Hiring process begins in Afton

Talk about it

The city of Afton began the first step in its process to hire a new city administrator Monday when the city council voted to set up interviews for six candidates, one of which the council hopes will likely replace outgoing administrator Shelly Strauss.

A public request for the position’s opening went out last week after the council approved a separation agreement submitted by Strauss, which states her last day as administrator will be Feb. 29. Strauss said the decision to leave her position in Afton was her own.

Two of the candidates who will be interviewed came from a League of Minnesota Cities consultant’s list, while the other four informed the city of their interest in the position.

The council has scheduled an interview session for the six candidates on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. at Afton City Hall. Each candidate will be interviewed separately by the full council, and the interviews are open to the public.

Afton Mayor Julia Welter said she was pleased the council was able to move forward quickly in scheduling the interviews.

“This will be a good first look at some of the candidates, before we evaluate our options,” Welter said. “The council was very united in our approach to how we want this process to unfold.”

Strauss has been assisting the city council in the transition as she nears her last day of work for the city after she spent the last year as city administrator.

Welter said the council is very hopeful the transition process will be smooth.

“Shelly has been very cooperative and helpful to us as we go through this process,” Welter said.

Also at its Monday meeting, the city council voted to hold off on hiring a new deputy clerk, until a new administrator is hired.

Welter said the council wants the new administrator to have input in the hire.

“We will hold off on that decision until we get a permanent replacement,” she said.

The city included the deputy clerk position in its 2008 budget after operating without a deputy clerk throughout 2007. Previous to 2007, Strauss served as assistant administrator, but was promoted to the administrator position in late 2006. Upon her promotion the city chose downgrade the vacant assistant administrator position to deputy clerk, but the hire was never made.

Tags: afton, strauss, administrator, welter, candidates