City Council members are set to give the go-ahead this week for a final recruitment and hiring process aimed at replacing outgoing City Manager Gary Suiter.

Suiter has held the city’s top executive position since June 2016 when he began serving on an interim basis before committing to a permanent position eight months later. After marking his eight-year anniversary on the job last fall, he announced in September that he would step down in early 2025.

“Leaving a job you love is never easy, but I’m excited to start the next phase and spend more time with family and friends,” Suiter said following the announcement. “The community is fortunate to have such a dedicated city staff to steer ‘The Boat’ onward.”

Included in council’s Tuesday agenda packet, an outline for the hiring process to replace Suiter sets a final application submission date of Jan. 12 for those vying for the position.

The job listing was initially posted Dec. 3 after council members approved the selection of a Colorado Springs-based executive recruiting firm, Columbia Ltd., to guide the recruitment process.

According to a copy of the listing, the proposed salary for Steamboat’s new city manager ranges from $210,000 to $245,000 depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

The job posting describes the general history of the Steamboat Springs, which was incorporated in July 1900, and provides a community profile in addition to job and skill expectations.

It also lays out current initiatives and budget figures and outlines key issues and initiatives facing the city.

Steamboat is poised to open the new city hall, downtown fire station and civic plaza on two blocks off Lincoln Avenue, an effort that’s intended to redefine the city’s services by bringing modern technologies and efficiencies into one location.

Other pressing issues described discussions of revenue diversification in the city, along with the need to navigate affordable housing initiatives and forming a plan, through city, county and state stakeholders, to establish a regional transportation authority.

Under the proposed hiring plan for the city manager job, which council will vote to approve on Tuesday evening, initial screening interviews will take place in January before candidate recommendations are presented to council in executive session at council’s Feb. 4 meeting.

As the recruitment process proceeds, council members will also meet to discuss the appointment of an interim city manager who will take over following Suiter’s last day.

According to the city, finalists’ names, cover letters and resumes will become public record before council holds public interviews Feb. 14-15.

Next, members will meet in another executive session to discuss the hiring process and a selection of a final candidate, or candidates. Columbia Ltd. will conduct detailed background and reference checks while working with city staff and council members on a contract negotiation.

“No announcement will be made to the public until the finalist accepts the terms and conditions of employment in writing,” according to the city’s proposed hiring process. Any offer of employment will be conditioned upon successful background and reference checks.