HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-12-08 - City Commission Workshop Meeting MinutesCity Council Workshop Meeting
December 8, 1993/IZ
Page 1
CITY OF TAMARAC
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1993
Y
CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Bender called this meeting to order on
Wednesday, December 81 1993 at 9:00 a.m. in Conference Room #1 0
City Hall.
PRESENT: Mayor H. Larry Bender
vice Mayor Irving Katz
Councilman Norman Abramowitz
Councilman Joseph Schreiber
Councilman Henry Schumann
ALSO PRESENT:
Dina M. McDermott, Interim.City Manager
Mitchell S. Kraft, City Attorney
Larry DuPre, Personnel Director Richard L. Black, I.C.M.A., Range Rider
Irene Zander, Secretary
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DISCUSSION: relating to City Manager recruitment process.
1'
Presentation by I.C.M.A. Range Rider, Richard Black.
Mayor Bender said the purpose of this meeting is to hold a
position recruiting process. He
discussion on the City Manager
introduced Richard Black, Range Rider, I.C.M.A., who was invited to
comment and make recommendations on this subject.
Ms. McDermott said on May 23, 1993 she sent to Mayor and Council a
recruitment processes for the City Manager
research project on the
position and in that packagri
relative to his involvement w1 athe �Wiltontion or
Manor's City Manager
ed that
recruitment process. She toatcontact oMrDeBlackrto,invitethe
himayto
and Council directed he
attend this Council Workshop meeting.
nee
Mr. Black said he came to the mg�ting stat�d lhetehasoalmosti40s years
for the recruitment process.
experience in City and County government and would like to help the
City establish a plan for recruiting. He recommended the City
first identify the criteria necessary for the City Manager
position.
Mr. Black stated there are hundreds of people in this business and
each of them has a different type of talent, all of them have a
capacity to provide general management administration and, if the
candidates do not possess those capabilities, the City should not
deal with them.
Mr. Black said many candidates possess talents in the area of
Engineering giving them knowledge of infrastructure, and if
developing a community with a nWillto kw need a aManagerawitheknowledge
, sewage
sewers and sidewalks, the City
in that capacity.
Mr. Black stated if a City is stabilized and the infrastructure is
in place then a more sophisticated type of Manager can be appointed
who is familiar with finance, planning, personnel and related
areas.
Mr. Black stated that in addition to being a general Manager, the
candidate must also have knowledge of all activities but he does
City Council Workshop Meeting
December 8, 1993/IZ
Page 2
not have to be a Chief of Police, a Code Enforcement person, etc.,
the candidate should know how to coordinate and assemble a
workforce and team.
Mr. Black discussed his City and County government experience of
almost 40 years, his educational background and how he was asked by
the I.C.M.A. to work for them. He spoke about serving as an
Interim City Manager until his group found a City Manager and of
his involvement in the search. He explained that to help stabilize
their situation, he served as their City Manager for almost four
months.
Mr. Black discussed the game plan for the City to pursue and
explained the process he implemented for the City of Wilton Manors.
He said the first decision to be made is whether or not the City
wants to recruit from within Florida or nationwide.
Mr. Black explained how the City of Wilton Manors interviewed five
candidates on a Saturday and made their selection that day. He
said the Wilton Manors recruiting process took six weeks and it
could have been compressed to twenty days but one Council member s
itinerary conflicted with the other Council members schedule.
Mayor Bender said writing the job description must start soon and
he would like Mr. Black to offer his expertise regarding all
aspects of the requirements for a City of Tamarac's size.
Mr. Black said although the job description is an important factor
in advertising, he does not advise detail, onl
on
experience, education and capabilities because professionals scan
read into the advertisement. He read the ad used for the Wilton
Manors City Manager position as an example and said the recruitment
format would be different if the City decides to advertise
nationally.
Mr. Black explained that the experience requirements determine the
general age of the candidate. He said based on his previous
experience, approximately 200 applicants respond if advertised
nationally and only about 10 would be good candidates as opposed to
thirty or forty applicants when advertising within the State.
C/M Abramowitz wanted to know if a candidate is qualified in all
aspects but only has five years experience instead of six years
experience as stated in the ad and the City considers this
applicant, would the City expose themselves to litigation because
the City did not comply exactly with the job description as
advertised. Mr. Black said to state the preference as six years
experience.
V/M Katz asked Mr. Black to provide an overview of the Wilton
Manors City Manager position selection process. Mr. Black said the
national recruitment plan is significantly different than the plan
used for selecting an applicant from within Florida.
C/M Abramowitz asked Mr. Black if he would be inclined to assist
the City in the selection process because the Interim City Manager
may decide to apply for the position, and as a result, it would be
inappropriate for Ms. McDermott to assist in the selection process.
Mr. Black stated that he would make himself available to assist
whatever group, committee, staff member or Councilman the City uses
at any point in the process for counseling, especially the
evaluation portion.
V/M Katz questioned Mr. Black regarding the wisdom in considering
other City Managers from surrounding cities for this position
because the appearance of impropriety sometimes negates the value.
Mr. Black said although a tendency is possible, most are
City Council workshop Meeting
December 8, 1993/IZ
Page 3
professionals and would rise above any preferential treatment of a
colleague given the fact that our job is to make an objective
selection or recommendation. He stated that in his role in the
Wilton Manors position process, as a single head dealing with the
recruitment and the evaluation, roc�aurEntfirstpwi�hstheand
Mayorexpedite
and
the process, he cleared every p
the members of Council.
Mr. Black stated the City could assemble a group, a committee of
the entire Council or a member of Council, a member of staff and a
respected business man, or head of the Chamber that would bring
objectivity and confidence on the part of the public regarding
appointment. He said there is no final answer but he may assist
during the time frame to help the City get to the point of
interviewing.
Mayor Bender said he has identified a group for a search committee
composed of five people from different areas of business.
Each Councilman presented their ideas concerning advertising
locally versus nationally.
Mayor Bender stated that because south Florida is unique in that it
takes a certain type of mentality to cope with the kinds of
government in Florida, he recommended limiting the search to within
the State.
C/M Abramowitz suggested a nationwide or regional search.
V/M Katz said he preferred out of state also.
C/M Schreiber asked Mr. Black to comment on the difference in
recruiting time for nationwide versus statewide.
Mr. Black said it would be best to use the I.C.M.A. as the City's
recruitment organization and the City can place the recruitment ad
through the I.C.M.A., which is distributed coast to coast. He said
the City would receive approximately 200 responses but unless the
duties and powers of the City Manager are in conformance with
I.C.M.A. standards, the applicants may not be that interested in
the position. He said the City only needs about twenty days as an
acceptance period for the applications and the I.C.M.A. can be
contacted as early as tomorrow.
There was a discussion concerning placing an ad and the closing
date.
Mayor Bender said the City needs to compile a recruitment notice
immediately and while the ad is running the City can finalize the
job description.
Mr. Dupre expressed his agreement with Mr. Black's suggestions and
said the City would obtain a highly qualified candidate through his
process. He said he is concerned about recruiting nationally
because most southern states are not unionized with public
employees to the degree of Florida and as soon as applicants learn
their resume will become public, the City will receive calls
concerning their jobs being placed in jeopardy.
Mr. Dupre said when hiring an out of state employee, often times
the employee, after learning of the crime rate and the cost of
housing, will loose interest and return home. He said this is an
area for awareness for the City when recruiting nationwide. He
stated a more realistic closing date, if the City uses the
I.C.M.A., is the end of January.
Mr. Black stated the time factor is increased considerably in a
nationwide search and the points made by the Personnel Director are
valid with regard to the the union experience andthe unshine
Law
because some people lost their job when the appliedemployment
City Council Workshop Meeting
December 8, 1993/IZ
Page 4
with the City or County.
There was another discussion concerning the City adhering strictly
to the length of experience specified in the ad and a suggestion to
include the word preference in the ad was made.
Another discussion was held concerning the mentality of the
candidates residing in Florida versus the candidates applying
nationwide.
C/M Schumann asked about the difference in the time frame between
It
local recruitment versus a nationwide search. Mr. Black said a
nationwide search would extend the time frame approximately six to
eight weeks.
The discussion continued concerning the pros and cons of a
nationwide and statewide search.
V/M Katz said he was concerned about the six to eight week
extension and, if the City advertised locally within the State, it
would not necessarily limit candidates from other States. He
stated that he has already received inquiries from some local and
out of State candidates for this position.
Mr. Black suggested that the City remain flexible because the City
may obtain a very good candidate from out of State.
C/M Schumann wanted to know if the City decided on a local
recruitment, would the City be precluded from recruiting nationally
if a candidate is not found in a State wide search.
Mr. Black stated that the City is the governing body and can
specify the terms of the recruitment process.
C/M Abramowitz stated that he is in favor of spending money for a
nationwide search to draw qualified candidates.
C/M Abramowitz stated that he is in favor of expending funds to
cover -the traveling cost for an out of State candidate.
Mr. Black said the City can specify that they would only cover the
expenses of the candidates on the final selection list, which would
eliminate the City being obliged to pay for the trip for the first
interview. He said he believes the City would obtain a good
person.
V/M Katz said the City Council may want to reconsider their
Position regarding an out of State candidate.
C/M Schreiber said the City can agree to shorten the process and
advertise locally but if someone applies out of State, they should
be considered.
V/M Katz suggested the City search Statewide for a candidate
instead of increasing the time frame forty-five days in a national
search.
Mr. Black said the process should take approximately eight weeks
but six weeks is possible and he said he would make himself
available to assist the City in the search process.
C/M Abramowitz stated he does not think any City employee other
than the Personnel Director should be involved in the selection
process until there is an opportunity to interview the candidate.
Mr. Black agreed with the logic of utilizing the Personnel Director
in the selection process.
Mr. Dupre suggested the City consider assembling a committee
compiled of himself, Michael Roberto, former Manager of the
City Council Workshop Meeting
December 8, 1993/IZ
Page 5
Florida City Managers Association, and Mr. Black to evaluate and
select the final group of applicants. Mayor Bender and Council
agreed to authorize Mr. Dupre to contact Mr. Roberto concerning
this proposition.
Mr. DuPre suggested the City define the job description to include
four to six years experience preferred or an equivalent which will
allow the City to consider a highly qualified person.
Mr. Black stated that the City should aspire to requesting a
Masters Degree in the position qualifications.
With no further business, Mayor Bender ADJOURNED this meeting at
10:10 a.m.
CAROL A. EVANS, CMC,_ -
CITY CLERK = --7
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