Where is the public participation?

The Woodstock Public Library is going to blow $14,000 on a search for a new library director, but the City of Woodstock is not going to out-source its search for the next City Manager. Tim Clifton announced last month that he will retire next spring. Tim has been the City Manager for 20 years and currently earns $175,000/year.

Who is on the search committee?

Mayor Brian Sager
HR Director Deb Schober
City Attorney Rich Flood
City Clerk Cindy Smiley
City Councilman Mike Turner

Unnamed "city officials" estimated that the City could save about $20,000 by not hiring an outside firm. Well, let's see...

Presumably, the mayor won't get paid for his involvement.

The HR Director is already on the payroll. How much of her time will be devoted to the search and take away from other duties? But her job is HR, so hiring is in her bailiwick.

City Attorney Rich Flood? Will he charge $200-300-400/hour for his involvement in the search? Or is his time already purchased in a retainer or contracted amount as the City Attorney? Will his legal opinion or advice on a prospective hire be affected by his role on the search committee? Wouldn't his legal advice as an almost-independent City advisor be more valuable if he were not on the search committee?

City Clerk Cindy Smiley? She is a city employee in Tim Clifton's office.

Councilman Turner? He can be the most independent of those on the search committee.

With two City employees and the City Attorney on the committee, what will the real savings be? Not all that much, in my opinion.

But where are 1-2-3 highly-regarded members of the local community? We're a small town. Why isn't the community involved?