Council reviews fast‑track plan to recruit parks and recreation superintendent

City staff outlined a recruitment and hiring schedule for the parks and recreation superintendent at the April 14 work session and described how civil service, HR and the council could participate in the process.

Reed Hutton said staff planned to advertise the position starting Wednesday, April 22, with a five‑week posting closing May 31 and the earliest civil service interview date on June 10 under the civil service timeline. He explained that the human resources generalist scores applications against minimum qualifications, civil service oversees the first public interview round and that an aptitude test may be used if more than about 10–12 applicants apply, which would push interview dates later.

Hutton described the confidentiality procedures (applicants are confidential to staff until finalists are selected) and asked the council how involved they wanted to be in final interviews; councilmembers expressed interest in involvement and recommended Parks & Rec Commission participation. Ben Puk Shavinsky asked whether a recruitment consultant had been used previously; Hutton said the city did not use a consultant for the last parks hire but had solicited a quote from David Drown Associates (a full search quoted at about $27,000; recruitment‑only options were lower).

Councilmembers also raised interim staffing concerns for upcoming seasonal operations (pool, campground) and asked staff to provide a succession plan; Hutton said staff believe they can redistribute duties and that Mr. King and steering committee members will cover delegated project duties until a hire is in place.