CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council voted at its Thursday evening meeting to appoint a new interim city administrator.
Joan Phillipe, currently interim general manager for the Foresthill Public Utility District in Foresthill, Calif. – located in Placer County – received a 4-0 vote from the council to fill the spot on an interim basis. Council member Judy Thein was absent for the vote.
After discussing the appointment in a closed session that occurred immediately before the regular meeting, the council voted on the contract in open session.
Bob Galusha, the city's engineer and current interim city administrator, explained that in February, while Steve Albright was serving as interim city administrator, the city began a recruitment process to find a permanent candidate for the position, which hasn't been filled on a full-time, permanent basis since Dale Neiman left last November.
The city went through an extensive recruitment process, and in June had announced that Canadian Tully Clifford had accepted the job. However, Clifford withdrew later in June, as Lake County News has reported.
Galusha said that in August the city began its second recruitment process, seeking a new city administrator either on an interim or permanent basis.
He said they interviewed five candidates, three of whom were interested in the position both in an interim or permanent capacity.
Phillipe was one of those three also interested in taking on the job permanently, Galusha said.
After interviewing and ranking the candidates, the council directed Galusha to negotiate an employment contract with the top applicant – Phillipe, Galusha explained.
Galusha said the interim contract was for six months, with an evaluation of Phillipe set to take place three months into the contract.
If, at that point, it's decided that it's a good fit both for Phillipe and the council, “You could renegotiate the contract and do a permanent contract,” Galusha said.
He said that Phillipe has a significant amount of experience in small towns, including time as city manager in the cities of Colusa, Colfax and Loomis.
She also formerly served as executive director at the California State Sheriffs Association in West Sacramento, Galusha said.
The contract that Galusha presented to the council proposed $65 an hour, or $11,267 per month plus benefits. Because Phillipe has been a past employee in the California Public Employees' Retirement System, the contract calls for the city to provide a portion of her PERS contribution, which is 12.3 percent of the $65 hourly rate.
In addition, the city will give Phillipe a monthly housing allowance of up to $2,000, Galusha said.
Altogether, the total cost is less than what has been budgeted for the city administrator position in the 2011-12 budget, said Galusha, who added that there will be a savings since the city administrator position will have been empty for the first four months of the fiscal year by the time Phillipe arrives.
Galusha said Phillipe will report for work on Oct. 24. He said she currently is training a new general manager at Foresthill. He added that city staff recommended the council approve the contract.
In response to questions from community members, Galusha and council members said Phillipe had a strong record that included experience with redevelopment.
“God bless her, let's get her in here,” said Clearlake businessman Bob Kiel, who rose from the audience to weigh in on the hiring. “The whole city needs her.”
Vice Mayor Joey Luiz said he was very excited about bringing on Phillipe, who he called “an outstanding candidate.”
He said the council needed to move, and that city staff is “dying for some leadership on a day to day level.”
Luiz moved to approve the contract, with the second offered by Council member Jeri Spittler, and the 4-0 vote following.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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