More details emerge in Wichita’s search for new city manager

The city of Wichita is moving forward with plans to hire a consulting firm to assist in its search for a new city manager.

The Wichita City Council approved issuing a request for proposal to hire a search firm Tuesday.

The firm will assist in multiple public engagement opportunities as the job description is developed and as final candidates are considered.

Some of those engagement opportunities could come from focus groups and online surveys, much as the city did when it was looking for a new police chief a few years ago.

“That is a very big piece of what we’re asking for in this RFP, that whoever the submitters are, they need to be able to know how to engage the community and the process,” Assistant Human Resources Director Pam Pennington told the council.

Longtime City Manager Robert Layton, who was hired in 2009, announced his retirement earlier this month.

Early estimates by the city suggest that the search could cost about $75,000. That will come out of the city manager’s office budget.

The proposal will remain open for bids for about a month, with selection approval by the council in June.

During the early parts of the search, Pennington said the council will be able to review a preliminary list of six to 10 candidates and whittle it down to two final candidates.

“The six to 10, that’s how many qualified candidates we’re asking for before we even start the first set of interviews,” Pennington said.

The search for and hiring of a city manager could go into later this year or early next while three council seats are up for election.