"What is the relationship between the City Manager and the recruitment firm? Was the City Council informed of this relationship?"

It has been 24 hours since the list of finalists was announced for Eureka City Manager.

HueLife is a Minnesota based firm. Eureka City Manager Greg Sparks  was City Administrator in Owatonna, MN from 1995 to 2007 and City Administrator of Worthington, MN, from 1988 to 1995.



Here are links to a couple of articles about Richard Fursman of HueLife.

https://www.swnewsmedia.com/chanhassen_villager/news/local/tempers-fly-at-victoria-city-council-over-henhouse-email/article_e69339fd-5248-5635-81a1-3ee7ea312ce7.html

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.twincities.com/2008/05/04/citys-former-manager-asks-for-8736/amp/

 Here are some questions submitted from the community that I have sent to Eureka City Councilmembers, Eureka City Manager Greg Sparks and HueLife. I  gave a specific deadline for response.

1. What is the relationship between the City Manager and the recruitment firm? Was the City Council informed of this relationship? Who selected the consultant? Was the city manager recruitment firm put out to RFP? Is the recruitment firm working for the City Council or the City Manager? How much influence does the City Manager have in this process?

2. 40+ candidates and not a single female? Which female candidates submitted applications that were rejected? Has anyone from the City Council reviewed all the applications submitted?

3. When was the last time any of the final six have worked for a woman or female majority council? This whole process is ok with the council??

4. What kind of recruitment did Mr. Fursman conduct? How much money was spent on advertising and what proof is there the job was advertised? Is it strange that 50% of the final candidates are either from Eureka or Minnesota after a “national recruitment? “


5. Was the recruitment consultant allowed to make independent judgments, or was he influenced by the person who gave him his job? Was the recruitment consultant even capable of giving independent advice given his relationship with the administration? Which candidates possess an advanced degree? Did any applicant who didn’t make it to the “final six” have an advanced degree? Were any of them women?

6.How will the tour work, or the public meeting, when two of the candidates are responsible for 60% of the city?



Mr. Richard Fursman from HueLife responded this a.m.:

There were two women gender sounding names (example: Bobby could be a man or woman). One of the two I interviewed and presented to the council as a top 10, semi-finalist. People were selected according to their background and fit.

Not sure how to respond to the 50% of recruits coming from Eureka or Minnesota. 1 candidate came from Minnesota. 3 from Eureka if you count the internal candidate. The position was advertised nationally, thus candidates from Texas, Georgia, and Oregon (and Minnesota) will be interviewing this weekend.

I will have to address other questions at a later time as I have to go.