City manager search continues

As Live Oak approaches seven months without a permanent city manager, the search continues.

The city is working with Rocklin-based recruiting firm Ralph Andersen & Associates, which has turned the search into a nationwide hunt, said Assistant City Manager Satwant Takhar.

“The council is hoping to have this recruitment wrapped up and have a new city manager by the end of the year,” he said.

During a previous round of recruiting, “four or five” applicants were interview for the job, but none were chosen, Takhar said.

Ralph Andersen & Associates is also handling recruitment for the assistant county administrator and personnel director positions for Sutter County, and handled recruitment for the county’s recently filled Public Works director position.

According to a recruitment brochure on the firm’s Web site, reviewing applicants will begin on Oct. 26.

The city is offering a salary of up to $100,000 per year and a Public Employees’ Retirement System plan of 2.5 percent per year at age 55, with the 8 percent employee contribution paid by the city.

The brochure said the new city manager will “hit the ground running” on major projects such as the city’s wastewater treatment plant upgrade, estimated to cost $25 million.

The hunt for a new city manager began after the City Council voted to end Rob Hickey’s seven-year tenure with Live Oak in February.

Since March, former Chico City Manager Tom Lando has been on board in an interim role, while also running a Chico-based consulting firm and teaching planning courses at Chico State University and the University of Southern California.

Appeal-Democrat reporter Robert LaHue can be reached at 749-4713. You may e-mail him at rlahue@appealdemocrat.com.