Council Decides to Hire Recruiting Firm for Administrator, Fire Chief

Effingham city council members Thursday informally agreed to utilize an outside recruiting firm rather than go it on their own in the search for a new city administrator and fire chief.

The Council was already discussing a successor to Jim Arndt as city administrator when Fire Chief Joe Holomy announced his retirement, effective August 24. Arndt resigned earlier this year to become city manager in Paducah, Kentucky.

Effingham Mayor Jeff Bloemker said Council members have decided to go with GovHR USA. A formal vote on their retention will come at the Council's next regular meeting. The Council heard from a representative of GovHR as well as from Strategic Government Resources at their last regular meeting.

The Council also met in closed session to discuss personnel; specifically, Bloemker said, the various organizational moves that need taken into consideration immediately.