The Yakima City Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, January 12th beginning at 10:00 am in the Council Chambers at Yakima City Hall. During the special meeting the Council will interview representatives of executive search firms that the Council is considering contracting with to help recruit candidates to become the next Yakima city manager.

The interviews with the search firm representatives will be conducted via Skype. Each representative will have about 15 minutes to discuss their firm’s approach to conducting executive searches and to respond to questions from the Council.

Scheduled to be interviewed are representatives from The Mercer Group, Bob Murray & Associates, Ralph Anderson & Associates, Waters & Company, and The Prothman Company.
Each of those firms has submitted formal proposals to the City Council to conduct the search for the next Yakima city manager. Tony O’Rourke’s resignation from the Yakima city manager position became effective on December 31st. City Attorney Jeff Cutter is currently serving as interim city manager.

The firm the Council ultimately selects to conduct the search will meet with Council members to prepare a candidate profile, recruit candidates nationwide, complete an initial screening of candidates, present the Council will a proposed list of finalist candidates, assist in the interviewing of finalists, and help lead contract negotiations with the Council’s preferred candidate. The entire process is expected to take about 4 to 6 months and cost between $20,000 and $30,000.

The Tuesday, January 12th Yakima City Council special meeting will be shown live on Y-PAC, Charter Cable channel 194.
Yakima City Council Special Meeting – News Release