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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/10/26 Telecom Board Meeting MinutesTELECOMMUNICATIONS UTILITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Council Chambers June 10, 2026 2:00 p.m. 1. Members present: Mr. Van Fleet, Mr. Kurtenbach, Mr. Young and Mr. Batemon. Absent: Ms. Wienands. 2. Moved by Kurtenbach seconded by Young that the agenda as proposed, be approved. Voice vote-Ayes: Four. Motion carried. 3. Moved By Kurtenbach seconded by Young that the meeting minutes of May 27, 2026, as presented, be approved. Voice vote-Ayes: Four. Motion carried. 4. Moved by Young seconded by Kurtenbach for a motion to approve a Search Agreement with JM Search for the General Manager position and authorizing the General Manager of Telecommunications to execute said document. Voice vote-Ayes: Four. Motion carried. John Warrack, JM Search, provided an introduction of himself and the firm. Renee Hauch, JM Search, provided an introduction of herself. Mr. Kurtenbach inquired about JM Search’s experience recruiting for General Manager-level positions and its success in placing candidates in Iowa. John Warrack stated that they have had luck locating this level of position within the region, but not Iowa specifically. He expressed that they are a national research firm and are skilled at locating leaders within similar companies in the country. Renee Hauch stated that she has similar experience as John Warrack with locating candidates. Mr. Kurtenbach asked if they had experience with a community of the size that Waterloo Fiber services. John Warrack stated Waterloo Fiber would be the smallest company they have worked with but does not see that as a challenge. Mr. Young inquired about the proportion of JM Search’s clients that are private companies compared with public entities, such as Waterloo Fiber. John Warrack stated that the majority are private equity-backed companies. Renee Hauch provided an example of a client they had in the past that mirrors the size of community that Waterloo Fiber serves. Docusign Envelope ID: 7FDBD76D-EF0D-8524-83A1-20C5CEA67A65 Page 2 Mr. Kurtenbach questioned if their initial search would be narrowed down to candidates within the Midwest. John Warrack expressed that they would draw a circle around Waterloo and provide the top priorities when searching for candidates. Mr. Van Fleet requested the time range of finding a candidate. John Warrack stated they would begin by collecting information about what exactly the company is looking for in a candidate. They would then take that information and create a job description. Once that is complete, that is when the outreach begins. After a couple of weeks of outreach, JM Search would calibrate with Waterloo Fiber on possible candidates. By week three, they plan on having candidates ready to interview. He stated that a search for this type of position would take around 90-100 days to complete. 5. Moved by Kurtenbach seconded by Young for a motion to approve a General Manager Consulting Agreement with Ben Steinman and authorizing the General Manager of Telecommunications to execute said document. Voice vote-Ayes: Four. Motion carried. 6. Moved by Kurtenbach seconded by Young for a motion to approve a Human Resources Consulting Agreement with Gearhart Consulting and authorizing the General Manager of Telecommunications to execute said document. Voice vote-Ayes: Four. Motion carried. Mr. Kurtenbach asked if this was someone who works for the City of Waterloo. Kelley Felchle, Board Secretary, confirmed that Missy Gearhart works in the Human Resources department for the City of Waterloo. Mr. Kurtenbach requested clarification that this is a separate agreement with her and not the city. Kelley Felchle confirmed. Mr. Kurtenbach asked if Missy Gearhart is the owner of the business and if she has had prior experience. Kelley Felchle confirmed that Missy Gearhart is the sole owner of Gearhart Consulting and has experience. She also expressed that Missy was involved with the Waterloo Fiber staff hiring process in the beginning and is confident in her ability to provide the necessary assistance. Mr. Kurtenbach asked if there is a timeline in which the agreement needs renewed. Docusign Envelope ID: 7FDBD76D-EF0D-8524-83A1-20C5CEA67A65 Page 3 Kelley Felchle stated that the agreement is set up like the Interim General Manager’s agreement and can be terminated at any time. Mr. Kurtenbach expressed his concern that the public may take issue with this agreement. Mr. Van Fleet stated he has no concerns about this agreement. He noted that Ben Stineman, Interim General Manager, is primarily focused on the construction process and has indicated that he will require support from a human resources standpoint. 7. Adjourn. With no further business before the board, it was moved by Kurtenbach seconded by Young that the meeting be adjourned at 2:29 p.m. Voice vote-Ayes: Four. Motion carried. Kelley Felchle Board Secretary Docusign Envelope ID: 7FDBD76D-EF0D-8524-83A1-20C5CEA67A65