Document text
City seeks input on police chief Ashland residents are invited to a community forum to share their insight about the ideal candidate for Ashland's police chief. Representatives from California-based Shannon Executive Search Firm - which has been hired to conduct the search for a new chief - will host a community forum from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday in the Community Development and Public Works Building at 51 Winburn Way across from Lithia Park. Residents can participate in a group discussion, meet in person with a representative or share their thoughts in writing on a comment card. "It's important the public participates personally in the selection process," Ashland City Administrator Gino Grimaldi said. "This is an opportunity for people to talk one-on-one with the consultants." Considerations might include expectations of the new chief during his/her first year on the job, the ideal candidate's breadth of experience, management work style, personality style, education or leadership skills, according to Grimaldi. The firm will also talk with city staff, other city department heads and a group of citizen representatives picked by the Ashland City Council and Mayor Alan DeBoer to get reading on the city's needs. Residents are also invited to e-mail comments to City Hall, [email protected] by Monday. Information gathered will be used to develop a candidate profile. The deadline to submit comments is Monday. Current Police Chief Scott Fleuter has stepped down because he has been diagnosed with the auto-immune disorder lupus. Ashland police Lt. Rich Walsh is acting as interim chief until the position is filled. Shannon Executive Search Firm has also been hired to perform the city's search for a new director of the Parks & Recreation Department. The combination of searches is expected to save the city at least $1,000, and will likely have additional benefits. "There may be some overlap (in the searches)," Grimaldi said. "It helps that they're doing both parks and police because it gives them a good taste of the community." Current parks chief Ken Mickelsen left his post earlier this month to head the Maple Valley, Wash., parks system. For more information, contact Tina Gray 552-2101. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -