LOCK HAVEN — Before it begins searching for a new manager, Lock Haven City Council is considering an update to its ordinance related to the role’s duties and responsibilities.

The revision comes from a recommendation made by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and outlined in a memo sent to council from City Planner and Interim Manager Abbey Roberts.

“The PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) recommended the City of Lock Haven takes two steps in preparation for hiring a new City Manager,” Roberts said in the memo.

The first is updating its ordinance and the second is to create a temporary personnel committee, made up of three councilmembers, to meet with potential candidates.

“DCED has offered training for members of the Personnel Committee and others who wish to learn more. The training is mostly focused on interviewing candidates accurately and effectively,” Roberts wrote to council.

During its meeting on Monday night, Mayor Joel Long said the proposed revisions to the ordinance will need to go through two readings and came after a meeting with officials from DCED.

After the meeting, Long said he compiled information and asked the city’s solicitor, Justin Houser, to draft the ordinance.

“This is a working document. We have three weeks until the next meeting. Anything you see in there, anything you feel should be different can be changed,” he said.

Long noted a few parts of the ordinance that can be adjusted, including the ability for council to waive the requirement of residency for a candidate.

“So if we’re in a situation where they’re a fantastic candidate and they live within community distance but don’t want to move, we could possibly waive it,” he said. “It gives some different ideas on how we could do that and still make the residents who want them to live in the city, not necessarily happy, but satisfied.”

Long acknowledged the proposed revisions are vague, but said it was to give future councils flexibility and avoid having to constantly revisit ordinances.

“What we do with the job description, as long as it doesn’t conflict with this, we can be more detailed,” he said.

The revisions were passed unanimously on first reading through a motion made by Councilmember Rick Conklin and seconded by Councilmember Tami Brannan.

Brannan noted she wanted to take the time to review the ordinance revisions and compare them to the old ordinance prior to council’s final adoption.

Also in relation to the upcoming manager search, Long said DCED recommended the council create a temporary hiring committee.

“I plan to serve on it and I’m ideally looking for two people to serve on it. It will be during the daytime,” he said.

Councilmembers Micah Clausen, Conklin and Brannan all expressed an interest in being on the committee.

Councilmember Barb Masorti suggested they consider placing one interested individual as an alternate for instances where a committee member cannot attend a meeting.

Council will make a final determination of the committee at its next meeting.