SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) - Back around 2010, the City of Sheboygan created a City Administrator position to assist with the day-to-day operations of the city government. To fill the position, city officials promoted then Finance Director Jim Amodeo to the post.
He has held this position since, but he has announced he will retire on April 1. With that in mind, council members approved a plan Monday to find the next person for the position, and all subsequent hires in the future.
“We advertised extensively, and the applications have now been received," says Mayor Mike Vandersteen, who adds over 20 people have applied for the position as of Monday. As applications continue to come in, he says the first step will be taken by the city's Civil Service Commission. “The Civil Service Commission has served for many years, and they always are the first evaluation process when we hire a person like an administrator for our city.”
Based on a recommendation from the city's Salary and Grievance Committee, that commission will start with the first review of the applications, narrowing the field down to around three to five. "And that would go on to a larger committee that would be comprised of some alderpersons, some staff, the Mayor," says Vandersteen. "And then they would make a final determination; and then the last two candidates would be sent to the Mayor and the President of the council for the appointment that would be referred to the city council.”
Vandersteen says the process is similar to how the city has filled department heads in the past, but there is more input this time around. "Civil service has always been involved, and generally they’ve only made that recommendation to the Mayor, but in the past the Mayor can bring in other people that have served to help go through the interview process on the last couple of candidates.”
As for when a new person could be hired, Vandersteen says there is a goal date that could be ambitious. "We certainly would like to have that done by the end of February if it’s possible. We had hoped to have some overlap time for Jim Amodeo to serve with the new administrator.”