Fort Smith board to hire search firm for city administrator search

After more than a year of trying without a search firm to hire a new city administrator, the Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Jan. 6) voted unanimously to hire a national search firm to start the process anew.

The vote followed an almost one-hour executive session to review applications of recently interviewed candidates.

The board fired Carl Geffken as city administrator in December 2024. Geffken was hired to be the city administrator in March 2016 with a salary of $175,000. His annual salary when he was fired was $204,513. Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman was named acting city administrator following Geffken’s dismissal and continues in that role.

Instead of hiring a national search firm, The board on Aug. 19 voted to have the city’s human resources department post the job on the city’s website on Sept. 2, and keep the application window open through Oct. 16. The board decided to avoid the cost of an executive search firm and focus on conducting an online search. The board also named Director Lee Kemp as the board’s liaison with the city administrator search.

Dingman, who was on the short list of candidates when Geffken was hired in 2016, has again applied for the job.

The board in early December narrowed down the list of applicants to four, including Dingman. Some board members said they were open to using a search firm if they are not comfortable with hiring from the short list.

Kemp told Talk Business & Politics after Tuesday’s vote that he is in the process of coordinating with two search firms on an agreement. He said any agreement would be reviewed by the city’s human resources department.

Kemp is hopeful that when a firm is hired, a city administrator would be hired within 90 days. He said the board is leaning toward hiring someone that may not have local government experience but has a successful business background as a corporate CEO “and can inspire leaders to lead, be a good communicator, and confident to pitch our city.”

“I think that’s where we lean today,” Kemp said. “We’re looking for someone who can direct that traffic (interaction between citizens, department heads, and the board) and keep that forward progress.”

Kemp also said he encourages residents to communicate to board members what they would like to see in a city administrator.