Williston has many champions, and there are few more dedicated than Shawn Wenko. Wenko has been the Director of Economic Development since 2014 and recently snagged the position of City Administrator in a dual-role capacity. "It is truly an honor to be selected by the Williston City Commission as the Interim Administrator that will see us through this transition period," Wenko commented.
Wenko began as Interim City Administrator on December 1, 2022. The search for candidates to fill the position permanently is in full swing with the help of recruitment firm, Strategic Government Resources, or SGR.
SGR is running a national advertising campaign for high-level community professionals. They also did the initial hiring of David Tuan in 2016. They pre-qualify candidates, then bring the top candidates back to Williston for interviews with Leadership, department heads, and the general public. The process takes time and Wenko gave a rough estimate of 3 to 4 months to find the permanent leader. See their post on our current search for the Williston City Administrator.
"The search now begins for a permanent leader to fill this role. It is my goal during this time to work with city leadership and department heads to ensure the transition is smooth, with limited interruption to our vision and daily activities in the City of Williston. Outgoing Administrator David Tuan has left us with a solid foundation, and I am up for the task."
When asked why he went for the Interim position, he commented "I've got 15 years with the City of Williston, and was looking at it in the sense of a challenge; and because I am invested in Williston. I want the best for it. I was born here, I am committed to this town, and I want to continue to grow it so my kids want to stay here as well."
I had to ask, is he going to apply for the permanent position?
"The interim role has let me experience the position to make a fully informed decision on if I want to pursue it," he replied. He made sure to mention how well the current team at Economic Development works together.