On the heels of the Columbus police chief interviews, Columbus residents who watched the interviews weighed in with their thoughts Saturday afternoon.
Berry Hinds was present for the interviews and said they were what he expected. He criticize the council, wondering if they were engaged during the interviews.
“At times, I felt like the councilmen weren’t really listening, because they were repeating questions,” Hinds said.
Curtis Brame of North Chicago, Ill. was the first of three finalists to interview, and Hinds felt he was “reserved” and it made him wonder if he “was going to be the leader.”
But Hinds commended Brame’s wealth of experience, which includes 26 years with the North Chicago Police Department.
Selvain McQueen, interim police chief, interviewed second.
Ruby Harrison said she has a lot of respect for McQueen and remembers listening to him speak many years ago.
“One thing I admire of him is his neatness,” she said. “I have a great amount of respect for him.”
City officials seem to favor McQueen, said Howard Starkloff, who was critical of the process.
“My general thoughts are, and I don’t mean to sound prejudiced, but there were a lot of councilmen who asked a lot of stupid questions,” Starkloff said. “I think (the process) is geared more toward McQueen.”
Robert Spinks, of Sequim, Wash., who interviewed last, watched the first two interviews.
“I saw that and I wondered about that,” Hinds said. “I thought the council might have asked the candidates to wait out in the hall during the other interviews.
Spinks stressed that he is “gregarious” and “outgoing,” which stood out to Hinds.
“If you’ll notice that Mr. Spinks had enough interest of what was going on in Columbus to do extensive research into the demographics, number of churches and development. He did extensive research,” Hinds said. “And he spent that time and effort. That’s a very strong positive.”
Starkloff said Spinks might fit the billing of “bombastic,” and he is not sure if he is a “talker” or a “doer,” but his answers did give a lot of insight into who he is.
“My overall impression was, without a doubt, the gentleman from Sequim, Wash. has far more experience. But this city will tend toward the mediocrity and not pick the best,” he said.
Though Harrison noted hosting open interviews was a good idea, Starkloff was disappointed in the meager showing. Only about 30 people watched the interviews at the Columbus Municipal Complex Thursday. The Municipal Complex Courtroom accommodates about 300 people.
“I was just shocked at how few people were there,” Starkloff said. “It really blew me away.”
“I don’t know how many people watched it on television,” he digressed, noting when the interviews began at 4 p.m., there were still people at work.
Starkloff is open to city officials going back through the entire applicant pool and looking at other candidates.
Interview evaluation sheet
Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin prepared an interview evaluation sheet for himself and his fellow council members.
The sheet includes point tallies for each candidate under specific categories. Those categories include education, a maximum of five points; police experience, a maximum of 10 points; budget experience, a maximum of 10 points; investigative experience, a maximum of 10 points; personnel management experience, a maximum of 10 points; community involvement, a maximum of 10 points; professional development, a maximum of five points; and the personal interview, a maximum of 40
points. The last category includes dress, attitude, confidence, question responses, “overall impression” and also leaves room for the “it” factor.
Gavin said this evaluation sheet will help make a decision the most logical and fair way, while keeping politics out of the equation.
He passed out an evaluation sheet to the other five councilmen and Mayor Robert Smith, but it is unknown to what extent they will use the sheet for making their own personal decision. The council will meet for a special meeting on Monday, when a preferred choice could be announced, Smith said.
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