VANCOUVER — The Board of County Councilors Wednesday approved entering a contract with the Prothman Co., an executive search firm in Issaquah, to obtain the professional services of an interim county manager.
On Tuesday, the council interviewed Jim Rumpeltes of Surprise, Ariz., and agreed he will act as Clark County’s interim county manager. Prothman referred Rumpeltes to the position, and he will be a Prothman employee while working in Clark County.
Under the contract, Clark County will pay Prothman $125 an hour for Rumpeltes’ services. Rumpeltes is expected to begin work in Clark County July 10.
Council members praised his budget expertise, flexibility, intriguing personality, quiet leadership style and experience in various roles and with a quickly growing community.
Rumpeltes has worked in interim or part-time city or county executive management positions in Arizona since 2008. Prior to that, he worked as city manager and assistant city manager of Surprise, a city of about 105,000 with a workforce of about 800.
Earlier, he served two Washington jurisdictions. From 1986-2001, he was county administrator for Clallam County, and from 1978-1985, he was budget director for Spokane County.
He started his career as a planner and Vista volunteer in Los Angeles.
Rumpeltes earned a master’s in public administration at the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s in urban planning at the University of Washington.
The county is looking for an executive search firm to conduct a national search for a new full-time county manager.
Information provided by Clark County Communications.
