Saco City Administrator Kevin Sutherland
SACO — The city of Saco, with the help of an outside firm, has begun its search for a new city administrator.
Current City Administrator Kevin Sutherland announced in June that he would not be seeking renewal of his contract beyond Dec. 31. Sutherland has served as city administrator since September 2015, and was previously chief of staff in Ithaca, New York.
The city has hired Municipal Resources Inc. to assist in the process to recruit and select a new city administrator.
An advertisement for the position was published at various online sites on Aug. 9 and will run for 30 days, said Municipal Resources Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Alan Gould at Monday night’s City Council meeting.
Top tier candidates will be sent essay questions and given 10 to 14 days to complete answers, said Gould. After a preliminary screening process by Municipal Resources Inc., finalists will be interviewed by a city committee, and then the City Council will make the final decision.
The city of Saco has a population of nearly 20,000 people, according to 2018 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Saco has an elected mayor and seven-member City Council. The city administrator works under the direction of the mayor and City Council and is responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective operation of the city, according to the job description.
The job description states about the responsibilities of the city administrator, “This includes managing the day-to-day activities of a highly qualified and dedicated staff, the revenues and expenditures of the city’s multiple funds, and guiding the organization through a course of continual change and innovation. The city administrator makes recommendations to the Mayor and City Council concerning administrative affairs, financial conditions and long-range financial needs, ensures that ordinances and applicable laws are enforced and directs and oversees the operation of city departments.”
The current city administrator’s salary is about $128,000 and starting salary is negotiable to be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
The city is looking for someone with a bachelor’s degree in public administration or a related field, with a master’s degree preferred, a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in public administration, or an equivalent combination of education and demonstrated senior-leadership or related business experience, according to the job description.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be reached at 780-9015 or by email at egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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