Mount Pleasant Has 18 Administrator Applications; One Month to Deadline

Know anyone looking for a new job? Mount Pleasant is still accepting applications for Village Administrator.

So far, the village has received 18 applications, and there is still a month to go before the Dec. 31 deadline. At the Nov. 28 Village Board meeting, trustees approved the process by which candidates will be chosen.

First, a three- to five-person Candidate Ranking Committee will get put together by Dec. 15 by Planning Director Ron Meyer and Clerk/Treasurer Debra Salas, part of the interim management team. Names will be presented to the Personnel Committee at their Dec. 15 meeting.

During the discussion about the committee, language was inserted into the process document that a five-person group is preferred.

"The goal is to make sure we have a majority of people in government while still including members from the private sector," Meyer said. "If we go with five people, then three of them should be involved in government and two from corporate environments."

He cited the differences between the public and private sectors for this approach. A Human Resources professional would be desirable as well.

Trustees on the Personnel Committee on Dec. 15 will compile a list of questions for the ranking committee, and on Jan. 5, those same trustees will select five to eight top candidates based on their written submissions. Assuming all candidates pass an initial background check, the ranking committee will meet with them individually on Jan. 31 and provide a ranking for the Personnel Committee.

Next, a more in-depth background check will be conducted on the top candidates, and by Feb. 10, trustees on the Personnel Committee will meet to narrow down the list to three or four applicants. By Feb. 20, the Village Board will meet in closed session with each of the candidates, and by Feb. 27 the trustees will again get together to select their final choice and discuss a benefits package.

"How flexible are we on these dates?" Trustee Gary Feest asked during the board meeting.

Trustee Harry Manning, chair of the Personnel Commitee, said dates are not hard-and-fast, but instead should serve as a guide.

"We want to start with an objective," he said.

If plans stick to the timeline, a new Administrator could by in place by April 1. The salary range for the position is $85,000 to $105,000 per year and : a bachelor's degree; five years of managerial experience, municipal contract negotiations, and general accounting practices and principles.