City manager search to start in July

The search for a permanent city manager will not get underway until July.

Meeting in a workshop last Thursday, the city council agreed unanimously that they will not lay out a detailed plan for a search for a new permanent city manager until after the budgeting cycle is complete at the end of June.

Limited-duration city manager Andrew Gorayeb's current employment agreement expires in July. It is expected that the search for a permanent city manager will take a number of weeks or months to complete. In effect, Thursday's decision extends his tenure.

Asked if he would stay until a new manager was hired and in place, Gorayeb said, "I will not leave you in the lurch. I will stay until a new manager is in place." Later he said, "I am mostly enjoying what I'm doing and I find it very rewarding. There are some incredible people working for the city. We are already coming together as a team."

Later, when asked if he thought he would be a candidate for the permanent position, Gorayeb first said he didn't know, but later in the discussion he indicated that he would most likely be an applicant for the permanent position.

Mayor Brad Boyd said, "I am very content with Andrew's performance so far."

Boyd indicated that he didn't believe that the city could find or afford someone with Gorayeb's level and depth of experience in finance, real estate development or management. Boyd expressed his pleasure that Gorayeb was willing and able to step in to the interim city manager's position.

The council was also in full agreement that the search for a new city manager should be a "complete" process. Councilors agree that they do not want to conduct their search using internal resources. There was some discussion around whether to use a local service such as the League of Oregon Cities, or whether to cast a broader (and more expensive) net through a regional or national search firm.

The council will come to agreement on a search path for the permanent city manager at the first council meeting in July.

In early April the city council selected Gorayeb as a "limited duration" city manager on a 3-2 vote after a three-hour interview session with three interested parties.

Gorayeb signed a four-month contract beginning April 10. If needed, the contract can be extended until a permanent city manager is hired. As a "limited-duration" city manager, Gorayeb has all the authority of a permanent city manager.