Urbana Mayor Seeking Help To Hire Administrator

The Mayor of Urbana is hiring a search firm to help hire a new administrator for the city.

Historically Urbana had a city administrator to assist the mayor in policy, planning, economic development and labor negotiations. But former mayor Laurel Prussing abolished the administrator and instead hired a chief of staff.

Now, the new Mayor, Dianne Marlin, has hired a search firm to help her find Urbana’s first city administrator in a decade. Marlin stresses that she will still have the final word on city matters. "We are not changing our government structure which is a mayor-council form of government; that remains the same," Marlin said.

Mayor Marlin budgeted 28-thousand dollars for a search firm to help the city find the right person for the administrator post. She will also create an advisory committee of Urbana residents and city workers to provide input on the hiring process.