City to interview top four choices

She said a member of the selection committee will also be present in each interview.

Prior to the interviews, Krueger said the candidates will be given a 90-minute tour of the area by two of the selection committee members and herself or another staffer.

After both interviews are over, the department managers and selection committee members will provide input to the council in an executive session.

“They will then be excused and the council will work with the recruiter and, hopefully, have a decision by the end of the day,” said Krueger.

She said there are no social events for the candidates to meet community members planned at this time. The names of the finalists are being kept confidential and two alternates have been chosen in case one of the four finalists drops out.

Once an offer has been made, and the salary and terms of employment have been negotiated, Krueger said the new person could be hired and on the job as early as March 1.

The city charter decrees that a new manager must be brought onboard within six months of former manager Nolan Young’s termination, which would be mid-March.

However, Gene Parker, city attorney, said the process could be extended if necessary by appointing another interim manager for a specific period of time.

A selection committee was convened in early December to review a list of the top 10 or 11 semi-finalists provided by Slavin Management Consultants, the hired recruiting firm.

Seated on that work group were: Councilor Linda miller, Councilor Taner Elliott, Wasco County Commission Chair Scott Hege, The Dalles Port Director Andrea Klaas, Main Street Executive Director Matthew Klebes and David Griffith, a port commissioner and car dealer who represented the business community.

Kruger served as the staff member on the panel.

The council began the search for a new manager in October, a couple of weeks after Young was fired after 18 years on the job. Slavin, a firm based in Georgia, is being paid $21,253 to search out and vet qualified people — including an extensive background check — for the chief role, which will offer an annual salary range of $105,000-$120,000.

Paul Wenbert, western regional manager for Slavin, is the point person in The Dalles search.

Slavin was chosen out of three companies applying to lead the search and gave a timeline of six months or less to have a handful of final candidates chosen.