RANGELY | Rangely Town Manager Peter Brixius will be moving to Craig to take the position of City Manager. Last week the Craig City Council approved a contract for Brixius including a $130,000 yearly salary plus a $600 per month vehicle allowance. Brixius will begin his new role the first week of September.
Brixius is in his 11th year as Rangely’s Town Manager and was receiving a $99,964 salary from the town.
The Rangely Town Council met Tuesday to discuss how to move forward. Mayor Andy Shaffer suggested getting someone to fill an interim position so that the council could take time to find the “right person for Rangely.”
Municipal code requires no more than 90 days vacancy for the position, however that could be filled with an interim.
Brixius recommended Town Clerk Lisa Piering to fill the interim position, saying she is the “only obvious choice.” Piering said she was willing and the council expressed confidence in her ability. “We have good supervisors,” said Piering. “They know their jobs.”
Brixius said he’s not leaving because he’s upset with the community but to further his career. “I leave with a heavy heart,” he said. He recommended a variety of consulting firms that could help with the hiring process which range in price from $15,000-$28,000.
Shaffer said he thinks the market for the job will be “competitive” while Key expressed concerns that using a hiring firm would mean that many applications could be kicked out due to algorithm work.
The council discussed areas of focus for the new manager and landed heavily on economic development. Councilman Andy Key suggested they consider breaking the position into multiple jobs with one focusing on economic development. Councilman Matt Billgren said that there would still have to be one person in charge.
Benedetti advised council to consider salary and said that they needed to offer enough money to attract the right candidates. “I don’t know what that magic number is,” he said, suggesting that the town go beyond the offerings of towns of similar size.
An action item to appoint an interim manager and salary as well as amending the municipal code vacancy ordinance will be on next week’s town agenda. They will also move forward with conversations with various consulting firms to decide if they want to seek their assistance with the hiring process.
By JEN HILL
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