At seven weeks without administrator, Kenyon council eyes new interim candidate

After considering a strong candidate in former Prior Lake City Administrator Frank Boyles, then peppering City Attorney Scott Gerdes with process questions at its monthly meeting, Kenyon’s City Council is preparing to take another stab at hiring an interim City Administrator.

A special meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 22 to consider hiring a yet unnamed candidate to serve as City Administrator on an interim basis, providing at least a partial replacement for abruptly departed City Administrator Mark Vahlsing.

The parameters of the interim city administrator position would differ significantly from that of a permanent position. The contract councilors considered offering to Boyles indicated that he would have been classified as an independent contractor, working 16 to 32 hours a week.

In addition to overseeing a city administrator’s traditional duties, such as attending council and planning commission meetings and overseeing an ongoing pay study and upcoming audit, the interim city administrator would be expected to play a key role in hiring a permanent successor.

While Boyles would have brought a wealth of experience to the table and was considered to have interviewed well, several councilors wanted more time to consider all of their options and also expressed interest in trying to find a more local quality candidate.

The city has now operated for seven weeks without an administrator of any kind since Vahlsing’s abrupt resignation on April 1. City Councilor Lee Sjolander said that while he can’t speak for the rest of the council, he would like to see a candidate hired within the next three weeks to a month.

“I would like to see someone come in who can be an extra set of eyes on things, someone who can help give our staff some breathing room,” Sjolander said.

Mayor Doug Henke said that the candidate who will be up for review on Wednesday has already been considered by the Personnel Committee. At the Wednesday meeting, that candidate is expected to meet with and answer questions from the city’s department heads.

If the candidate interviews well, a potential contract has been drafted and Henke indicated that the council could well choose to hire them at the special meeting.