Beckley City Council approves hiring of recruitment agency for City Manager candidates

BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A new development has emerged in the ongoing search for City Manager by members of Beckley City Council, as an out-of-state agency has been recruited to assist in the process.

Members of council convened on Tuesday evening to discuss a number of issues, not the least significant of which entailed plans to move forward with the city’s plans to secure a candidate to act as City Manager.

City attorney, William File laid out a proposal during Tuesday’s session which would see the city hire recruitment agency, Baker Tilly, which would utilize its own resources to assist the City of Beckley in establishing a pool of qualified candidates to fill the role of City Manager.

“They have tremendous experience doing this,” File said of the organization. “This is the first time the City of Beckley has attempted to go down this road to hire a city manager, we thought it was best to go with the most experienced group.”

According to File, at a cost of $26,950, Baker Tilly has offered to perform the “full scope of services” being requested by the city.

Councilman and mayoral candidate, Robert Dunlap spoke up during this portion of the session, noting discussions of an additional fee which would go toward web-based services to compound the services covered by the base fee. This additional service, referred to by Dunlap as “a la carte,” is provided at a cost of $1,650.

The core service, along with the additional web-based service, was approved by members of council, thus beginning a new chapter in the ongoing Beckley City Manager narrative.