City Council - 09/30/2010 - Special MEETING NOTES
SPECIAL MEETING TO SELECT A CITY MANAGER SEARCH FIRM
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 CITY CENTER
7:00 PM, HERITAGE ROOM II
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Phil Young, Council Members Brad Aho, Ron Case, Jon Duckstad, and
Kathy Nelson
CITY STAFF: City Manager Scott Neal, Human Resources Manager Karen Kurt, Recorder Lorene
McWaters
Presentations
Mayor Young called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. All four consultants (M & A Executive
Search, Springsted, PDI and Brimeyer Fursman) made presentations to the City Council on their
proposals to provide executive search services to replace outgoing City Manager Scott Neal. The
City Council members took turns asking questions.
Questions asked of each consultant included:
• How do you recruit "passive" candidates
• Proposed timeline, costs and guarantees
• How many candidates will be interviewed
• Experience with other City Manager searches
• Experience hiring a candidate who did not work out
Council Discussion
It was agreed that the price difference among all four consultants was not significant and that all
appear to have the ability to conduct a successful search. Council Member Case noted that Greg
Albrecht (M & A Executive Search) lives in Eden Prairie and is involved in a number of civic
organizations. Mayor Young said he would pick M & A. He said with contracts of this size he
likes to "keep it local." He said it is largely about relationships. Case said he was impressed with
Fursman's presentation and felt he had good interaction with the Council. Aho said that Harry Brull
(PDI) did not seem enthusiastic about recruiting passive candidates. He said Springsted seems like
a very large organization and not particularly tuned in to Eden Prairie. Aho said that it is important
to find someone who understands our community, and he likes that Albrecht is a member of the
community. Case is concerned that there is currently a split Council, and whoever is hired will need
to understand that both aspects need to be represented. Young said Albrecht has relational
connections, not party connections. Aho said he does not see Albrecht as partisan. Nelson said she
was leaning toward Fursman,but would be okay with Albrecht. She said not being from the
community may be an advantage since this may force the consultant to look more closely at what
they are being told. Duckstad said he would defer to Albrecht since he is the "local guy." There
was some discussion about involving the newly elected Council Members and Mayor in the process
Special Council Meeting Notes
September 30, 3011
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after the November 2 election results are known. Case said he would choose either Fursman or
Albrecht, although he feels Albrecht's firm is superior.
MOTION: Aho moved, seconded by Case, to appoint M & A Executive Search to conduct the City
Manager search. Motion carried 5-0.