Sidney begins quest for search firm to fill city manager position

A search is on for an executive search firm to assist the City of Sidney recruit a new city manager.

The position became vacant after long-time City Manager Gary Person resigned in August. Geri Anthony, Sidney’s city clerk, has taken over the duties until a permanent replacement is hired.

On Tuesday night, city councilors unanimously approved a motion to put out a call for interested firms.

Proposals will be accepted until Oct. 8. The council will then select a firm to help the city identify qualified candidates.

The request for proposals asks that a minimum of four candidates be recommended to councilors, who will then make a final decision.

Mayor Mark Nienhueser said the request for proposals from search firms will be publically advertised and sent to firms the city is aware of.

“And if there’s others I can come across, I will advertise there, too,” Jo Houser, the city’s human resources director, said.

Councilor Joe Arterburn asked how much the process would cost.

Houser said the tentative numbers she received from one company were around $27,000 for a full search and around $7,000 for a limited search.

“And that’s the only contact I’ve had with a search firm as of right now,” she added.

Nienhueser said he expected the cost to be somewhere between $15,000-$25,000.

In the meantime, Houser said she would finalize the job description and put together a flyer about the city.

Also at the meeting:

• Park Superintendent Tom Von Seggern said work on the city’s new swimming pool was underway. Excavation on the lap pool and pump house was recently completed, and concrete will be poured once rebar and forms are in place.

The leisure pool is about six weeks from being dug, he added.

Councilor Wendall Gaston asked if there had been any surprises.

Von Seggern replied while it wasn’t a surprise, soil at the site would not compact, so some material had to be brought in.

• Councilors unanimously voted to issue a burn permit to the City of Sidney Landfill.

Rob Campbell, solid waste superintendent, said the permit is needed to burn a tree pile.

“We’ve issued burn permits to them for many years,” Sidney Volunteer Fire Department Chief Keith Stone said. “There haven’t been any problems at all.”

In the past, Stone said, he could issue the permit without action from council. However, because the landfill has been annexed into city limits, the council must now approve the permits.

• Greg Huck, Rich Phillips and Kathy Wilson were reappointed to the Sidney Historic Preservation Board.

Anthony said the appointments are made by the city manager and ratified by the council.

“Three terms are up on the seven-member board, and they are willing to serve another three years,” Anthony said.

Huck is a downtown business owner, Phillips is a downtown commercial property owner and Wilson owns a historic home built in the 1870s, Anthony added.

• Economic Development Director Tina Hochwender said she, along with Nienhueser and Gaston, gave a tour of the city to six Nebraska state senators who were in town for an interim legislative hearing.

The mayor said the lawmakers were impressed with the community. The tour also included a visit to Adams Industries and Bell Lumber & Pole, he added.

“It’s quite the operation going on both at Adams and Bell Lumber and Pole,” he said.

• The next Sidney City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 7:15 p.m. in the City Council Room at Sidney City Hall.