ROCKLAND – Meeting for the first time since their organization, the search committee for a new Rockland city manager discussed direction  January 11 in council chambers in Rockland's City Hall. David Barrett, director of personnel services and labor relations for the Maine Municipal Association, talked to the committee about how MMA could help with the city's search and presented a proposal for that assistance.

Barrett said his division at MMA has averaged six to 10 searches a year to help municipalities fill executive positions. The MMA would supply both professional and administrative support.

Steve Betts asked the committee's thought on making the names of the finalists public before a decision was made. Mayor Will Clayton echoed the question and asked Barrett to comment on how common the practice was.

"It's much more common today," said Barrett. "Not that you can throw the names out and let fur fly because that's not really a productive exercise. By the time you're down to a couple of finalists, we're calling people and doing background checks, so their expectation of confidentiality is diminished."

Barrett said there is a high expectation of confidentiality early in the process, but at the backend that expectation is lessened.

Councilor Ed Glaser wanted to know how common it was becoming to take candidates around to various departments and meeting the public to get their input on a person to help make a decision.

"To show people around town is pretty common," said Barrett. "What we have to figure out is why we are doing it and what we have to gain by doing it. If the desire is to introduce them to some people get some feedback, its different then an interview where I might be a great interviewee sitting at a table answering some questions, but if I have to go out and meet people maybe it's not so good."

Councilor Valli Geiger noted that the city has had three city managers in a short span of time.

"It's bad for us, it's bad for our reputation and we'd like not to do that again," she said. "We can say that the last two shared similar qualities. And it's safe to say Rockland is a very participatory community that does not like top-down, authoritative kind of people, but would really flourish with a collaborator."

Barrett said the thing to do was to include a conversation specifically about that in the interview process.

"If they get to be a finalist and a person says they are collaborative," he said. "When we do the background checks and calls we ask if they are that, or are they a top-down, issue directives and off we go."

Where do the applicants come from? Are they current city managers, are they former city managers who want to do the job again and what about the person who has never done the job, the diamond in the rough, who has never done the job, but thinks he or she can do it well?

"The answer is yes to all of those," said Barrett. "You'll have current managers, former managers, assistant city manager form bigger organizations, department heads who want to step up and you're going to have a lot of people from a variety of nonprofit organizations who look at this as an opportunity to do something that would challenge them or is different."

Barrett said he felt there would be a diverse group of applicants both geographically and experience wise. Barrett commented that he felt there would be 20 to 30 applicants for the job.

Glaser asked what was the end product being sought by the search committee.

"Are they working towards finding one person who is the best person?" he said. "Are working towards one person they recommend and two people who are second, or are they looking for two or three equal candidates?"

Mayor Clayton said he would be happy with one or two candidates and no more.

Councilor Geiger said she would not be happy to be given the candidate.

"Do I need to see 25, absolutely not," she said. "Do I need to see 10, absolutely not. Do I need to see five, probably not, but I don't want to see just one."

Barrett said the MMA would charge the city $4,900 for its assistance in finding a city manager. The amount would cover all costs except advertisements placed by the MMA and any travel expenses the city chooses to reimburse to candidates.

The search committee will meet again on February 1. It was noted the search could take three to four months to complete.