by James Jordan, Sumner Newscow — In somewhat of a surprise move the Wellington City Council voted to hire Shane Shields as its next Wellington City Manager, contingent upon negotiating a contract. The council will meet in executive session in its next regular meeting to hash out the details of the contract.

Shane Shields

The motion was approved by a 4-2 count with Kip Etter and Kelly Hawley voting no. Immediately after the vote Etter left the room quickly and did not return. Shortly after that Hawley left too but came back soon.

Contacted after the meeting, Etter said  “I feel that it is best that I refrain from comments at this time.”

The issue came up as the city was talking about signing a contract with the state League of Municipalities to help them in a search for a city manager. At  a recent work session council members were having second thoughts about signing the contract and spending $6,000 to have the league manage the search.

Kip Etter

Wetta said he had expressed reservations about hiring the league. He said he had thought about this a lot since then.

“I have let things go in the past and then regretted it, So I am going to do this and we can discuss it,” he said.

He then made the motion to hire Shields contingent on the contract negotiations. Jim Valentine seconded and the vote was held.

Mayor Shelley Hansel called it a surprise, “and now there’s no need to talk about the contract (with the League of Municipalities).” she said.

Valentine expressed support for Shields, as he did at an earlier meeting.

“We have a good commander here, who knows the county and the city. I feel it would be a waste of money to do the search when the money can be better used somewhere else,” he said.

Wetta said he asked Shields to make a proposal as far as his contract, and they can discuss that as they work out the details.

Shields said to the council he would do his best for the city.

After the meeting, he said he was glad about the offer and was glad it was settled.

He has been the interim city manager for a few weeks, filling in for Roy Eckert who was dismissed as city manager a couple of months ago.

At the meeting earlier, council members were having second thoughts about hiring the league, and discussed whether they should just hire Shields instead.

Some felt the city should go through the process of looking at applications and said even then they would likely hire him anyway.

It is not a done deal. The city will have to work out Shield’s contract and will likely approve that at its next meeting.

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