Hillsboro begins search
Staff writer
At Tuesday’s Hillsboro City Council meeting the League of Kansas Municipalities was hired to lead the search for a new city administrator.
Current administrator Matt Stiles resigned to take a job in Saline County. His resignation letter was officially accepted by council Tuesday.
John Deardoff, who returned to the league two to three years ago, walked council members through what they could do to assist them in finding its next city administrator.
First, he will send a candidate survey to council members to develop a profile of the person they want.
After the survey is completed, Deardoff will meet with council to modify the survey. A three- to four-page brochure with what Hillsboro offers will be created for perspective candidates to view.
If everything goes to plan the city could hire its next city administrator within 12 to 14 weeks.
“It is a tough market out there,” he said.
The city will pay the league between $9,986 and $10,384 for its assistance.
“That’s a fair price,” Mayor Lou Thurston said.
Since the city will not have a city administrator once Stiles leaves April 10, they will be interviewing a former city administrator April 13 to be its interim administrator.
Michael Webb, former city administrator for Edwardsville where he worked for more than a decade, will meet with the city clerk, a council member and police chief in Emporia next week for the interim position.
“I think it’s important to have the leadership to fill in the gap,” Thurston said.
When council member Ronald Wilkins asked what happens if no candidates to their liking apply, Deardoff said this probably would not happen.
“Having an interim gives you a cushion,” he said.
In other news, council heard a presentation on the South Main Drainage Project which is affecting three homes.
The homeowners attended Tuesday’s meeting.
While council members agreed the project is desperately needed. There is no money to pay for it.
Council approved cleaning up the trees in the area and purchasing the pipe needed for up to $20,000 with the rest of the funds to be addressed in its 2027 budget.
Council also heard a presentation on the SIGNS grant from Callie Arnold, assistant to the city administrator.
The grant, put on by the Kansas Department of Commerce, offers communities $25,000 with a 50% match.
The signs must be created by the Kansas Arts Commission.
What the city hopes is finding three businesses willing to pay $4,168 each to sponsor the signs.
When asked what happens if more than three are interested, Stiles said that is a good problem to have...
Stiles also told council members about the legislative push to eliminate elections in odd years. If this legislation is passed Hillsboro has options, including making the terms for the mayor and council four years to ensure staggered terms.
Thurston said council members will look at this again and make decision based on what the legislature decides.