Three new communities recently engaged the Michigan Municipal League for executive searches for city/village managers. These are the Village of Spring Lake (2,514) on the southwestern side of the Lower Peninsula; Essexville (3,766) in the “thumb” area and Iron River (pop. 3,386) in the Upper Peninsula.

The Michigan Municipal League has performed about 200 executive searches for Michigan’s public sector since 1998.

Some smart tips for a smooth process and successful placement:

• The League can provide wage/salary data for comparable positions based on population, geography and other factors. Elected officials should use this, along with their budget, to firmly determine what salary range they may offer upfront for a candidate that meets their desired criterion.
• Severance has become more of a sticking point due to the housing market (which has increased risk for the candidate).  The League can provide severance samples. Elected officials should reach consensus prior to selection of the final candidate as to what they may be willing to provide.
• Timeliness is perhaps the most critical factor in a search. Delayed deliberations may result in the loss of one or more top candidates. Be prepared to make timely decisions and keep your eye on the goal!

Lowell Mayor Jim Hodges had this to say about a search we did in his commununity, “The recruitment process was perfect! You have a proven plan for finding candidates, presenting them to our City Council and letting the chips fall as they may.  I am still amazed that we came to such an easy decision, not just with our selected candidate, but also the other finalists.  The time-table of events went quickly, the process was clean and direct, simple for our Council to follow and we all feel good about the selection.”

If you’d like to learn more about the Michigan Municipal League executive searches, Caroline Kennedy, Manager of Field Operations at (906) 428-0100 (direct) or (734) 669-6324 or [email protected]. We’re here when you need us.