Officials in Normal consider help in hiring city manager

NORMAL, Ill. (AP) - The city council in Normal is considering hiring a consultant to help find its next city manager.

The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reports that council members could sign a $20,000 contract with Northbrook-based GovHR USA to seek a successor for Mark Peterson. Peterson will retire next spring.

Peterson told council members in a memo that GovHR USA specializes in executive recruitment. It has conducted more than 600 searches with government entities "of all sizes throughout the country."

Heidi Voorhees is the company's founder and president. She's a graduate of Illinois State University in Normal and has done similar work for Bloomington.

Voorhees would work with town officials in a three-month search.

The 58-year-old Peterson joined the Normal city staff in 1988. He is paid $189,000 a year.