LARNED — Interviews to find a replacement for Larned city manager Don Gaeddert will continue in the next week.
Interviews were scheduled Thursday and May 17 with candidates recommended by the Kansas League of Municipalities. The Larned city council agreed to pay KLM $4,062 plus cost of advertising, for a comprehensive search program to develop a list of preferred candidates to be interviewed by the city. Interviews are done in executive sessions.
The first candidate was interviewed this week, according to Larned Mayor Bob Pivonka.
“The first candidate had a very positive impression of Larned,” Pivonka said.
Nathan Eberline, KLM intergovernmental associate, was the lead person working with the city of Larned.
“Nathan Eberline thought we’d have some good applicants,” Pivonka said. “It seems like the process has worked really well. Nathan has done a really good job.”
Pivonka said Eberline ranked the applicants and the city council picked three of the top candidates.
“We ran through the list and agreed that we’d talk to three candidates,” Pivonka said. “After we finish, we stay for a few minutes and discuss what we think.”
The city wanted to choose someone who’s worked in city government as a city manager with some expertise with electrical utilities. The city is in the process of establishing a new transmission line southwest of Larned.
Pivonka said the city council may announce its top city manager candidate at the May 23 city council meeting.
“It will be difficult replacing someone with the experience of Don Gaeddert,” Pivonka said. “We’re trying to find someone to fill his shoes.