Steve Shute, Gardner mayor, shelved plans to name his preferred choice for city administrator during the March 18 meeting and instead said the meeting would adjourn to an executive session where contract negotiations would be discussed.
Shute said that on advice of counsel he had decided it would be unfair to the candidates to name one of them ahead of contract negotiations. Information will be forthcoming.
During a March 11 ‘meet and greet’ reception with the three finalists for the city’s top job, Shute had indicated he would make his choice of candidate in open session during the March 18 meeting and then let council members decide whether to accept or reject his choice.
The three finalists for the job are Jim Pruetting, Gardner police chief, Nicholas Edwards, Lee’s Summit city administrator, and Brian Wilson, Belleville, Wisc., Village administrator.
Shute said any insinuation that the selection process has not been transparent and fair was wrong and he listed the steps the city took to ensure an objective process.
(Read more: Gardner News)