Craig Clark picked as new West St. Paul city manager

• City Administrator

City Administrator Craig Clark sits at his desk at Worthington City Hall. (BRIAN KORTHALS/DAILY GLOBE)

Talk about it

WORTHINGTON — City Administrator Craig Clark has been selected to become the next West St. Paul city manager.

West St. Paul city attorney Kori Land confirmed Wednesday morning the city has entered into negotiations with Clark, who has been Worthington City Administrator since 2008.

“The West St. Paul city council, on Sept. 24, selected him and authorized me to enter into negotiations,” Land said. “That’s what we’ve started.”

According to West St. Paul City Clerk Sharon Newhouse, the interviews were handled on Sept. 21.

“At open council work session, on Sept. 24, is when they discussed the three candidates who were interviewed,” Newhouse said.

At the regular council meeting later that same day, the council voted to enter into negotiations with Clark.

“The motion was to make a conditional offer to Craig Clark and enter into negotiations for city manager pending a successful background investigation,” said Newhouse, reading the motion from the council minutes from Sept. 24.

On Monday, the council had a special meeting to discuss the terms of the offer.

“I had a special meeting with the council on Monday night to discuss parameters for the contract,” Land said. “I sent it to him (Tuesday). He really hasn’t even had a chance probably to absorb it all.”

A background check and psychological evaluation are currently under way.

“Hopefully, again, in my ideal optimistic world is those things all come together on the same day, pass the background check, the psychological evaluation and he accepts the offer,” Land said. “Then we’re all good.”

There is no set timetable for the negotiations to conclude, but Land is hoping for a quick agreement.

“It really depends on how much he likes the offer,” she said. “The council gave me some good parameters on what to negotiate with the offer. I tried to put forth a good opening. Hopefully, if he likes it, it will be quick and painless.

“My ideal world, we have the meeting on the eighth in West St. Paul and I’d love to put that contract on the agenda. That’s really optimistic, though.”

Clark declined comment Wednesday on the job offer.

“We’d like to thank Craig Clark for his time here in Worthington and wish him well as he enters a new chapter of his life,” Worthington Mayor Alan Oberloh said.

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