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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 ******************************************************************* 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 1 J a f-1