HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-02-04 - City Commission Workshop Meeting Minutes CITY OF TAMARAC
CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019
CALL TO ORDER: The Champion Service Group Facilitators James Champion and Thomas
Simmons called the meeting to order at 8:34 a.m. at the Tamarac Community Center,
Coconut Palm Room, 8601 W. Commercial Blvd., Tamarac, Florida, 33321.
ROLL CALL: Mayor Michelle J. Gomez, Vice Mayor Debra Placko, Commissioner Mike
Gelin and Commissioner Julie Fishman were in attendance. Commissioner Marlon Bolton
joined the meeting at 8:55 a.m.
Also in attendance were City Manager Michael Cernech, Assistant City Manager Kathleen
Gunn, City Attorney Samuel S.Goren City Clerk Patricia Teufel, Fire Chief Percy Sayles, IT
Director Levent Sucuoglu, Economic Development Manager Lori Funderwhite, Chief
Building Official/Director Claudio Grande, Human Resources Director Lerenzo Calhoun,
Community Development Director Maxine Calloway, Assistant to the City Manager Laura
Karpaviciute, BSO Captain Glassman, Parks & Recreation Director Greg Warner, Financial
Services Director Mark Mason, Sr. Strategic Communications Officer Elise Boston and
Public Services Director Jack Strain.
Mr. Champion gave a speech about how the meeting will progress and set the tone for
"Teaming for Success Through Strategic Planning". Mr. Champion said the focus of this
work session is to enhance the current working relationships that exist between the
Commission members which will help improve the City's ability to meet its constituents',
customers', business partners' and employees' needs and expectations.
Mr. Simmons said conflict can cause much pain, personal stress and hurt feelings as well as
cause various organizational challenges which may lead to poor performance and poor
results. Mr. Simmons led the group through a how do you feel exercise regarding conflict.
Mr. Simmons talked about sources of interpersonal conflicts: values, ideologies, opinions,
assumptions and beliefs.
Mr. Champion said interpersonal conflict directly relates to organizational conflict. Mr.
Champion said you have to be honest about values, ideologies, opinions, assumptions and
your beliefs. Mr. Champion went over the seven stages of conflict. Mr. Champion said we
need to work together for the benefit of the organization and make sure the City comes first.
We need to make sure that everyone needs to know they are valued and agree on common
goals. Mr. Champion said Tamarac's values are great and we need to focus on Tamarac
and not ourselves. Mr. Champion said if we continue the way we are, we will be good, and
Tamarac needs to take the step to make it great. Mr. Champion talked about the three
causes of change: social, economic and technological. The group did an exercise regarding
changes we have experienced that have impacted their ability to be successful.
Mr. Champion recessed the meeting at 9:44 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 10:00 a.m.
with all present as before.
The teams reported out on their exercise on the impact of change. Mr. Champion said we
need to honor tradition while pioneering change. It is important to embrace both the tradition
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and change and it is okay to compromise. Mr. Champion talked about the impacts of change
— personal, professional and organizational. Mr. Champion said everyone is here for a
reason — to bring something to the table. Mr. Champion talked about the four principles of
trust: respect, reliability, honesty and openness. Trust is a vital part of team excellence. Mr.
Champion talked about the three levels of trust — personal, strategic and process. Mr.
Champion said communication is high in trust. The teams did an exercise in trust and
commitment: personal trust, strategic trust and process trust.
Mr. Champion recessed the meeting at 11:11 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 11:13
a.m. with all present as before. The teams continued with the trust exercises after which
there was a discussion on selections of what was most important in trust. Mr. Champion
then talked about the three essential models of commitment: affective, continuance and
normative and defined what each was.
Mr. Champion then talked about accountability being the obligation of a person or
organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them and to disclose the
results in a transparent manner. Mr. Champion talked about the four values of vision, quality
service, integrity and efficiency and said trust and mutual respect are part of working
effectively as a team. Mr. Champion said we are accountable to do the right thing because
we represent Tamarac and if someone does not do what they are supposed to be doing let
them know it.
Mr. Champion recessed the meeting at 11:55 a.m. for lunch and reconvened the meeting at
12:45 p.m. with all present as before.
Mr. Champion went over how the meeting on February 6th will go and said that meeting will
start at 8:30 a.m.
Mr. Simmons then walked everyone through the Leader's Challenge — The Spice Game
exercise to select the best spice that represents one's personality when under pressure,
during conflict or feeling stressed. The teams reported back on their findings. Mr. Simmons
said to think about roles and responsibilities and which spice is the best spice for you. Mr.
Simmons said it is okay to switch spices. Mr. Simmons then went over the details of the
different spices traits and fatal fears. Mr. Simmons said we need to focus on how to be a
more effective team and we need to be sensitive to each other's dynamics.
Mr. Champion recessed the meeting at 2:02 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 2:29 p.m.
with all present as before.
Mr. Champion said teams help an organization achieve success in many different and
effective ways via skills, communication, participation and effectiveness. Mr. Champion
talked about teamwork through synergy, team building, developing a shared vision and team
excellence and what must be done to achieve that. There was an exercise for individuals to
rate their team values and then group's top five team values. The groups reported out on
their findings. The teams then had an exercise to determine the City's five team values and
report out on those findings. Mr. Champion talked about relationships and our values and
said we have to hold ourselves accountable. We need to listen and be receptive to input
and everyone, including the Mayor and Commission. Mr. Champion asked for everyone to
commit to the values and process. If you believe in this, you will sign a commitment and
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return it to the facilitators. Mr. Champion said today was to work on building the team and
tomorrow we will work on the Strategic Plan.
Mr. Champion recessed the meeting at 3:45 p.m. The Executive Team members were
dismissed from the meeting and Mr. Champion reconvened the meeting at 3:53 p.m. with
the Commission, City Manager Cernech and City Attorney Goren to talk to the Commission
about moving forward without baggage and foster a positive working relationship
recognizing there were problems in the past. The Commission, facilitated by Mr. Champion,
aired their feelings about the working relationship they had with each other. Mr. Champion
talked about the Commission coming together putting things in the past and working for the
City of Tamarac.
Mr. Champion recessed the meeting at 5:25 p.m.
-it CV OP-
Patricia Teufel, CMC
City Clerk
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