Bob Jasper’s flight to Vienna leaves on Dec. 18.
The Summit County Manager will travel to the Austrian city to celebrate Christmas with his family, and that trip will also celebrate his retirement.
So Summit County is moving quickly to ensure that a new county manager be hired before Jasper leaves town.
“We didn’t want to draw it out,” said Summit County Councilwoman Kim Carson. “Bob does have a timeline to leave, by mid-December, and we’d like to have have him [train the new hire].”
“Mr. Jasper has been kind enough to stay with Summit County while this process takes shape, allowing us flexibility to get the right person for the job,” said Director of Personnel Management Brian Bellamy.
Bellamy’s first responsibility, tasked by County Council, was to hire a recruiter to fill Jasper’s position. In July, less than a month after Jasper announced his impending retirement, Jasper signed a contract with executive recruiting firm Prothman Company, based in Issaquah, Washington.
Bellamy said Prothman was selected because they specialize in executive recruitment services for cities and counties in western states. In addition, Bellamy believed they understood the qualities required to govern this unique county of urban and rural areas.
“We chose this particular executive recruiter because of their knowledge of local governments and placement, but also because they seek out the most qualified individual with the best fit for the organization,” Bellamy said.
And, of course, “We would prefer sooner rather than later,” Bellamy said.
Prothman is being paid $21,500 plus expenses, Bellamy said.
According to its website, Prothman has previously selected county managers from across the West, including San Juan County, Washington, Lane County, Oregon, and Los Alamos County, New Mexico.
Once hired, the recruiter has been busy investigating candidates with years of experience managing Western counties. Bellamy estimated that Prothman has sent out more than 700 letters to potential candidates who might be looking to move, as well as advertising in scores of publications.
“They cast a fairly large net,” Bellamy said.
Bellamy said he has fielded calls from about 15 people inquiring about the position, and forwarded them all of them to Prothman. Nearly every call began with the same question. “They ask if there are any in-house candidates with an inside track,” Bellamy said. The response is “No, this is a wide-open field.”
On Sept. 21, Prothman will begin reviewing the candidates who have submitted applications. They will pare down the candidates to semi-finalists, and the number could range from as little as six to as many as 15 — or more.
Those names will be forwarded to a county selection committee, whose job will be to send a minimum of three names to County Council after interviews scheduled for Oct. 9 and Oct. 10.
The selection committee comprises a who’s who of Summit County, including Diane Foster, Park City Manager; Bob Wheaton, resort president and general manager of Deer Valley; Michael Washington, vice president of investments of Wells Fargo; Park City Chamber/Bureau CEO Bill Malone; Leslie Thatcher, KCPW news director; Kamas Mayor Lew Marchant; Trever Johnson, Coalville mayor; and Nancy Garrison, Park City School Board.
On Oct. 14, Bellamy said, the names of the finalists will be sent to County Council in a closed session, and on Oct. 27, the finalists will be on hand to be interviewed by County Council.
“The goal is a decision on the 29th,” Bellamy said.
In general, most candidates for the position will have to give at least 30 days of notice to whomever they are employed with, Bellamy said, so along with time spent negotiating salary and benefits, the new county manger will ideally be in Summit County at the beginning of December.
That way, Jasper can make his flight.