Forest Lake City Council members are moving forward with an expedited search for the next city administrator — and interim city administrator Kristina Handt is at the top of their list of candidates.
Handt, in fact, is the only candidate currently under consideration.
Kristina Handt (Courtesy photo)
Handt, the former Lake Elmo city administrator, was hired in mid-January after the Forest Lake City Council voted unanimously to terminate former city administrator Patrick Casey’s employment contract and hire her as interim administrator and interim clerk. The vote came after a closed session to discuss Casey’s annual performance evaluation.
Handt is currently searching for a permanent city administrator position and has been presented with “a few opportunities … that have timelines … that would be in conflict with running through the standard executive search,” City Attorney Amanda Johnson told the council on Monday night.
Council members decided Monday to pause the general search process and proceed with an expedited review of Handt, Johnson said.
“The components of the process are the same as the general process would be,” she said. “This includes a background check, reference review, personality assessment and interviews.”
Handt’s interview with the council and a community stakeholder panel will be on March 14 and will be open to the public.
The council is expected to hold a special meeting on March 18 to vote on Handt’s possible hiring for the permanent position.
If the council does not vote to move forward with Handt, officials with DDA Human Resources will proceed “with the full-scope executive search as originally planned,” Mayor Mara Bain said.
“Our goal for Forest Lake is to consider as many candidates as possible,” Bain said. “Because of the timing of other municipalities’ searches for city administrator, this expedited timing is the only possible way to consider Kristina for the Forest Lake position.”
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