Boulder hopes to select its next city attorney in October

Deborah Swearingen, Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo.
·2 min read

Sep. 18—After reopening its search earlier this summer, Boulder is currently conducting interviews with five semifinalists vying for its vacant city attorney position.

The hiring subcommittee, made of Councilmembers Bob Yates and Rachel Friend, as well as representatives from city leadership and the City Attorney's Office, are in the process of interviewing those five semifinalists. The recruiting team reached out to 260 applicants, ultimately narrowing it down to 13, seven and then five, Human Resources Director Jen Sprinkle said.

When interviews with the semifinalists conclude on Friday, finalists will be announced with the City Council set to officially approve them by vote on Sept. 28. On Tuesday, Sprinkle said the Council will vote on the new attorney during its Oct. 12 meeting.

Originally, Boulder announced two finalists but opted to continue the search to find someone with more direct experience in municipal law. It also argued the original search, which began in March, was affected by the King Soopers shooting.

Boulder is using Raftelis, a management consulting firm based in North Carolina, for the recruiting process. Sprinkle previously told the Camera that extending the search will not affect the budget since Raftelis' contract covered the entirety of the work.

At a study session in July, after agreeing to continue its search, Boulder City Council members approved an updated job description. Further, it agreed that it would consider waiving the Boulder residency requirement for the right candidate.

The City Council members at that time agreed it was preferable to have a city attorney who lives in Boulder but that they could make an exception for the right person.

"Most of city staff doesn't live in Boulder. Most of our workforce doesn't live in Boulder," Councilmember Adam Swetlik said at the study session in July. "If that means finding the right candidate who lives a little bit outside of Boulder, that's totally OK and I think sort of realistic at this point."

In Boulder, the city attorney is one of three staff positions appointed by the Boulder City Council. The city attorney serves as the legal advisor to the City Council, the boards and commissions and all other city officials. The City Attorney's Office represents Boulder in civil litigation and it prosecutes violations of the city's municipal code.

The job listing had a hiring salary range from $230,000 to $250,000.

City Attorney Tom Carr, who had been in the role since 2010, served his final day on June 11. He initially announced his retirement but has since been hired to serve as county counsel in Washington County, Ore. Deputy City Attorney Sandra Llanes is serving as the interim city attorney throughout the hiring process.