Sharon officials: Search for city manager is coming along
Eight candidates, whom officials would not name, are still in the running.
SHARON, Pa. — The city is coming along in its search for a city manager, hoping to have one in place by January.
The city is making the transition to home rule and will no longer have a mayor-council form of government after Mayor Bob Lucas’ term is up at the end of this year.
The part-time controller, Nick Morocco, also will be leaving office then. Those elected positions are eliminated under the new home-rule charter.
The new city manager and a hired fiscal officer will oversee daily operations.
There are eight candidates still in the running for the manager post, pared down from 35 applicants from all over the country, said Ed Palanski, chairman of the home-rule transition committee. The transition committee and the city council make up the manager-search committee.
Palanski said the interview process has been going well.
“We have candidates we are interested in, and they are interested in us,” he said.
“We want someone on board as early as possible,” he said, adding that the hope is to have the new manager start in October.
However, he refused to make public the names of those who have applied.
Mike Donato, city council president, said there is money in the budget from unfilled police positions to fund the manager’s salary through the end of this year.
After that, the mayor’s $50,000 salary and the controller’s $8,000 salary will go toward the manager’s salary, he said.
That salary has not been set, he said. It is negotiable, he said, depending on the candidate’s experience and education.
The search committee has been conducting interviews over the phone, he said, but after the next round of interviews, a pared-down group of candidates will come to Sharon for face-to-face meetings.
If the search for a new manager isn’t resolved by January, the council can appoint an interim manager, Palanski said.