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As Medford begins the process of finding a replacement for City Manager Brian Sjothun, who is retiring at the end of the year, the City Council might look to neighboring communities as indicators about what might lie ahead.

The council could look to Ashland, which last week appointed Deputy City Manager Sabrina Cotta to the top job on an interim basis.

Cotta, who gains her new title Feb. 1, replaces Joe Lessard, who stepped down in October after less than two years on the job. According to her contract, Cotta’s role will “terminate upon the hiring of a permanent City Manager, unless otherwise extended by mutual agreement of the parties.”

That, however, might take some time. Ashland City Council will consider reaching out to the Rogue Valley Council of Governments to help with the search, but deferred a decision on engaging an outside recruitment firm, despite the expected costs — between $20,000 and $50,000 — already being available in the budget.

Medford’s council, meanwhile, has secured a $27,150 bid from Texas-based Strategic Government Resources to conduct its nationwide search for the position, for which Sjothun will earn $201,720 over his final 18 months on the job, starting last year.

It’s hoped that the city can avoid the pitfalls of its previous search, which led to Sjothun’s hiring after a contentious 14-month process.

Medford could also look to the experience in Talent, where Gary Milliman began earlier this month as the city’s third city manager in six months.

Milliman, who served as Ashland’s city manager pro tem for six months before Lessard was hired, began Jan. 2, replacing Tom Humphrey — who had been the interim city manager since September.

Humphrey had replaced Jordan Rooklyn, who resigned for personal reasons after serving for two years.

No one would begin to suggest that being a city manager is an easy job. Beyond the day-to-day responsibilities, there is also the task (someone would say thankless) of maneuvering the politics of City Hall and whims of city council members.

As Medford conducts its search, it might also cast a glance up the road to Gold Hill, which in December hired someone uniquely attuned to the potential pitfalls in such a role, former state Rep. Lily Morgan.

Morgan told the Rogue Valley Times that she first considered the idea of being a city manager when she served on the Grants Pass City Council.

“We were involved in the process of hiring a city manager, and I remember thinking it seemed like a fascinating job. I thought, ‘I’d love to do that someday,’” she said.

Cut to a couple of weeks into her new job, when a current member of the City Council decided that hiring Morgan was a mistake and floated the idea of handing the former state rep her walking papers.

Instead, about 100 citizens showed up at the next council meeting, ready to speak in favor of the city’s recent hire and successfully keeping at bay any thought of terminating her — a show of support for which Morgan said she was extremely grateful.

So, as Medford begins its own own trek down the tricky path to finding a replacement for Sjothun, perhaps the lesson to be learned from their neighbors is to be prepared … for anything.