Manatee County receives five proposals for search firm to conduct administrator search

As Manatee County’s search for the next county administrator continues, county officials will have their first choice to make.

Officials will have to decide which executive search firm to go with to conduct the national search. Manatee County received five proposals by the Tuesday deadline.

The firms that submitted proposals are: David Gomez & Associates of Oak Brook, Ill.; Springsted Waters & Company of Kansas City, Mo.; Slavin Management Consultants of Norcross Ga.; S. Renee Narloch & Associates of Georgetown, Texas; and Colin Baenziger & Associates of Daytona Beach Shores, Fla.

“The County intends that the successful proposer, once engaged, will conduct a focused search for qualified candidates for the position of a County Administration,” according to the request for proposals. “To carry out this objective, the county expects that the successful proposer will work in close consultation with the County’s Human Resources Department in collaboration with the Board of County Commissioners, if applicable.”

The search will be to replace County Administrator Ed Hunzeker, whose current contract expires Jan. 29, 2018. Last December, the commission voted 4-3 to proceed with a national search to replace Hunzeker rather than extend his contract.

The commissioners voting in favor of a national search were Vanessa Baugh, Robin DiSabatino, Steve Jonsson and Charles Smith. Voting against a search were commissioners Betsy Benac, Priscilla Whisenant Trace and Carol Whitmore.

An addendum to the request for proposals issued last Tuesday indicates that the salary range for the new county administrator will be between $155,708.80 to $249,142.40.

“The County Administrator does not need to reside in the county at the time of appointment, but during his/her tenure in office shall reside within the county,” according to the addendum.

The addendum also notes that the “final interview process has not been determined yet.”

“It is expected that the finalists would interview with members of the Board of County Commissioners,” according to the addendum.

This story was originally published March 28, 2017 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Manatee County receives five proposals for search firm to conduct administrator search."