Search for new Camas city administrator is underway

In the search for a new Camas City Administrator, an initial pool of 54 applicants has been narrowed to 16 people.

Those 16 have submitted a set of supplemental questionnaires, which are now being reviewed by city officials.

According to Mayor Scott Higgins, within the next week or so the group will be further narrowed to “a reasonable pool for in-person interviews,” which are expected to take place during the week of July 9.

The interview process will include a social dinner for the finalists on July 9 and a community meet-and-greet event on July 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Camas Fire Station 42.

On July 11 during panel interviews, the candidates will face questions from a group that will include: former Camas mayors Dean Dossett, Paul Dennis and Nan Henriksen; Camas Human Resources Director Jennifer Gorsuch; current Camas City Administrator Lloyd Halverson; Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes; Washougal Mayor Sean Guard; Vancouver Human Resources Director Elisabeth Gotelli; Camas City Councilwoman Melissa Smith; Camas School District Deputy Superintendant Jeff Snell; WaferTech Director of Facilities Jim Short; and Clark County Administrator Bill Barron.

Higgins will then interview the top two to three candidates on July 12, followed by the announcement of the top choice by the end of July.

Halverson announced in January his plans to retire from full-time work in September after 23 years on the job. Depending on when the new city administrator starts, Halverson, who was recently named the 2012 Citizen of the Year, could continue to work for the city in a part-time capacity for a period of time.

In preparation for the onset of the search for a new city administrator, in April the City Council approved a resolution to boost the position’s monthly salary by 4 percent. The new salary range starts at $9,464 and tops out at $11,300.

The previous scale was $9,088 to $10,852.