By Lara Fominoff @LaraFominoff on Twitter

Search begins for new Lethbridge City Manager

Dec 12, 2017 | 9:44 AM

LETHBRIDGE – The City of Lethbridge is officially looking for a new City Manager. At Monday’s council meeting, interim CAO Kathy Hopkins gave council an outline of the processes and procedures involved, including opportunities for the public to weigh in.
 
On Oct. 30, an ad hoc committee was formed to develop the process for hiring a new City Manager, made up of Mayor Chris Spearman, and Councillors Joe Mauro, Belinda Crowson, and Jeff Coffman.
 
Outgoing CAO Garth Sherwin’s last day on the job will be Jan. 3, 2018, after a 32-year career with the city.
 
Hopkins said besides her interim position, there had only been two City Managers in 30 years, the selection of a new one was significant, and should not be taken lightly.
 
Hopkins explained that there will be stakeholder input, they will look both in-house, provincially and even nationally, identify an “ideal candidate” profile and put together a compensation and contract package to reflect the chosen candidate’s experience.
 
City staff will be able to take a survey and will be interviewed for their input. And the public can make written submissions to the city until Jan. 8, 2018. They can also either comment or make a presentation at the Jan. 15 Community Issues Committee meeting.
 
But, she added, the decision on hiring a new CAO ultimately lies with City Council, and the process should be as concise, efficient and as transparent as possible.
 
The next steps, will be to circulate requests for proposals for recruitment support, and then to interview and select a support consultant by the first week of February, 2018.
 
Hopkins said they hope to have a candidate selected by mid-April, 2018.