State-Journal.com - Search for FPB head will cost up to $80,000

Directors of the Frankfort Plant Board say it will take four to five months to recruit a new general manager and cost between $30,000 and $80,000.

The board is seeking a new executive after long-time general manager Warner Caines retired in September.

A plant board subcommittee met Monday to discuss hiring a search firm to assist in the process. Board members Sheila Burton and Ann Wingrove both said they gave the same four firms top marks, although they had slightly different rankings.

The firms include:

>The Mercer Group, based in Louisburg, N.C.

>Little & Associates from Broomfield, Colo.

>Mycoff & Associates of Conifer, Colo.

>The Pace Group based in Chicago.

That narrows the field from nine search firms that offered their services. Of the four selected Monday, Burton said she was impressed with their proposed plans and experience finding candidates for public utilities.

Burton said the companies have different fee schedules, but the cost would be between $30,000 and $80,000. Additional expenses would also be incurred for bringing any candidates to Frankfort to interview for the position.

All four groups guarantee they would conduct another search at no additional cost if the first person hired for the job leaves within 12 to 24 months.

“That is very important,” Burton said.

Burton and Wingrove will provide their recommendation to the plant board at today’s regular meeting at 5 p.m. in the clubhouse.

The next step will be to check between two to five references for each firm and then select the company they think is best suited for the job.

Burton said she hopes to have an agreement by mid-December and begin the search in January. The four firms each provided a different estimated timeline between three and four months.

Assistant General Manager Herbie Bannister has been appointed to fill the vacancy on an interim basis with a salary of $124,000.

He said he’s been interested in applying for the job for some time.

Bannister has a bachelor’s in civil engineering and a master’s in business from the University of Kentucky. He’s been assistant general manager for 10 years and oversees the day-to-day operations.

“I’ve been groomed toward taking the next step,” Bannister said. “I feel qualified for the position. Hopefully, I’ll bring something to the table.”

He said he’s interested in seeing the job description, which has not been published yet. Bannister said he’s also encouraged his department heads to apply for the position.

“The opportunity to interview in front of…a national search firm doesn’t come along very often,” he said. “The experience would be invaluable.”

He said he expects there will be two or three other internal applicants for the job.

“It is a competitive position,” Bannister said.

11.	Posted by trying November 17, 2009
	They need somebody who is not attached to the town or people here. Somebody who is willing to push for higher prices instead of reason... They want somebody who is coldblooded enough to just do what they want and won't mind to eventually simply move on. People who live here know too much, are too attached, and too reasonable to push through what these people apparently decided they should spent and then gain back in increased charges to the customers..... If you are somebody from here, you know too many people, too many will complain... you get weak.... Well, at least that seems to be the thinking. Looks like wasteful spending is what keeps going on and the voices of reason aren't listened to. They have a good cash cow called their customers. Can't switch away for everything. For some things they are the only deal in town unless you have the money to get off the grid somehow for all the services they offer. $80,000 search fee? That's just dumb.