City of Sequim looks to hire during employment crunch

Public works directors, city clerk hired

By Matthew Nash • March 23, 2022 1:30 am
Photos courtesy of City of Sequim/ Sarah VanAusdle was recently named the City of Sequim’s Sequim Public Works Director, and Don Ctibor the city’s Public Works Deputy Director.
Photos courtesy of City of Sequim/ Sarah VanAusdle was recently named the City of Sequim’s Sequim Public Works Director, and Don Ctibor the city’s Public Works Deputy Director.

With a continued hiring crunch nationwide, the City of Sequim has seen in recent months its highest employment vacancy rate ever, according to city staff.

“We have certainly been affected by the Great Resignation the last year or so,” Sequim’s human resources director Emily Stednick said.

“We’re focusing on retention and succession planning to provide continuity of service and city operations.”

While some hires have been made, including recent announcements of a new public works director and city clerk (more below), there are eight vacant positions — including director of community development, finance manager and a police officer — and three more retirements planned and budgeted for later this year.

Stednick said she’s seen a much smaller pool of qualified candidates, too. For example, one recent vacant position had four qualified candidates in February apply compared to 40 for the same position in 2011, she said.

The planned retirement of current director of Community Development Barry Berezowsky arrives at a time when Sequim, Port Angeles and Port Townsend and several other Washington cities, including Bainbridge Island, are recruiting for the same position, Stednick said.

Of the city’s 89 budgeted employees, 12 full- and part-time staffers were hired/started work across many departments in the last six months, such as city manager Matt Huish (Nov. 1, 2021) and part-time arts coordinator Sarah Hurt (February 2022).

Public Works

Last week, city officials announced the appointment of interim public works department director Sarah VanAusdle as the permanent director, and city engineer Don Ctibor as deputy director.

They were appointed on March 8 and will oversee 37 full time staffers and two seasonal workers.

Huish said at the March 14 city council meeting they pursued several avenues for recruiting a director, but “none felt as right as Sarah and Don.”

“They’ll be fantastic leaders,” Huish said. “There’s been nothing but fantastic support from the ranks for them.”

VanAusdle was appointed as interim director in November following the resignation of former director Matt Klontz, who left to serve with the Port of Port Townsend.

VanAusdle has worked for the city since February 2011 starting in the Finance Department as an accounting assistant. In January 2012 she became the Public Works Management Analyst before being appointed by Klontz as Assistant Public Works Director in May of 2021.

Klontz’s annual salary as public works director was $110,858, and he was slated to make $127,000 in Port Townsend, according to the Peninsula Daily News. VanAusdle will make $130,000 a year and Ctibor $105,000 as deputy director.

“I am motivated by good stewardship. I look forward to using our existing resources in the most efficient manner possible and maintaining and enhancing our infrastructure to ensure a safe and thriving community for future generations,” VanAusdle said in a press release.

Ctibor is a new hire after joining the city in December with more than 13 years of engineering experience and 29 years of construction experience.

City staff report he last worked as the Civil Engineering Consultant, Plan Reviewer, and Civil/Geotechnical Inspector for SAFEbuilt/Interwest Consulting Group and licensed general engineering and building contractor in California.

“I am so happy to be filling these very important positions with such competent and professional Individuals,” Huish said via press release.

“They both care a tremendous amount about providing quality public works services to our residents, appreciate and embrace technology, and are passionate about customer service.”

City clerk

New city clerk Haylie Clement starts April 1 after serving as the deputy clerk for the City of Port Townsend, according to Stednick.

She follows former city clerk Sara McMillon, who left in late November to take on clerk duties with the City of Duvall after nearly two years in Sequim. Assistant City Manager Charisse Deschenes has served as acting city clerk in the interim.

The advertised pay rate for the city clerk position was $74,256-106,080 with McMillon making $86,113 annually, according to Stednick.

Finance

Connie Anderson, Sequim’s ​​deputy director of administrative services, was honored by a proclamation at the March 14 city council meeting for her 15 years of service. She left to take the finance director position with the City of Port Townsend earlier this month.

In Sequim, Anderson served as accounting project manager for five-plus years, finance manager for three-plus years, and as deputy administrative services director for nearly six years.

She made $107,934 a year, Stednick said, and the Peninsula Daily News reports she’ll make $131,676 in Port Townsend.

Sequim’s vacant finance manager position’s salary is listed at $74,256-$106,080 annually.

Vacancies

Stednick said most city positions are in a union with salaries determined by collective bargaining agreements ratified by the city council.

City policy requires salary surveys every two-three years, which was last done in 2018, she said.

City councilors approved new salary adjustments for non-represented staff on Jan. 10 to bring those leadership positions’ pay scales closer to local markets.

The city’s positions are posted at governmentjobs.com/careers/sequimwa.