Vancouver plots out its manager search

o What: The Vancouver City Council will hold a workshop to discuss what hiring process they wish to use to replace departing City Manager Pat McDonnell.

o When: 5-6 p.m. Monday.

o Where: City Hall, 210 E. 13th St.

Whether Vancouver’s next CEO lives across the country or just across the street is one of many decisions the city council may make Monday as they discuss a hiring process for a new city manager.

City Manager Pat McDonnell announced last month that he was taking a job at SEH America, and that Nov. 1 would be his last day after 10 years on the job.

The seven members of the city council will choose how they will look for McDonnell’s replacement, including whether to keep their search local or make it regional or nationwide.

“It’s the most important decision that the council will make for a long, long time,” Councilor Jeanne Stewart said this week.

Assistant City Manager Eric Holmes said this week that he intends to apply for the job, and several councilors indicated they consider him a front-runner for the position.

“Eric, as far as I’m concerned … meets a lot of conditions I’m looking for,” including a knowledge of the city’s inner workings, its budget and its staff, said Councilor Larry Smith. “To bring someone in who is not familiar … opens doors to some problems.”

Councilor Jack Burkman said that it could cost $50,000 to $75,000 to hire a headhunting firm to search nationwide and pay travel expenses for incoming candidates in a nationwide search.

“For me, it’s a question of, ‘Is that the best way to spend the money?’” Burkman asked. “I’m not sure at this point.”

Smith and Councilor Bart Hansen said they’re not willing to spend that kind of cash if there is a qualified internal candidate.

“We do not have $50,000 to $75,000 sitting around to perform a major nationwide search at this time,” Hansen said, adding, “I don’t feel we have a lot of time to bring a new candidate up to speed.”

Holmes, 41, has been assistant city manager since April, but has prior city manager experience. He served as Battle Ground’s city manager from 2002 to 2006, before taking a job as Chief Operating Officer at local development consulting firm MacKay & Sposito.

He was hired in October 2007 as Vancouver’s Director of Economic Development and was a key figure in the city’s development agreement with investors to develop the Columbia River waterfront site.

Warning against haste

However, others cautioned that it was too soon to say if Holmes is the man for the job.

Holmes would be a natural choice for interim city manager, and would be a “viable candidate” in the city’s search, Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt said.

“It’s certainly too preliminary at this point for me or council members to be saying what their preference is as far as a city manager or a process for selecting a new city manager,” Leavitt said.

If the council decides to look nationwide, Leavitt said, spending the money to find the perfect person to fill the most important position in Vancouver “does not cause me great concern.”

Councilor Jeanne Harris said she was all for taking the search regional, but not nationwide, because East Coast cities work too differently from those on the West Coast.

She called the speculation about Holmes “premature” and said the council needs to talk before any decisions are made.

An outside search may bring in a new perspective, a thing that some citizens are asking for, Stewart said.

“They could bring in fresh thinking — we’ve been on this path for 10 years,” she said. “It may be healthy to look at that.”

Councilor Pat Campbell seemed on the fence about which tactic to use.

“I certainly think (Holmes) is a good choice — other people may have other opinions,” he said. “We need to come to a consensus on what we want first.”

The council has a history of appointing its top administrator from within its ranks — McDonnell was promoted to city manager in 2000 from deputy city manager. Mary Jo Briggs, his fellow deputy city manager at the time, was the other major candidate.

Holmes said he has approached the members of the council and told them he intends to apply, no matter if it’s a nationwide or in-house search.

“I have a good understanding of the issues and opportunities that face the city,” he said. “I look forward to pursuing the job.”

Andrea Damewood: 360-735-4542 or andrea.damewood@columbian.com.