-5802
Kearney. Nebraska
Bruce Blankenship, Mayor
Phone: 308-236-6903 (work)
Galen Hadley, Councilman
Phone: 308-865-8209 (work)
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East Cherry Creek Valley Water and Sanitation District (Denver Metro
Area)
Alan Tanenbaum, Chairman
Phone: 303-771-8210
Jean Solis, former Chairperson
Phone: 303-680-5253
Sterling, Colorado:
Dan Jones, Mayor
970-522-0652
Lee Roth, Mayor Pro-tem
970-522-2763 (work)
Brookings, South Dakota
Scott Munsterman, Mayor
605-692- 7222 (work)
Tom Bozied, Mayor Pro-tem
605-692-1234 (work)
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PROPOSAL FROM
THELEN CONSULTANTS
FOR RECRUITMENT SERVICES AND EXECUTIVE SEARCH
FOR SALINA, KANSAS
THE CITY OF SALINA, KANSAS hereafter called the PARTY OF THE
FIRST PART agrees to employ THE THELEN CONSULTANTS, to
perform the following described personal services for the PARTY OF THE
FIRST PART, pursuant to the THELEN CONSULTANTS PROPOSAL
WITH THE COVER LETTER OF November 15,2004 ENTITLED:
EXECUTIVE SEARCH SERVICES FOR A CITY MANAGER
For the said services the PARTY OF THE FIRST PART agrees to pay
THELEN CONSULTANTS A FEE OF $11,700 and a reimbursement of
expenses not to exceed $3,200 for a total sum not to exceed $14,900.
Payable when the project is completed.
In consideration of said payments and compensation, THELEN
CONSUL T ANTS agree to perform said services and work and carry out the
provisions of this contract in a good and workmanlike manner.
.3r~ (l
Dated this day of ~~ 200~ .
~
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