Commission narrows county manager search to eight

Roosevelt County received “10 or 12” applicants for its county manager job and commissioners on Friday selected eight they plan to interview, County Attorney Rick Queener said.

Officials still did not release the names of the applicants.

Commissioners met in executive session for about 90 minutes Friday to discuss the candidates.

Following the executive session, board members voted to meet Wednesday to impose 2014 property tax rates. Also at that Wednesday, meeting they are expected to interview the first candidate for the manager’s job.

Queener said interviews are planned for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sept. 16. Queener said that schedule could change if candidates are not able to make the interviews.

“When the decision will be made all depends on when we can get all the candidates interviewed and how much time the board needs to make that decision,” Queener said.

Officials have said they prefer a manager with at least five years of government management experience or upper-level management experience and professional certification and training related to public sector management.

The job became open last month when Charlene Webb accepted the Grant County manager’s job. Webb had been

Roosevelt County’s manager since 2001.

Jena Wilbanks, Webb’s executive assistant for 2 1/2 years, is acting as interim manager.