Quincy councilmember questions hiring process

QUINCY - A Quincy city councilmember questioned the process used to hire the city's new recreation director.

The city is in the process of hiring a new recreation director after terminating former Recreation Director Chris Koeppel without cause last year. The council is holding an assessment center Saturday for six candidates for the position.

"We should have somebody the committee can agree on by the end of that day," Mayor Jim Hemberry said at a recent city council meeting. "I would like to be able to ask for council confirmation on (April) 22."

Travis Wittman asked why the city spent $1,250 a month to hire BBSI, a Vancouver-based personnel company, to assist with personnel issues, but didn't use them in the process of hiring the new director.

"They've been working on personnel issues mostly," Hemberry said. "I didn't have them help on this one ... BBSI has been working on a bunch of personnel and human resources stuff lately."

Wittman also asked about the job posting stating a resume, cover letter and application were required. He said not all of the six candidates had the required documents.

Hemberry said typically all they need is an application.

"Some of them had resumes. Some of them had cover letters," he said. "I didn't look at the job posting, to be perfectly honest with you."

Wittman said it was strange the cover letter, resume and application were required in the advertisement, when it wasn't a requirement.

"I feel like this doesn't appear to be a very legitimate process, and somebody from the outside could feel the same thing," he said. "I just want to bring up these points because we pay this BBSI company $1,250 a month, but we aren't utilizing it. That's a perfect third-party independent person that could be utilized for this situation and you're choosing not to. I just think that's a little bizarre."

Hemberry said the interview process will continue as planned.