Joliet City Council to vote on another city manager search

The Joliet City Council next week will consider a second city manager search as it enters a 17th month without a permanent city manager in place.

The agenda for the Monday and Tuesday council meetings includes a city manager search using a consulting firm this time.

The city is considering four firms ranging in price from $21,500 to $28,000.

The council has been unable to settle on one of the 25 candidates who applied in the last go-around in which Joliet posted the job without using an executive search firm.

The search firms being considered are Strategic Government Resources, Moulder & Associates, Novak Consulting Group and Slavin Management Consultants, according to a staff memo.

The latest proposal is likely to stir up more controversy among council members divided into two camps over the future of the city manager job.

Mayor Bob O’Dekirk and a council minority in May wanted to give the job to City Attorney Marty Shanahan. Shanahan had been serving as interim city manager since David Hales left with a buyout in October 2018. But Shanahan was removed from the position in June by a 5-3 vote, and Steve Jones has been interim city manager since.

The council two weeks ago was unable to settle on two finalists for the job.