The Babbitt City Council began the interview process Monday afternoon for the hiring of a new clerk-treasurer.
Of the 10 applicants previously selected, eight accepted the offer to complete a first round interview. After these candidates appeared before the council, discussions ensued on which of the eight might be best suited for the position.
“The next step would be to go through all the interviews today, and then we are going to scale it down to a second interview,” said mayor Andrea Zupancich.
Final decisions have not yet been made on which applicants will advance to the next round. Names will be released “pending background checks,” said Zupancich.
She also emphasized that these applicants represent a stronger and more qualified group than the previous pool.
During the interview process, council members assessed candidates’ understanding of the position and their ability to supervise, negotiate and successfully manage finances, including reimbursements, investments, budgets and more.
Questions also placed emphasis on interviewees’ motives for applying and their experience with project management, but above all focused on narrowing candidates down to those with the highest potential to offer new value to the city. The ideal clerk-treasurer is one who will not only find success with day-to-day responsibilities — such as grant writing, following up on citizen requests and handling contracts — but will work with the council to go beyond the status quo and help the city “grow economically.”
Candidates expressed their belief in the importance of the role.
“Grant writing is absolutely vital to communities up here. You either are getting grants or somebody else is, and if you’re not getting grants, these communities cannot afford to do most projects,” one applicant said.
The next round of interviews will happen “sooner rather than later,” Zupancich said.
