REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Select a Recruitment Firm and Determine the Selection Process for the City Attorney Search
Report
BACKGROUND
This report outlines the general parameters for the recruitment and selection process for a new City Attorney. The City Council is asked to select an executive search firm, and to review and approve the established guidelines regarding the City Attorney selection process.
The current City Attorney, Joan Borger, announced her retirement from City service on June 19, 2015, to be effective December 31, 2015. Accordingly, it is necessary to begin an aggressive recruitment plan to obtain qualified applicants for the City Attorney vacancy. The Human Resources Department has worked with the Mayor’s Subcommittee in developing a proposed recruitment plan for City Council consideration.
EXISTING POLICY
Section 900 of the Sunnyvale City Charter states, in part, “the City Council shall appoint the City Attorney. To become eligible for appointment as City Attorney, the appointee shall have been admitted to practice as an attorney at law before the Supreme Court of the State of California, and shall have been engaged in the practice of law for at least seven years prior to his/her appointment.”
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
N/A
DISCUSSION
Identified below is a recruitment plan to assist the City Council in the recruitment and selection process for a new City Attorney. The outline was developed from the previous recruitment process for the City Attorney, and the Human Resources Director met with the Mayor’s Subcommittee in advance for discussion purposes on the selection of an executive search firm.
Request for Quotations: The Request for Quotations process for an executive search firm was completed in May 2015 for the recruitment of the Assistant City Manager vacancy and any other executive recruitment that may be conducted within six months. The City received quotations from five firms. William Avery & Associates was selected to conduct the recruitments for the Assistant City Manager and the Director of Library and Community Services. All five firms confirmed the quotations previously provided were valid for the City Attorney recruitment. The executive search firms and quotations are listed below:
|
Executive Search Firm |
Professional Fees |
Estimated Expenses |
Estimated Total |
|
Alliance Resources Consulting |
$20,000 |
$8,500 |
$28,500 |
|
Bob Murray & Associates |
$16,500 |
$6,900 |
$23,400 |
|
CPS HR Consulting |
$17,000 |
$6,500 |
$23,500 |
|
Ralph Andersen & Associates |
$24,500 |
n/a |
$24,500 |
|
William Avery & Associates |
$18,900 |
$7,000 |
$25,900 |
It should be noted that the quoted professional fees are fixed costs. The quoted expenses are estimates and actual expenses may vary but will not exceed these listed amounts.
Proposals from the executive search firms are attached to this RTC.
Job Description: Staff recommends using the current job description for the City Attorney classification for this recruitment process (Attachment 6). The job description includes the following minimum qualifications identified in the City Charter: the appointee shall have been admitted to practice as an attorney at law before the Supreme Court of the State of California, and shall have been engaged in the practice of law for at least seven years prior to his/her appointment.
Recruitment Brochure: The Human Resources Department will collaborate with the executive search firm to develop the recruitment brochure and approve the advertisement plan.
Application Process: Applicants will provide a cover letter, resume and references directly to the executive search firm for initial screening. The executive search firm will conduct the initial screening for minimum qualifications and recommend a pool of the best qualified applicants. Based on the depth of the pool of candidates, one of two courses of action will occur: if the pool exceeds six candidates, the City Council will meet with the executive recruiter to determine which candidates will be referred to the panels for interviews; if the pool is limited to six or fewer candidates, they will be directly referred to the panels.
Interview Process: The selected candidates would be invited to participate in an interview process. The process could consist of two panels.
• Panel One: Will consist of the City Council in a closed session meeting. The City Council will have the opportunity to review all applications prior to this meeting.
• Panel Two: Will consist of subject matter experts. The subject matter experts will consist of local public sector attorneys in public agencies. The panel will be assembled by the Human Resources staff under the direction of the City Manager.
The Department of Human Resources will work with the City Council subcommittee in developing interview questions for Panel One. The Director of Human Resources will work with the current City Attorney to develop questions for Panel Two.
Final candidates from the oral examination process will move forward for a second interview with the entire City Council in a closed session.
Timeline: Based upon the various steps associated with the recruitment and selection process, it is estimated that it could take approximately seventeen weeks from the time the consultant is hired until a candidate is selected. Every effort will be made to streamline this process and to expedite it as much as possible.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for recruitment activities is budgeted within the Department of Human Resources Operating Budget. Annual expenditures vary dependent on the number and type of recruitments. The department has approximately $62,000 available for professional services related to a variety of departmental activities including $10,200 for executive and lieutenant recruitments. Staff will monitor the budget throughout the fiscal year and return to Council should a budget modification be necessary.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Select one of the five executive recruitment firms with the subcommittee recommendation to focus on Bob Murray & Associations and William Avery & Associates based on their experience to administer the recruitment, and approve the selection process for a new City Attorney.
2. Do not utilize any of the firms proposed for the recruitment and selection process and complete another process to solicit additional proposals.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Select one of the five executive recruitment firms with the subcommittee recommendation to focus on Bob Murray & Associations and William Avery & Associates based on their experience to administer the recruitment, and approve the selection process for a new City Attorney.
Staff
Prepared by: Teri Silva, Director, Human Resources
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposal from Alliance Resources Consulting
2. Proposal from Bob Murray & Associates
3. Proposal from CPS HR Consulting
4. Proposal from Ralph Andersen & Associates
5. Proposal from William Avery & Associates
6. City Attorney Job Description