Voorhees Associates, LLC is well into its search timeline to find DeKalb’s new city manager. Candidate reviews and interviews will be held throughout October into early November.

It’s been more than four months since Mark Biernacki, DeKalb’s former city manager, announced his retirement. Rudy Espiritu has been temporarily filling in as city manager until Biernacki’s replacement is hired.

Voorhees Associates was contracted by the city for a cost of $15,000 to conduct the search for the new city manager. The original proposal for cost was about $16,400, but some costs have been cut, including printing recruitment brochures.

Mayor John Rey said he wants to see a city manager with previous experience in a municipality similar to DeKalb.

“An individual who has the understanding of city budget,” Rey said. “An ideal city manager would have interest in assisting us in moving DeKalb forward.”

Voorhees Associates started the search process in July and will complete its second-round interviews on Nov. 9, according to a proposed schedule given to the city.

“Unfortunately, right now while we’re mired in our search,” said Second Ward Alderman Bill Finucane. “Some of the things have been put on the back burner until the new city manager arrives.”

Finucane said DeKalb wants to create a new comprehensive plan.

“It wouldn’t do us much good to do very much of that without the new city manager included,” Finucane said.

First Ward Alderman David Jacobson said he thinks the city put off the search until Biernacki left as a professional courtesy.

“I said upfront that I thought we could have gotten the ball rolling earlier in the process. I don’t necessarily understand why we waited as long as we did in bringing in a search firm or at least advertising the position,” Jacobson said. “I think that could have been done a couple of months earlier.”

Jacobson said he wants to see someone with a business background take the role of city manager.

“We’re looking for someone who has had success in economic development, one that can hopefully move the city forward,” Finucane said.