Cascade Locks citizens to meet administrator applicants

“We want to bring them (councilors-elect) in and sit with the current council,” Koch said. “They (council members) want to do it in consultation with anyone who just got elected.”

The four candidates are:

n Curtis Kelling, Newport, Wash.

n Paul Poczobut, Orland, Calif.

n Gordon Zimmerman, Oakridge

n Gene Green, West Linn

A meet-and-greet is scheduled for Oct. 26 from 6-8 p.m. at City Hall.

Anyone may drop by the council chambers and meet each of the candidates, talk with them and share your observations with City Council.

On Oct. 27, interview panels will meet with the candidates from 9 a.m. to 3 pm. at City Hall.

There will be three interview panels, all with city councilors included, who will each interview the four candidates. If you want to participate, call City Hall (541-374-8484) and register to be included.

The three panels are:

n Outside professionals

n City employees, boards and commissions

n Community members

Each panel will have an assigned facilitator and each panel will report their observations and thoughts to City Council at the end of the day.

Koch said Hood River City Manager Bob Francis and County Administrator Dave Meriwether have agreed to serve on a panel.

Koch and Mayor Lance Masters and councilors Randy Holmstrom and Gail Lewis screened 30 applicants down to seven candidates, and three withdrew, yielding four finalists.

Depending on the council selection process, the new administrator could begin work in January. City Council has approved a pay scale of $60,000-$70,000 for the new administrator.

Koch has been in the interim position since July 2010; he succeeded the previous interim administrator, Rich Carson, who lasted precisely three months. He had been appointed following the resignation of former administrator Bernard Seeger.