Joliet city manager job to be posted Friday

Joliet plans to post its city manager opening Friday, about 11 months after the city’s last permanent city manager left.

Since then, the top administrative job in city government has been filled by two interim managers while the subject of political showdowns and squabbles, although the City Council may have steadied the course in recent weeks.

On Thursday, the council’s Ad Hoc City Manager Search Committee met without controversy and signed off on the job position posting that staff plans to put out Friday.

Starting salary will range between $185,000 to $220,000 depending on qualifications and experience.

The notice will be posted on the city website and professional job boards, as well as being sent to assorted municipal managers and administrators who may be interested.

“We’re doing a little bit of outreach – not just posting it on a website,” interim City Manager Steve Jones said.

Jones does not intend to be a candidate for the job. He said the notice will be sent to city managers in certain cities comparable to Joliet as well as to people whom he knows have left Illinois and may have an interest in returning. The outreach is aimed at attracting more candidates and will be sent to about 80 people, Jones said.

“If someone is a city manager that is working and not looking for a position, are they looking at job websites? Probably not,” Jones said.

Resumes must be in by Oct. 11.

“It’s a tight time frame,” said Kathy Franson, director of human resources.

The council is looking to have a new city manager in place by March 1, the date at which Jones plans to switch from being a city employee to a contract employee. Jones has told the council he does not want to be in the interim position long term.

The notice also will be posted with the International City Managers Association, Illinois Municipal League, and other government websites viewed for job opportunities in city management.

The meeting of the ad hoc committee was short.

Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, who chairs the committee that also includes council members Jan Quillman and Michael Turk, said the meeting was held primarily because Quillman had some concerns about language in the job posting.

Quillman said she particularly wanted the posting be clear on the salary range and not suggest that the city was looking to pay the maximum of $220,000.

“If you start high, you’re going to be stuck with that,” she said.