Firm To Help Find Cool's Replacement

SEBRING -- An executive search firm based in Palm Beach County will assist Highlands County commissioners in picking a new county administrator.

After interviewing three firms on Tuesday, the commissioners hired Colin Baenziger & Associates for the job.

Naming a citizens advisory committee will be the next step in the process of replacing county Administrator Carl Cool, who announced in early summer that he will retire on June 30, 2008.

Cool, 57, has been the county's chief executive officer for more than 16 years, since June 1991.

Edgar Stokes, chairman of the county commissioners, said he expects that a citizens advisory committee will be appointed by mid-January. Stokes also said between 10 to 15 people will probably be appointed to the committee.

Colin Baenziger said a citizens advisory committee should be involved in picking the county's top administrator. Over the next several weeks, he will talk with commissioners about the precise roles of the committee.

For sure, Baenziger said, the committee should help him understand the county and its needs so that he can draw up the best possible advertisement, aimed at attracting not only quality candidates but also those who will fit well in Highlands County.

The committee also will probably interview and evaluate the candidates for the county's top job.

Highlands County became the 14th Florida county to use Baenziger's firm in searching for a new county administrator. Baenziger & Associates is currently the consultant for Okeechobee County's search for a new administrator.

Twelve other counties have hired new administrators with Baenziger's assistance, including St. John's, Flagler, Baker, Bay, Osceola and Seminole.

Commissioners agreed to pay $21,500 for the executive search firm, and Baenziger said that will cover all costs.

Baenziger recommended that the commissioners start advertising for a new administrator in early February and narrow down the applicants to five to eight finalists who will be interviewed in late April.

More than 80 people applied for the county administrator's job in Highlands County when it was created in 1991. When he was hired, Cool was then the county's public works director and the the former Highlands County engineer.

Commissioners Barbara Stewart and Andy Jackson asked Baenziger if he would recommend recruiting candidates from the private sector as well as the public sector.

Baenziger answered that successful executives in the public and private sectors are "two different animals" and said "it's the rare person" who can succeed as a top executive in both business and government.

But, he added, business executives could become a great government administrator and they should also be recruited if the commissioners want to consider that option.