Council extends reach to land city admin.

By Per Peterson

The City Council will cast a wider net in its efforts to bring in a new city administrator.

The council voted Monday to advertise on “League” sites (similar to League of Minnesota Cities site) in Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, as well as in Minnesota.

The City interviewed three finalists for the position on Oct. 4, but last week the person chosen for the job declined the offer.

Public Works Director Shane Daniels offered to continue to serve in the position on an interim basis, but said he didn’t want to serve past January for personal reasons.

The council was given a number of options Monday, including hiring a consultant to find a new city administrator or hire a contracted person to serve on an interim basis. Neither of those options sat well with the council.

The council decided to form a search committee in the near future to help with the process once the City receives a list of applicants. Again, the finalists will be narrowed to three candidates and will then be interviewed.

The City used only the League of Minnesota Cities web site to garner candidates for the first round. Council member Jeri Schons said going to neighboring states will get the advertisement out further.

“One of the things we all said we wanted was to have someone with experience,” Schons said. “I think the different Leagues will be where we get some qualified candidates with some experience.”

The Council decided to spend no more than $500 to advertise for the position.

“We’re going to have to advertise no matter what option we choose,” Mayor Anthony Dimmers said.

The advertising, which was set to go out Tuesday (Oct. 15), will be open until Nov. 15.

In other business Monday:

• Dimmers asked Chris Larson from ISG about underground lines that have not yet been televised as part of the Phase 3A1 infrastructure project. Larson said there were quite a few lines for which access was not available, either from the house or from the main line because of blockage.

“There are quite a few properties that are going to be televised as they have the trench open,” Larson said. “As they’re putting in the main and they cut off the existing service, that’s when they’ll have access and they’ll stick a push camera in there.”

• The council discussed zoning possibilities for a child care/preschool business on 3rd St. The zoning will be considered “special use” moving forward, according to Planning & Zoning Chair Rosemary Martin. The permit lasts through the entirety of the business moving there.

• The council voted to approve the $150 fee for the tae kwon do tournament at the VMC and to waive the fee for use of the VMC and to close Morgan St. from 3rd to 4th streets for the upcoming Halloween event.

• Also on Monday, the council approved a motion to appoint George Landuyt as the EDA’s seventh member, essentially filling the seat left vacant by the ouster of Jeff Salmon. Landuyt was to join the EDA board at the Oct. 16 meeting.

• Martin was officially appointed a Census liaison for the City of Tracy; she will be charged with finding her own assistants for the project.