Montpelier council approves immediate city manager recruitment, will hold public forum afterward

The Montpelier City Council voted on Aug. 26 to finalize and distribute the city manager recruitment brochure immediately and to hold a public forum afterward, using any later input primarily for candidate screening rather than for changing the brochure. The council also approved creating a stakeholder advisory panel to advise the council and agreed to publish the public survey as presented.

Why it matters: The council is beginning a multi-month search for a new city manager. How the public is engaged and whether a stakeholder panel will take part in vetting finalists will shape what characteristics the city prioritizes and who gets a meaningful role in the selection process.

Consultant Ian Coyle of Pracademic Partners told the council the central question was timing: “do we wanna do the forum for the purposes of gaining those inputs in advance to use for the brochure, or do we wanna go live with the brochure and the recruitment and actually commence the recruitment now, and then and still do that forum, but use that data and those inputs for a different purpose?” Councilors debated two options: delaying the brochure until after a public forum or releasing the brochure now and using later forum input for screening and interviews.

Councilor Helen (City Councilor) said she preferred starting recruitment immediately: “I will vote for the second 1. Start the research and the brochure right And have a public engagement session and then use that, input for the screening and also maybe to prepare interview questions.” Councilor Carrie argued for early public engagement but acknowledged the desire to move quickly. After discussion the council took a voice vote and chose the second option — finalize and publish the brochure as soon as it is ready, and hold the public forum and survey concurrently, with the forum used primarily for screening and interview preparation.

On the question of a stakeholder advisory panel, Coyle proposed a panel that would observe, take notes, suggest themes, review the management profile, and possibly participate in finalist meet-and-greets. Supporters said a focused advisory group could bring diverse, targeted input; opponents said the council has contracted a search consultant to perform that vetting and that adding a formal panel could duplicate effort or slow the process. The motion to form the stakeholder advisory panel carried after a recorded tie was broken by the chair (three councilors voting in favor, three opposed, mayor casting the deciding vote).

The council then approved the public survey as presented; Councilor Carrie moved and the council voted in favor. Consultant Coyle and staff said the survey will go live concurrently with the brochure and other public touchpoints on the recruitment website. Coyle asked councilors to send any final brochure edits directly to him by the following Friday so the recruitment posting can go live quickly.

What remains: Staff and the consultant will schedule the public forum (likely in October to avoid early-September conflicts), publish the survey and brochure, and recruit stakeholder-panel members from categories the council refines at the next meeting. The panel’s precise charge and membership will be finalized by council direction and staff outreach.

Ending: The search process will continue on the council’s timetable; councilors asked staff to return to the council with a finalized panel composition and brochure edits at their next scheduled meeting.