The search for Santa Maria’s next city manager will be extended after a first round apparently failed to make a match.
City leaders made the announcement Thursday, days after a special meeting to conduct in-person interviews of candidates. That meeting was scheduled for April 6 at Minami Community Center.
“The City Council is committed to finding the top candidate who is the right fit for the residents and employees of the city,” according to a statement by Mark van de Kamp, city public information officer.
Council members will take up the search during a closed meeting set for their regularly scheduled session Tuesday.
“The recruitment is anticipated to resume soon. The City Council is responsible for hiring the city manager, and has sought input from the city’s department directors as well as members of the community who were involved in the screening process,” according to the city.
City Manager Jason Stilwell retired in September, He began working for the city in 2015 as deputy city manager and was appointed to the top job by the City Council on Oct. 3, 2017.
In the months since Stilwell vacated the office, the city hired Oregon-based consultant WBCP Inc. to help spearhead the search and create a six-page brochure.
The city didn’t begin advertising for candidates until late January, after spending the weeks working with a consultant to craft the description for someone to fill the job. Applications were due Feb. 22.
For the first round, initial interviews were set to take place virtually on March 21, with in-person interviews on April 6.
It’s not known how many applications were received or how many candidates the council interviewed for the job.
The two top jobs for Santa Maria remain vacant. In addition to Stilwell’s retirement, assistant city manager Andrew Hackleman left last summer after about two years on the job.
Longtime Recreation and Parks Director Alex Posada has served as interim city manager while Chuen Wu, community development director, has filled in as interim assistant city manager.
This is the first external search for a city manager in decades since Santa Maria typically has promoted from its own staff to fill the top job.