Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Gebhard Road extension on the drawing board ... Oregon lawmakers adjourn with bills to help gay veterans, strippers ... Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Gebhard Road extension on the drawing board ... Oregon lawmakers adjourn with bills to help gay veterans, strippers ... OUR VIEW Our View: Better luck next time, but no guarantees MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 5, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Jul. 5, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Medford City Council members say they will take their time and be more meticulous about searching for a new city manager to replace the fired Eric Swanson. That's a fine approach, but even the best vetting process won't guarantee the next manager won't clash with the council. Councilors Dick Gordon and Chris Corcoran, the only two councilors who were in office at the time, said they were disappointed with the hiring process that brought Swanson to Medford three years ago. The headhunting firm the city hired recommended four finalists, but there were problems with three of them. One was using the application process to leverage more money from his current employer. Another turned out to be unqualified. Swanson essentially won the job by default. That could be a problem, but the fault was not necessarily with Swanson. By all accounts he was a successful manager for seven hears in Roseburg, his previous post, and sources there said they would be sorry to see him go. If Medford councilors had reservations about Swanson, then they were irresponsible if they voted to hire him anyway. Nothing prevented the council from discarding all the finalists and starting over with another search. Gordon says that's what will happen if the situation occurs again. That's a prudent approach, but even that won't guarantee the next hire will satisfy everyone on the council. Gordon and Corcoran both say they want to spend more time checking the backgrounds of candidates, including sending a council contingent to their current cities to gather local reactions to their service there. That should help give a better picture of the individuals involved, but again, every hire of this nature carries some risk. By its very nature, the relationship between a city manager and a council is a delicate one. Working for multiple bosses who don't always agree with each other is not easy. The best city managers are adept at not ruffling feathers and gently guiding a council without appearing to "manage" them — a complaint some had about Swanson. That's just one reason why city managers are paid handsomely.   MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 5, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501