HCA continues executive director search
Mar. 3—The search for an executive director for Hazleton City Authority continues Thursday when its board of directors will interview an applicant in executive session, authority officials said.
The authority will continue its search for replacing longtime administrator Randy Cahalan, who is retiring after serving for three decades with the HCA.
A weeks-long advertising campaign that included postings on monster.com, Pennsylvania CareerLink and advertisements with the Standard-Speaker and Pennsylvania Rural Water Association generated responses from a handful of applicants for the executive director post, Cahalan said.
"At this point, it's three (applicants) that we're considering," Cahalan said.
One of those applicants, who has some 20 years experience in the field, will participate in an interview Thursday with the board of directors, authority board Chairman John Keegan said.
Finding the right candidate is crucial, as responsibilities extend far beyond managing personnel, Keegan said.
"It's not just a top manager position," Keegan said. "We're looking at somebody with a specialty in water. It's knowing the water system, knowing the distribution system. This position represents the CEO responsibilities of the authority."
Cahalan announced last year that he will retire April 1, but said he would be available to answer any questions or help his successor. His knowledge of the water distribution system and filtration plant will leave the authority with a significant void, Keegan said.
"We take our responsibility as a board very importantly to address the void," Keegan said. "It's going to be really hard to replace Randy. His knowledge of the water distribution system is just unimaginable."
Cahalan served 10 years as operations manager and another 20 years as manager/director of operations/executive director for the authority.
He oversees a water operation that serves some 15,200 customers in parts of Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill counties. The authority's industrial division handles garbage collection for the city of Hazleton.
Cahalan's tenure with the HCA began in the late 1980s as an employee of American Water.
When he first arrived, the authority was preparing to build a filtration plant off Arthur Gardner Parkway.
The plant went online in 1993. Bob Zientek managed the authority at the time. Cahalan took over as manager when Zientek retired.
American Water, meanwhile, did not extend its management contract with the local authority, which hired Cahalan as manager.
During his tenure, the authority completed millions of dollars of renovations. Officials have since focused on identifying new sources of water to serve a growing customer base.
"He has been the guiding light over the years for this authority," Keegan said of Cahalan. "He was under Bob Zientek when he started. Between the both of them, they provided invaluable knowledge."
The authority board on Thursday will also consider resolutions that Keegan said will realign HCA's management structure "in the hope of better assisting the new executive director."
Contact the writer: sgalski@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3586
