Consultant outlines timeline for Biddeford city manager search; public input meeting planned

Don Garish, the consultant contracted to facilitate Biddeford’s city manager search, presented a detailed recruitment timetable and process to the council on June 29.

Garish said he conducts one-on-one interviews with department heads and invites public input through a meeting and email submissions; he will compile a document summarizing what he hears from staff and the public. He proposed placing the recruitment ad on Monday, July 20, running it for four weeks with a candidate deadline of Aug. 8, though he said the period could be shortened to three weeks or extended by a week if the council wants more public notice. "I sent to Pat already," Garish told the council when asked about public-notice materials, and he said he can adjust the public meeting notice schedule to suit the council’s availability.

Garish described the selection steps: collect resumes, prepare a booklet of all applicants for council review, hold an executive session to screen resumes, recommend candidates to interview, hold interviews (typically two interview days), prepare questions and support council in finalist selection. He said the city would pay travel costs to bring out-of-state finalists to Biddeford for finalist interviews and meetings with department heads; his firm would perform background checks and reference calls.

Councilors asked about notice timing and applicant yield. Garish recommended a four-week ad period in summer but said three weeks could be sufficient; he noted application volumes often spike near deadlines. Councilors raised procedural questions about whether councilors could attend the public meeting and emphasized transparency to attract good candidates.

What’s next: Garish will coordinate the public meeting notice, finalize the ad text with council input, and begin collecting resumes after the ad is posted. He told councilors he expects to have a process timeline ready and that staff and council will be regularly updated on applicant counts and sources.