05/10/2006: "CC May Form CA Review Committees"

The Council plans to hold interviews with each of the final 12 applicants that have now been selected by the Council for the CA (County Administrator) position. These interviews are expected to be held in executive session, but Councilman Myhr has increasingly shown concern about just how much of the process should be conducted behind closed doors. There is also the question of will these interviews be conducted by only the three council members, or will other appropriate members of county government -and the public- be allowed to observe and comment?

Based on a press release issued last week from the Council, now that the final 12 candidates have been selected, "a panel of Elected Officials, appointed Department Heads, and the Administrator Pro-Tem will individually meet with each candidate throughout the day. At the close of the day's interviews, with input from the two panels and the Administrator Pro-Tem, the Council will review and evaluate the final candidates' qualifications" . While Chairman Lichter is on record as stating "I believe it is very important that any citizens interested be provided the opportunity to meet with our finalists," the question being asked now is, can persons other than the Council members ask questions of the candidates, and give input to the Council

The Council office had issued a statement following the executive session on the 15th, that "the Council may meet in Executive Session to complete the review the qualifications of the candidates, but hopes to conclude discussions and select a final candidate for County Administrator in open public session that day. .

Based on past actions of the Council (see story above) It had seemed unlikely at this late a date that a broad range of stake holders from the public would also be a part of the interview process, and be allowed to give input on a decision that will affect them. And while Ranker is quoted in the press release as stating "This is one of the most important decisions we will make as a Council, I am pleased with the thoughtful and involved process so far". So is that the end of the discussion on the selection process? Perhaps not.

Councilman Myhr told the Island Guardian that " I do not consider that the final decision about the process has been made by the Council. So stay tuned. ". The former Freeholders and other interest parties are still tuned in, and are paying attention, and sure enough, at the next Council meeting (Tuesday the 8th) the question of "transparency of the process" came up again, both at Citizen's access time, and also later in the meeting after Bob Myhr gave a report on how the selection process may proceed in the future.

In response to questions raised at the meeting by Susan Robins and by The Island Guardian, Myhr said he believed review committees should be assembled by the Council that would hold their own separate interviews of the finalists, and then be allowed to submit a report of some type to the Council for Council review and consideration. In addition to the members of county government, Myhr said there should also be a group formed that broadly reflected members of the community.

As Councilman Myhr said: "Stay tuned".