Battle Ground City Council members began outlining their approach to hiring the city’s next manager during their Monday, Oct. 5 meeting, debating whether to evaluate internal candidates first or immediately hire an outside firm to conduct a broader search.
The discussion ended with a 5-2 vote directing city staff to seek a revised proposal from GMP Consultants that would allow the council to consider a phased recruitment process before deciding how to proceed.
The search follows the council’s Aug. 5 decision to terminate City Manager Kris Swanson’s contract without cause in a 4-3 vote. Swanson joined the city in April 2024 as interim city manager before being appointed to the permanent position. Her transition to Battle Ground followed her March 2024 dismissal without cause from her previous position as Longview’s city manager, also in a 4-3 council vote. Swanson elected to go through a public hearing regarding her termination, which is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2.
Deputy City Manager Robert Ferrier told council members that proposals from executive search firms had been presented Sept. 8. The council postponed further discussion at a subsequent meeting Sept. 21 before returning to the issue Oct. 5.
Staff was seeking direction on how to move forward with recruitment.
The proposals listed base professional fees ranging from $14,500 to $33,500, with additional expenses potentially charged during the recruitment process.
Councilmember Jeanie Kuypers recommended returning to GMP Consultants, but with a revised scope of work that would initially focus on assessing the city’s leadership needs and evaluating qualified internal candidates.
Kuypers cited GMP’s experience conducting municipal executive searches with neighboring cities. The firm’s regional experience could provide useful insight into the leadership needs of Battle Ground, Kuypers said, while acknowledging potential concerns involving conflicts of interest and confidentiality.
Under the proposed approach, the consultant would work with council members, appropriate staff and other stakeholders to identify leadership priorities, review position qualifications and establish an objective process for evaluating internal applicants.
The consultant would return the proposed qualifications, evaluation process and performance expectations to the council for approval before the selection process began.
The approach would not guarantee an internal candidate the position or eliminate the possibility of an external search. After evaluating internal candidates, the council could decide whether to proceed with a broader recruitment effort and negotiate a separate agreement with GMP if needed.
Kuypers said the process would allow the council to assess existing talent while retaining the option of searching outside the city.
Councilmember Shane Bowman supported hiring an outside firm but opposed delaying a full search to evaluate internal candidates first.
“I think any internal candidate that would be interviewing, if they're worth interviewing, they should be able to go through the process and stand up against anybody that would come in,” Bowman said.
Bowman said an outside firm could provide a broader pool of applicants, vet candidates and reduce the staff time required to manage recruitment. Bowman also cautioned against further delays, emphasizing the need for stability in city leadership.
Councilmember Troy McCoy also supported hiring an outside firm, citing the workload associated with conducting a search internally and opportunities for public participation through candidate meet-and-greets.
“I think that's really important for this city right now,” McCoy said, referring to transparency.
Mayor Eric Overholser expressed support for considering internal candidates before committing to a broader search, saying the city could benefit from identifying potential leaders already familiar with staff and municipal operations.
The discussion also included questions about previous city manager hiring processes. Bowman said the city had used both internal and outside recruitment methods in the past, adding that hiring a consultant would provide expertise and help screen applicants before they reached the council.
Bowman said the council ultimately remains responsible for its hiring decisions, regardless of which recruitment method it chooses.
The council also discussed the circumstances surrounding a previous city manager transition in which financial considerations influenced the decision to elevate an interim manager rather than immediately pay for an outside search.
Under the motion approved Oct. 5, staff will return to GMP for a revised scope of work based on Kuypers’ proposal. Council members will then be able to compare the revised approach with the existing proposal and determine whether to pursue an internal evaluation, a full external search or a combination of the two.
The vote was 5-2 in favor of requesting the revised proposal.
