SEQUIM — For $5,700, plus $60 a night for lodging, the City Council has hired retired city manager Lee Walton to seek a new chief for Sequim.
The council voted 6-1 Monday night to name Walton the city manager recruitment adviser who will, if all goes as hoped, help install a new manager by late October.
Midterm Councilman Paul McHugh cast the dissenting vote.
Ever since the council’s four newest members voted to fire City Manager Bill Elliott on May 5, McHugh has favored the hiring of an executive search firm to find a replacement.
Walton first came to Sequim in early July to talk with the ad hoc committee formed to explore the non-headhunter approach.
The committee, made up of City Councilmen Erik Erichsen and Ken Hays and former council member John Beitzel, was interested in saving some of the $18,000 or more it could pay an executive search firm.
Though they wanted help finding a permanent manager, neither the ad hoc panel nor the rest of the council wanted to unseat Robert Spinks, who was appointed interim city manager as soon as Elliott was dismissed.
Walton, who has spent his career running cities all over the West — from San Luis Obispo, Calif., to Bainbridge Island — will lead Sequim through a process to include job advertisements posted in mid-August, a Sept. 12 application deadline, a special council meeting to select finalists on Sept. 18 and a public reception for the finalists and their spouses in mid-October.
After the council members conduct their last interviews with the candidates, council members may choose to visit the cities where they currently work.
The ultimate appointment of a new city manager is scheduled for another special council meeting on Oct. 20.
