Ann Arbor announced names and prices of consultants before selection

The Superintendent search firm hired on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 by the Board of Education was one of the firms interviewed for an Ann Arbor, Michigan search. The bids from each firm were released to the public before the final vote by the Ann Arbor Board of Education. 

No such transparency in the consultant selection here in Montgomery County. 

AnnArbor.com Sept. 22, 2010:  Ann Arbor school board interviewing five firms to lead search for new superintendent

Members of the Ann Arbor school board are interviewing five search firms to help them in their search for a new superintendent.

The interviews are taking place in the fourth floor meeting room of the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. The five firms are Michigan Association of School Boards; Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates of Rosemont, Ill.; McPherson and Jacobson LLC of Omaha, Neb.; Ray & Associates of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and David Kinsella & Associates, which is based in Ann Arbor.

As a part of the bid process, each firm submitted an estimated price for the search. Kinsella estimated the cost at 15 percent of the new superintendent’s first-year salary, MASB estimated a search at $22,050; Ray & Associates estimated its services at $21,000-$24,500; HYAA estimated its search at $28,000-$30,000; and McPherson and Jacobson estimated its cost at $18,500.

Interviews will continue until about 10 p.m. tonight, and the board will vote on which firm to select at the Sept. 29 regular board meeting.

And who did Ann Arbor hire?

“While making calls on behalf of the district, it was indicated Ray & Associates were uniformly excellent,” Mexicotte said. “The references indicated that they’d be a great partner for the community and this board.”