Elk River to pay $25K to MGT/GovHR to fill police chief post following retirement
by Jim Boyle
Editor
The Elk River City Council on Monday, May 20, selected MGT/GovHR, a firm with extensive recruiting experience in nearly 20 states, including a large share of them in the Midwest and Minnesota.
The firm headquartered in Tampa, Florida — with an office in Northbrook, Illinois, where the winning proposal originated — won the support of the council for its extensive experience in recruiting police chiefs in Illinois and Wisconsin. MGT/GovHR was also favored for having extensive experience in recruiting administrators for more than two dozen municipal leadership positions in Minnesota.
City Administrator Cal Porter said the city received three proposals in all after the Elk River City Council expressed a consensus to go to market following Elk River Police Chief Ron Nierenhausen’s announcement that he was retiring effective May 31.
The council also decided May 6 not to seek an interim police chief during a market search for a replacement, relying on police captains Darren McKernan and Joe Gacke, who have also been welcomed to apply for the top job in the police department.
The council directed staff to solicit proposals from executive recruiting firms to perform the recruitment.
The three firms to do so were DDA Human Resources, MGT/GovHR and GMT Consultants.
DDA was the most expensive at $27,000, and provided the longest guarantee at two years in the event the person the council hires does not stay for a full two years. The firm would come back and do another recruitment search for free in that event.
DDA has provided executive search services to more than 125 cities and counties throughout Minnesota but limited experience seeking out police chiefs.
GMP Consultants was willing to do a search for only $15,000 and guarantee the winning candidate would stay for 18 months or they would do a follow-up search.
GMP Consultants has limited experience in Minnesota and the Midwest. Most of its work has been done in the northwestern United States.
“I believe all of these firms are very credible,” Portner said, noting that’s why he didn’t recommend any one firm over the others.
Council Member Matt Westgaard said MGT has done a lot of work in Minnesota.
The firm has been hired by Blaine, Burnsville, Edina and Minnetonka to help fill numerous positions for those cities as well as at least one position for the communities of Apple Valley, Becker, Brooklyn Center, Buffalo, Fairmont, Golden Valley, Hibbing, Lindstrom, Minneapolis, Oakdale, Red Wing, Savage, Scandia, Shakopee, St. Joseph, St. Louis Park, St. Paul Park, Vadnais Heights, Waite Park and Woodbury.
MGT/GovHR also helped recruit the Dilworth police chief in 2023.
Elk River Mayor John Dietz said he liked how many police chiefs the firm has recruited.
It has provided services for dozens of chief of police searches in Illinois and another two dozen in Wisconsin in addition to work across the country.
“I think it would be beneficial to spend a little more money with a firm that is familiar with our cities, our state and our region,” Westgaard said.
Council members Mike Beyer and Corey Grupa agreed. Council Member Jennifer Wagner, who was interested in keeping the search in-house, said she would support the process but didn’t weigh in on the firms that were being considered.
“Each of the firms is highly regarded for municipal executive searches and has the resources and demonstrated experience to complete a successful recruitment,” Portner said.
The police department personnel budget has sufficient funds available due to the ongoing officer and CSO vacancies and the delayed on-boarding of the newly added records clerk position, according to council documents.
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