Keizertimes., June 11, 2021, Page 7, Image 7

JUNE 11, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A7
Murky path to interim city manager lies ahead
Day grinds axe over
candidate, informal
public intro June 14
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Keizer City Councilor Ross Day took aim at the pro-
cess by which the city is selecting an interim city man-
ager and the primary candidate under consideration
for the job at a city council meeting Monday, June 7.
Noting that the city manager is one of only two
direct employees of the council, Day embarked on an
attack on the process and Wes Hare, the former city
manager of Albany, who is being considered as the
city’s interim city manager.
“This is a decision that is specifi cally delegated to
the city council, and it’s taking place outside of the
council,” Day said. “I know Wes Hare and, to be hon-
est, I am not a fan. [The interaction] was not pleasant.
I don’t trust him and that’s my problem but, if you had
consulted me I would have told you.”
Councilors previously voted to give Clark power to
move the process ahead.
When asked for more details about Day’s inter-
action with Hare, Day added, “[Hare] worked for the
advancement of policy that would have harmed one
of my clients. He didn’t care that it was going to cause
substantial harm to a business in the city of Albany.”
According to Day, the city dropped its stance when
other attorneys intervened.
Despite Day’s reservations and some voiced by oth-
ers on the council, the hiring process will proceed to
the next steps. Councilor’s voted 5-2 to continue with
an informal meet-and-greet on Monday, June 14, at 7
p.m. It will take the form of a council work session and
is open to the public.
Councilor Dan Kohler joined Day in opposition to
carrying forward on the current path.
“There have been a number of times I’ve been
involved in hiring people and it’s not always the one
with the most experience that is the one that we need,”
Kohler said.
The city received two applicants for the interim city
manager role, but the second candidate’s name has
not been disclosed. The applications were screened
by the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Government
and scored based on how each candidate aligned with
the minimum requirement set forth by the city.
In addition to his experience in Oregon, Hare
worked in consulting capacities with local govern-
ment administrations internationally. As part of the
International City County Managers Association,
Hare consulted in Indonesia, Pakistan, Ethiopia and
Iraq, he told the Corvallis Gazette-Times in 2016.
“The majority of Mr. Hare’s experience was as
Albany’s City Manager where he served for 12 years.
This is in comparison to the other candidate that has
over 17 years of experience as a City Manager at three
diff erent agencies with two of the three positions being
four years or less,” stated a staff recommendation.
City administrators also scored the two applica-
tions and Hare rose to the top based on past experi-
ence as a city manager and serving in interim roles
like the one Keizer is looking for. Mayor Cathy Clark
and Councilor Elizabeth Smith were provided access
to the scores and decided to move forward with only
P LICE
Monday, May 31
1 p.m. - Arrest for physical harassment
in the 1000 block of Jentif Court NE.
6 p.m. - Bicycle theft in the 4000 block
of River Road N.
Sunday, May 30
12 a.m. - Theft from motor vehicle in
the 400 block of Sunset Avenue N.
1:14 a.m. - Assault in the 1000 block of
Ring Street NE.
3 a.m. - Arrest for physical harassment
in the 1000 block of Susan Court NE.
1:36 p.m. - Sudden death in the 5000
block of Willow Leaf Street N.
6:30 p.m. - Assault in the 700 block of
Manbrin Drive NE.
9:31 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 6000
block of Keizer Station Blvd NE.
Tuesday, June 1
2 a.m. - Theft from motor vehicle in
the 1000 block of Jentif Court NE.
8:08 a.m. - Fleeing a police offi cer in
the 5000 block of McClure Street N.
Scanner
Wednesday, June 2
1:55 a.m. - Probation violation in the
100 block of Apple Blossom Avenue N.
sudoku
one candidate, Hare. Clark and Smith said they did not
know the names of the individuals until after deter-
mining which one would move forward.
In addition to Day and Kohler, Councilor Roland
Herrera felt other members of the council had been
left out of the process being used to hire an interim
city manager.
“I would like to have had a little more information.
I trust our leadership, but I think it would have been
important to be kept in the loop,” Herrera said.
Slowing the process and including the second can-
didate could take up to two additional months to play
out, possibly longer depending on whether the coun-
cil declared a failed recruitment and reissue requests
for applicants. The interim city manager is expected
to serve only six to 12 months while the city launches
a search for a permanent replacement.
“We are talking about a two-month process for a
12-month position,” said Councilor Laura Reid.
In the meantime, Keizer’s department directors
are taking on additional workload and putting other
projects on hold until an interim city manager is
hired, said Machell DePina, human resources director.
Keizer Finance Director Tim Wood is serving in the
role of city manager pro temp.
Assurances that the council would be more
involved in hiring a permanent city manager did little
to dissuade Day from his campaign against the cur-
rent process.
“How do I know this won’t be the process we use to
hire the full-time city manager,” he said.
DePina responded that the council, city staff and
residents of the city would all have opportunities to
vet the candidates for the permanent role.
Keizer’s former city manager resigned in April, a
month after discharging a gun in his offi ce.
8 a.m. - Bicycle theft in the 4000 block
of River Road N.
1:37 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 6000
block of Ulali Drive NE.
Thursday, June 3
8 a.m. - Theft in the 1000 block of
Susan Court NE.
12:23 p.m. - Possession of stolen vehi-
cle in the 5000 block of Elizabeth Street
N.
1:31 p.m. - Physical harassment in the
700 block of Lockhaven Drive NE.
9:10 p.m. - Criminal mischief in the
5000 block of River Road N.
Friday, June 4
1 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 6000 block
of Keizer Station Blvd NE.
1:30 p.m. - Theft in the 5000 block of
River Road N.
Saturday, June 5
1:42 p.m. - Criminal trespassing in the
3000 block of River Road N.
Sunday, June 6
1:39 a.m. - Physical harassment in the
1000 block of Susan Court NE.
12 p.m. - Assault in the 4000 block of
River Road N.
brainfood
sudoku answers pg A27
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