By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner pledged on Thursday that the entire city council will actively take part in the search for a new city manager.
Renner issued a statement about the selection process as current city manager David Hales leaves next week to run city operations in Joliet.
Renner said the city is moving ahead with plans to hire a search firm to help find Hales’ replacement, which the mayor said is a generally standard practice that most metro communities use when looking for a city manager.
Renner said he favors the entire council’s involvement in deliberations, rather than assigning the task to a smaller committee of elected leaders.
The mayor’s comments come following a sharp rebuke from six of the nine aldermen who said his berating of critics is a “disgrace” to the governing body. Renner acknowledged he and the council need to do a better job communicating with each other.
The city is hosting a reception for Hales next Tuesday from four to six p.m. at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.
Assistant City Manager Steve Rasmussen takes over on an interim basis the following day, and Rasmussen said he’s a candidate for the permanent position.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
