What happened
- Special session held June 20, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. in City Hall council chambers, solely on the city administrator search
- Mayor Doug Henke, Kim Helgeson, Molly Ryan and Mary Bailey present; Lee Sjolander absent; Interim Administrator Frank Boyles also present
- Mike Humpal, South Central Services Corporation, presented an eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile
- Pat Melvin, David Drown and Associate Human Services, presented a 12-page proposal and eight-page position profile
- Council noted the two firms' steps and timelines were 'very similar'
- Motion by Helgeson, seconded by Bailey, to hire Mike Humpal and South Central Services Cooperative for executive search services carried 4-0-0
- Search was ranked the council's number one and two objectives at the June 6, 2024 regular meeting
- Staff report listed ten considerations, including whether a proposal allows repeating an unsuccessful search at no additional charge
- Source of funding identified as the General Fund
- Meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m. on a motion by Ryan, seconded by Bailey, carried 4-0-0
What was asked 10 raised · 4 settled
Every question, assignment, pending figure and unsourced claim from this meeting, quoted from the record, each checked against the county, census, listing, bid and budget data we hold.
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey to approve Mike Humpal and South Central Services Cooperative to provide executive search services for the City of Kenyon City Administrator.
After hearing two vendor presentations, the council voted to select a recruitment firm for the full-time City Administrator search.
At the meetingMotion carried 4-0-0.
The contract was signed at $14,500 and approved by the council 4-0-0 on August 20 2024, after the city attorney reviewed and revised the draft South Central Service Cooperative supplied. Our bid record carries it as the awarded quote in the two-firm recruitment solicitation against David Drown Associates.
8-20-24 Agenda; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2024-08-20
Vendor Presentations Regarding the Recruitment and Selection of a New Full-time City Administrator Mike Humpal, CEcD and manager for the South Central Services Corporation, reviewed the terms of his eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile.
The work session was called solely to hear vendor proposals for conducting the administrator search.
At the meetingA vendor was selected; the search itself was not completed.
The search ran to completion. Humpal conducted candidate interviews with the council on November 12 2024 at 45 minutes each, and the city has had a permanent administrator, Scott Lehner, in place through the 2026 record. The recruitment cost $14,500.
11.12.24 Council Packet; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2024-11-12
Vendor Presentations Regarding the Recruitment and Selection of a New Full-time City Administrator Mike Humpal, CEcD and manager for the South Central Services Corporation, reviewed the terms of his eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile.
Humpal presented an eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile as a candidate vendor.
At the meetingThe council approved Humpal and South Central Services Cooperative 4-0-0.
Humpal's firm won the work and was paid $14,500 under an agreement approved August 20 2024. We do not hold the eight-page proposal itself, only the record that it was presented and selected over David Drown Associates.
8-20-24 Agenda; KENYON_BIDS.md · taken up again 2024-08-20
Pat Melvin, Management Consultant for David Drown and Associate Human Services, reviewed his 12-page proposal and eight-page position profile.
Melvin presented a 12-page proposal and eight-page position profile as a competing vendor.
At the meetingThe council selected the other vendor instead.
David Drown Associates lost the selection to South Central Service Cooperative and no dollar figure from its proposal appears anywhere in our bid record. This is one of 43 documented competitive processes in the council record 2019 to 2026, and one of several where the losing bidder's price was never entered in the minutes.
KENYON_BIDS.md, data/bids.csv · taken up again 2024-06-20
Vendor Presentations Regarding the Recruitment and Selection of a New Full-time City Administrator Mike Humpal, CEcD and manager for the South Central Services Corporation, reviewed the terms of his eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile.
The same vendor is named two different ways within the same set of minutes.
Three spellings appear across the record: South Central Services Corporation, South Central Services Cooperative, and South-Central Service Cooperative in the August 20 2024 contract approval. Our bid record files it as South Central Service Cooperative, which is the form used when the $14,500 agreement was approved. The registered business filing would settle the legal name.
The minutes name the same vendor as a Corporation in one paragraph and a Cooperative in the motion that binds the city.
KENYON_BIDS.md; 8-20-24 Agenda
Vendor Presentations Regarding the Recruitment and Selection of a New Full-time City Administrator Mike Humpal, CEcD and manager for the South Central Services Corporation, reviewed the terms of his eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile. Members of the city council asked a series of questions about the process.
Humpal reviewed his eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile for the administrator search.
At the meetingThe minutes record that questions were asked but do not record the questions or the answers.
We hold no recording or notes listing the specific questions council members asked Humpal on June 20 2024. The minutes say only that questions were asked. An audio recording or the clerk's working notes from that work session would settle it.
7.9.24 Council Packet · would settle it: A recording or detailed notes of the work session listing the specific questions and answers
Pat Melvin, Management Consultant for David Drown and Associate Human Services, reviewed his 12-page proposal and eight-page position profile. The council asked questions about the process and timeline.
Melvin reviewed his 12-page proposal and eight-page position profile for the administrator search.
At the meetingThe minutes record that questions were asked but do not record the questions or the answers.
We hold no recording or notes listing the specific questions council members asked Melvin about process and timeline. The minutes record only that questions were asked. An audio recording or the clerk's working notes from the June 20 2024 work session would settle it.
7.9.24 Council Packet · would settle it: A recording or detailed notes of the work session listing the specific questions and answers
Discussion of Vendor Presentations Council members said they liked the presentations of each proposal. They noted that the steps and timelines were very similar.
Council discussion comparing the two recruitment proposals before voting.
At the meetingStated as the basis for the council's comfort with either proposal.
We do not hold either written proposal, so we cannot test whether the steps and timelines truly matched. Neither firm's fee is recorded either, which means the council also had no priced comparison in the minutes. The two proposal documents as filed with the city would settle it.
KENYON_BIDS.md, data/bids.csv · would settle it: Side-by-side comparison of the two written proposals' process steps and timelines
Vendor Presentations Regarding the Recruitment and Selection of a New Full-time City Administrator Mike Humpal, CEcD and manager for the South Central Services Corporation, reviewed the terms of his eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile.
Description of the documents presented by the South Central vendor.
We do not hold Humpal's eight-page proposal or 13-page position profile. Our record carries only the award and the $14,500 contract price approved August 20 2024. The filed proposal documents would settle it.
KENYON_BIDS.md · would settle it: The proposal and position profile as filed with the city
Pat Melvin, Management Consultant for David Drown and Associate Human Services, reviewed his 12-page proposal and eight-page position profile.
Description of the documents presented by the David Drown vendor.
We do not hold Melvin's 12-page proposal or eight-page position profile, and no price for the David Drown submission appears in our bid record. The filed proposal documents would settle it.
KENYON_BIDS.md, data/bids.csv · would settle it: The proposal and position profile as filed with the city
Decisions 2 motions
Who did what
| Person | At this meeting |
|---|---|
| Doug Henke Mayor | Called the work session to order at 5:00 p.m. and presided; signed the minutes as Mayor |
| Kim Helgeson Council Member | Moved to approve Mike Humpal and South Central Services Cooperative for executive search services |
| Mary Bailey Council Member | Seconded the motion to hire the search firm and the motion to adjourn |
| Molly Ryan Council Member | Moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:40 p.m. |
| Lee Sjolander Council Member | Absent |
| Frank Boyles Interim City Administrator | Attended the work session; prepared the notice and staff report listing ten selection considerations |
| Mike Humpal CEcD and manager for the South Central Services Corporation | Reviewed the terms of his eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile and answered council questions |
| Pat Melvin Management Consultant for David Drown and Associate Human Services | Reviewed his 12-page proposal and eight-page position profile and answered questions about process and timeline |
| Holli Gudknecht Deputy City Clerk | Submitted the agenda items and signed the minutes |
Organizations named: City of Kenyon, South Central Services Cooperative, South Central Service Cooperative, South Central Services Corporation, David Drown and Associate Human Services, DDA Associates
Said at the meeting
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey to approve Mike Humpal and South Central Services Cooperative to provide executive search services for the City of Kenyon City Administrator.
Minutes · minutes, verbatim
Council members said they liked the presentations of each proposal.
Minutes · minutes, verbatim
At your June 6, 2024, regular city council meeting the city council unanimously selected the recruitment, selection and hiring of a new full time city administrator as your number one and two objectives, respectively.
Frank Boyles, Interim City Administrator (staff report) · packet, verbatim
It is a tough market for public managers, which process will attract the most desirable applicants.
Frank Boyles, Interim City Administrator (staff report) · packet, verbatim
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Select a consultant and direct staff to begin the process.
Staff report · packet, verbatim
Agenda
Each item links to where it appears in the packet.
Full packet text (6k characters)
The minutes
Official minutes as adopted, from 7.9.24 Council Packet Agenda; text extracted from the PDF.
Council Work Session was duly held in the City Council chambers at 5:00 p.m. on the 20th day of June 2024.
- Present
- Mayor Doug Henke, Council Members: Kim Helgeson, Molly Ryan, and Mary Bailey
- Absent
- Lee Sjolander
- Also present
- Interim Administrator Frank Boyles
Mayor Henke called the work session to order at 5:00 pm.
Vendor Presentations Regarding the Recruitment and Selection of a New Full-time City
Administrator Mike Humpal, CEcD and manager for the South Central Services Corporation, reviewed the terms of his eight-page proposal and 13-page position profile. Members of the city council asked a series of questions about the process. Pat Melvin, Management Consultant for David Drown and Associate Human Services, reviewed his 12-page proposal and eight-page position profile. The council asked questions about the process and timeline.
Discussion of Vendor Presentations
Council members said they liked the presentations of each proposal. They noted that the steps and timelines were very similar.
Motion by Helgeson seconded by Bailey to approve Mike Humpal and South Central Services Cooperative to provide executive search services for the City of Kenyon City Administrator.
Motion carried 4-0-0Other
Motion by Ryan seconded by Bailey to adjourn the meeting at 6:40 p.m.
Motion Carried 4-0-0_______________________________ _____________________________________ Holli Gudknecht, Deputy City Clerk Douglas Henke, Mayor