Price for new Clark County executives? $60K

Clark County has launched a search to fill two deputy county manager positions, a recruitment effort that will cost at least $58,750.

Commissioners chose Ralph Andersen & Associates, a California-based consulting firm, to find prospective replacements for Jeff Wells, who retired in April, and Randall Tarr, who’s retiring Thursday after 13 years with the county.

Wells announced his retirement months into a paid leave after he intervened in the discipline of his son, who’d been hired by the public defender’s office that Wells oversaw.

“The County contracted with this experienced firm to help ensure that our nationwide search yields top candidates for the Deputy County Manager positions,” county spokesperson Jennifer Cooper wrote in an email.

Hiring outside firms to help in the hiring process is not unusual for municipalities. But this month, the city of Las Vegas avoided paying a firm up to $100,000 to find the next city manager and city attorney. Instead, the City Council instead voted to replace City Manager Jorge Cervantes with Mike Janssen, Las Vegas’ infrastructure director, and instructed the city’s human resources department to search for someone to fill City Attorney Bryan Scott’s seat.

Both Cervantes and Scott are retiring in the coming weeks.

Clark County is expected to pay Ralph Andersen and Associates in four installments: three payments of $17,625 as the process evolves, and a final payment of $5,875 when the candidates are hired, according to a copy of the proposal letter dated April 27.

The county said it issued a purchase order for the contract on May 9. The search could take between three to six months, the firm said.

Combining the search will save the county $14,250, according to the letter.

“Although these are two distinct positions, we believe a combined effort to conduct these recruitments will be effective as we conduct national outreach for highly qualified candidates,” the letter said.

The team, led by a senior consultant, will work with County Manager Kevin Schiller “to identify the key characteristics and professional experience desired in the candidate pool,” the letter said. It then reach out to candidates in the U.S., including the western states.

The firm said it will deploy a “marketing strategy” to spread the word for supplemental candidates.

A report will be prepared with the recommendations, and the firm will assist with the final interview and selection process, according to the letter. The county will be responsible for travel expenses for candidates.

The consulting firm will conduct new searches for free if either deputy county manager resigns or is fired for cause within a year, the letter said.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickytwrites.