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04/26/1997 (2) , ',... ~ " '.___..'--._______.,.._u_:., \. . ". :.' ", . . .' ~ ,. t " ~ . . " I' . , , ' , , . ..' '., . \ " , ,. , , , , .' . c '.'. ~ '. ~ , i '. ','.J . > ,. ';'. . I.. ' " ., : r' . I. . : :. , , ,., \. '.. , ", ....' " " . ., . _, I" .: , . . : '..' .' ' ." : ""~' . ", '" , " . , ',;1 ..'.: ~ >J ':;'/": ~ \r,.i.,\~.~~~~.<.:~ ~:-:,:":>} ::::.:h~ 'd~J, ,'.,.:, ;.,~'..... ..':~ L. , ' . .',... ....... .. " .' . ~":' . f'.' ~ :', ,.' .' t. '.,','. :' " ,'.' I 1-' , '. COMMISSION . City, Commission Minutes ........, Date . .4pri I d10 7 r0q7 . . .Spu laJ . m e~+'\ ~ ., I, ,,' , ) ~~~t . '. , ... , , , .. . .' . . "'. . " . +,' , , ' ,~ '.' \ ,',' ",' ::",", ~ ' " "', , "',: . ." ',,'.' ':.. '.... ,,:.', ','~ ;., :',.'. " ',':' :<\ . :, ':,: ,,' ',' '. .- .\\ . " "._' s..... Y" " , . ; II ) ,,; , , ' ' --f,.,.' . -: , , ..", '.',: ;,' ~ " '. , ' , ' , " ,. "I~ " \'. ,I \' . . ~." . ~ " ..,' , . . . ". -'. . . ," ". ,. I}~, . ~ .~ (~!!I o . .' ". ':~ ,>~' ~ q t ': . I' Mayor/Commissioner Vice-Mayor/Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner City Manager Deputy City Manager Assistant City Manager City Attorney City Clerk Board Reporter CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER April 26, 1 997 Present: Rita Garvey J. B. Johnson Robert Clark Ed Hooper Karen Seel Elizabeth Deptula Kathy S. Rice Bob Keller Pamela K. Akin Cynthia E. Goudeau Gwen Legters The Mayor called the special meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. at City Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to interview five candidates for the position of City Manager. The candidates were Jim C. Blagg, Randall H. Reid, Michael J. Roberto, Robert S. La Sala, and James B. Daken. Each candidate was introduced, invited to speak about his background, and asked questions from a list of seven public interview questions. Commissioners asked additional questions as needed. Following are the public interview questions: 1. Our City is committed to outstanding quality. Give us some examples from your past where you have dealt with quality issues. What were the issues and what did you do to impact quality? 2. Describe an experience where your leadership made a difference. What was the situation, what did you do, how would you characterize your leadership style in this situation, and why do you think you made a difference? 3. Give an example of a time you had to make a difficult and controversial recommendation to the commission. What was the situation and how did you assure that your recommendation was fact based? 4. With the recent emphasis on "reinventing government," we have been bombarded with buzz words. In your previous positions, how have you gone about "reinventing" or developing an organization? Please give specific examples. \ 5. Describe a time when you were trying to accomplish something and barriers or obstacles kept getting in your way. What were you trying to accomplish, what were the obstacles, and what did you do? 6. Please describe your past experiences with Strategic Planning, What model was used and what role did you play? 7. We just passed a "Penny for Pinellas" tax for building large capital projects. Please describe your approach to project management. What is your specific involvement and what do you expect from staff? msp04d97 1 04/26/97 Mr. Blagg responded to Question #1 by describing a quality initiative and quality service task force of city employees he had implemented while working as City Manager of Abilene. Cross-functional teams throughout the organization were empowered to solve problems for customers, identify service blockages and implement solutions. One idea to refurbish plastic garbage containers saved the City $800,000 the first year. ~I,",.'< '. ~ Jim C. Blaaa stated he is 49 years old, married, with two grown daughters. He holds a '. j Masters degree in Political Science and began his career as Assistant City Manager for the City of Amarillo, Texas. He subsequently served as City Manager for the City of Littlefield, Texas; Assistant and Deputy City Manager for the City of Lubbock, Texas; City Manager for the City of Abilene, Texas; and Vice President of Operations and Corporate Development for The Toro Company, Dallas, Texas. In response to question #2, Mr. Blagg characterized his leadership style as involving and being accessible to people. He tries to build consensus, and communicates to guide the organization in the right direction. The economic situation in Abilene demanded strong leadership due to the drop in oil prices in the early 1980's, but the Commission and Chamber of Commerce were in conflict regarding who should control economic development. Mr. Blagg led the charge to pass a 1/2 cent sales tax. He brought together a group who arrived at a consensus regarding how to operate and what the roles should be. (.~ ~ ,?~:' With regard to Question #3, Mr. Blagg said he decided how to present Abilene's economic development issue to achieve consensus. The facts were the City had legislation to take responsibility for the funds. Once the issues were laid out, the community had the opportunity to achieve consensus. Regarding a split Commission vote, Mr. Blagg said the City Manager's responsibility is to bring fact based recommendations that outline all the alternatives and consequences, based on professional knowledge and personal opinion of the direction the council should take to best represent the community. The final decision rests with the Commission. The City Manager is responsible to implement what the Commission decides. In response to question #4, Mr. Blagg agreed government has been bombarded with buzz words, and jokingly referred to the trend as, "management by best seller. II He described the strategic planning process he implemented in Abilene, to set specific goals and objectives, identify roles and barriers, develop a strategic planning document and prepare an operating budget based on these findings. Abilene's redevelopment process was streamlined through the use of input from focus groups, resulting in implementation of "one-stop shopping" for those with development needs. His experience in the private sector emphasized the importance of quality customer service to the health of a business. Comparing that philosophy to service in the public sector, he indicated citizens should be able to vote on whether to have certain services provided by the City or a private entity. Citing an example of a recurring barrier or obstacle contained in Question #5, Mr. Blagg said the Abilene Police Chief of more than 30 years had stopped being as progressive as the city management and public would have liked. New Assistant Chiefs where brought in (;) msp04d97 2 04/26/97 ,..., (~ wf.i' o .' ~: ,'. ~ '.' .r. .: :. ~: :.;.'~;' .": i :\; who represented a forward thinking and progressive management style, the department was involved in the strategic planning process, and police officers' performance was measured. The Chief retired after deciding the management styles were not compatible. When asked why he wanted to become Clearwater's City Manager, Mr. Blagg said he has a strong interest in returning to the public sector to be involved in the dynamics of City government. Clearwater is appealing because it is a strong organization with good infrastructure and strong finances. The location appeals to him and his family. He noted two challenges: 11 determining how growth can be accomplished; and 21 gaining experience in operating a beach in view of the large tourism industry. Responding to Question #7 regarding project management, Mr. Blagg said he expects staff to do a great deal of research into needed projects, issues, comprehensive cost projections, and future budget impacts from capital improvement. When the City of , Abilene built a civic center addition, projections for future utilities, personnel, and maintenance costs were included in the research. Projects would be prioritized by someone other than staff before being brought to the Commission. A person would be assigned responsibility for the project. He hoped to have project management software in place to track each stage of a project and determine what adjustments are needed. Staff would be expected to keep him regularly informed. Mr. Blagg described how he built and maintained a relationship with the public and private communities by working with the local Air Force Base, Chamber of Commerce, City Council, professional community and city staff to lobby issues in Washington. In Abilene he built a strong relationship with private lending institutions by developing criteria for loans, and a loan review committee to bring deals to the city, rather than having the city develop its own deals. Having worked in the private community for the past three years to develop and open commercial facilities in three different cities, he appreciates the public/private relationship. In response to a question, Mr. Blagg described how he implemented a change resisted by a department director, stating some department directors felt threatened by the strategic planning process. Most became enthusiastic once they understood the process and what was expected of them. He said it is sometimes necessary to sit down with those who are reluctant, clearly emphasize the seriousness of the situation, and give them more time to assimilate the new information. Those who cannot get on board when it is clearly the desire of management and the council, or who attempt to "wait out" the current administration, can be helped to transition out the organization. Mr. Blagg said the most challenging task he would face as Clearwater City Manager would be the softening of the tax base. He added he would continue to keep an eye on the increase in benefit structure. He questioned what the Commission considered the most important challenges Clearwater will face in the next two years It was indicated widening rather than heightening the tax base, and redevelopment of aging properties and infrastructure are concerns. msp04d97 3 04/26/97 ~.t~:~';I.~::'H.~,."<' I .' " , I'~ -/ In response to a question, Mr. Blagg said several criteria should be considered when a city is deciding whether to bond a project: size of the project, other financial options, expected life of the project, and whether the city can afford the debt. He suggested using care, when funding out of cash flow, not to put the fund balance in jeopardy. He believed a three year operating fund balance is necessary. Mr. Blagg thanked the Commission for the interview, stating it is an honor to be a finalist. He hoped he would be considered for the position and given the opportunity to serve. The meeting recessed from 9:45 to 10:00 a.m. Randall H. "Randy" Reid stated he has been in local government management for 20 years. A native of Ohio, he holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Dayton, Ohio. He served as Assistant City Manager for Vandalia Ohio; City Administrator for the City of Green River, Wyoming; City Manager/Community Redevelopment Agency Executive Director for the City of Titusville, Florida; and Acting County Administrator for Martin County, Florida. In response to Question #1, Mr. Reid said he is motivated by the community's desire for improved quality of life and a sense of community. He sees government and staff as major front line service providers. Because citizens may not be aware of them unless problems exists, he wants employees to know they are part of a larger picture. (~ '. :~ Responding to Question #2, Mr. Reid said leadership has been an essential ingredient in his management style. He cited an example after Titusville had completed a new water and sewer facility, a federal mandate required removal of effluent from Indian River Lagoon within a five year time frame. He highlighted details of the undertaking and how he relied on his credibility as City Manager to persuade people to accept the changes needed to meet the deadline. In response to Question #3, Mr. Reid said he believes in total quality management. While fact based decisions are sometimes not what people want to hear, he uses factual analysis, professional knowledge and experience to present the best recommendation and alternatives. After the decision is made he follows through. A lot of detail work is done before a recommendation is made. In the case of a split Commission vote, Mr. Reid hoped to gain understanding of each Commissioner's area of concern, stating he would try to reach a consensus based on what motivates the Commission. He would stand firmly behind a recommendation in which he firmly believed, whether or not it was popular. Mr. Reid referred to the buzz words in Question #4 as the "theme of the week." He said "total quality management" can be broken down to principles that have been around for a long time to satisfy basic needs. He listed some of the concepts involved in "reinventing government," stating they are examples of what used to be called good, solid management. He indicated the key to "reengineering" is looking at what you do on a v msp04d97 4 04/26/97 ,. " " l~' continuing basis, to avoid tunnel vision when faced with a situation needing change. He said starting with a "blank sheet" involves looking at individuals as having a wide variety of education and experience; providing a framework to help people make their decisions without fear; and effectively addressing how to deal with the next technological change. Referring to Question #5, Mr. Reid said vested interests have created barriers to redevelopment. Because of the wide range of interests in a community, he recommended involving a variety of audiences and players, including city government, approaching issues from the viewpoint of the stakeholders, strategic planning to look at strengths and opportunities, and respecting people's concerns about their neighborhoods and properties. He cited an example of how he dealt with a wealthy enclave that filed suit to block an inlet dredging project because they desired beach renourishment to extend their private properties. Mr. Reid said he wants to be Clearwater's City Manager because he feels the structure of municipal government is more businesslike and provides opportunity to work in a limited scale area within an organization to effect change and growth. He considered it exciting the Commission wishes to be involved in the City's growth. ~, In response to a question, Mr. Reid related his experience with managed competition in Martin County, stating privatization of the water and sewer facility was satisfying. Employees of the facility wrote their procedures and performance standards into an operating manual let out to 23 firms. Six quality bids were received, including one from the employees that beat the private firms. Through an agreement with the union, the facility dropped from 62 to 40 positions. Severance and job placement help was given to those who had to leave. Martin County was able to alter its budget based on the new plan, and offer 50 percent of the savings to the employees as an incentive. The remaining half went back to the County for improvements. A similar process was adopted in Fleet Maintenance to get the best and cheapest vehicle maintenance. The advantage is the existing employees know the program better than would new employees of private firms. Mr. Reid was asked to describe an example of a time when he wanted to make a change but a department director was resistant. He responded service delivery values involve the Commission, City Manager, City Attorney and department directors. Performance data are required to determine whether or not processes are working. It is important to walk through processes to avoid becoming rule bound. He stated resistance is often due to a misunderstanding of the process. Mr. Reid considered ensuring a smooth transition to be the most challenging task for a new City Manager, keeping in mind many are concerned with change. As he would be coming in at the end of the visioning process, he wanted to be consistent and fair, letting people know the principles and expectations. He felt the City vision statement to be progressive, in sync with his feelings, and important to be reflected by the top management team. (J msp04d97 5 04/26/97 . ,'-'f ',. ~ In response to a question, Mr. Reid related his experience as CRA Director facilitating construction of the US Space Walk of Fame along the Indian River Lagoon, overlooking the historic launch pad in Titusville. He wanted to develop the downtown district to match the community's fundamental values and preserve the vista. As people in Titusville have a direct link with the space program, the space walk theme was created to interest citizen participation, commemorate the Mercury 7 astronauts, highlight the lagoon and enhance tourism and vista. He explained how citizens became involved as the space walk theme was expanded. Commissioners responded to Mr. Reid's questions regarding details of the City of Clearwater's visioning process. They indicated they would welcome a City Manager's desire to be visible and accessible to the community. The meeting recessed from 10:47 to 11 :00 a.m. Michael J. Roberto stated he has been the City Manager of North Miami Beach, Florida since 1988. He grew up in New Jersey and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Bowling Green State University and a Masters degree in Public Administration from American University in Washington, DC. He previously held positions in the Dade County Finance Department; Rockville, Maryland City Manager's office; and consulted for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, DC. "'it'll' t.,., ,~ In response to Question, #1, Mr. Roberto said his total quality management program establishes communication with employees who are empowered and trained on the value of the education process. Development of cross-departmental teams provides feedback to the rest of the organization. He said North Miami Beach had significant financial problems. They were able to realize savings by reducing decision making to the appropriate level, reducing staff while improving service. Surveys show allowing employees to solve problems has lifted morale, even during budget cuts and salary freezes. Describing an experience where his leadership made a difference in response to question #2, Mr. Roberto said the previous North Miami Beach City Manager had been removed from office and the organization had been in total disarray. Funds had been misspent and employee morale was decimated. He described the lengthy process he used as City Manager to establish a vision, stabilize finances, show employees an ethical management team was in place, and rebuild trust. He feels people have come to believe in him as a leader with their best interests at heart, and as having the vision to take the city where it should go. He believes in empowerment and team development to enable quick reaction to frequently changing issues. Regarding Question #3, Mr. Roberto described the challenge of totally restructuring the community's financial base and cutting employee costs while telling them how important they are. He said it was difficult for the council to accept his ten year projection regarding the financial fate of North Miami Beach. He spent a lot of time meeting with each council member, each employee, and the community regarding the projections, encouraging o msp04d97 6 04/26/97 '.,., ~'. H"\ ,I."~h, .~. ~ "~..d ..'l.c~ '.~I. .I-;l:.w<i....~..'--t~.t..-~,...,\ r' ;j........~.,. :~"'-". > ".j " , , <' '. ~ ' ' ~ '. ': ,r . , " ~ strategic thinking, gaining their support and achieving unity. He felt it is important to take " prudent measures to avoid huge tax increases. He acknowledged split votes happen, but emphasized the importance of remaining on a common ground that puts the city first. A City Manager tries to achieve consensus while maintaining trust and credibility. In response to question #4, Mr. Roberto said he felt the first reengineering book offered a refreshing approach. He and his upper level management spent days discussing the fundamental concepts and how to achieve them for North Miami Beach, given the fast pace of change in South Florida. Once the reasons for reengineering were identified, each department was required to propose specific proactive approaches they could use to learn on an ongoing basis. He described how standards development, procedural, and technology changes were used in the Police and Code Enforcement Departments to quantify city and community improvements. He said it is important to figure out how to communicate values to people in a transient community. A question was raised regarding empowerment and forwarding employee input. Mr. Roberto said each department creates a quality council who meets with management and tries to eliminate barriers. Each department defines their level of success. Through frequent meetings with employees and use of e~mail, the City Manager and department directors give and receive as much information as possible on the issues. Mr. Roberto said he is interested in coming to Clearwater as City Manager to improve quality of life for his family. He said the City offers a lot of opportunity and has tremendous strengths, along with some fundamental problems. He agreed with affirming the dignity of public service as highlighted in the City's Vision Statement. He looked f~:; forward to using his skills and adding value to the community, stating his credentials meet the City's criteria. In response to a question, Mr. Roberto described how he built and maintained positive relationships with the private sector while the city was undergoing downtown redevelopment and highway location and improvement. A total rewrite of the land development and sign codes resulted. Signs were reduced, value was added to the business community and the development mix was balanced. He learned negotiating skills while attempting to gain support from the Chamber of Commerce and out-of~country property owners. Once they recognized the economic benefits of participation, a successful end product was achieved. Mr. Roberto responded to a question regarding how he reduced the millage rate to six mills over a four year period through yearly incremental budget cuts. This was accomplished by having employees consistently look at everything they do and incorporating savings into their daily thinking. Mr. Roberto was asked to describe a time when he initiated change resisted by a department director. He realized unanimous consensus is not always possible, but felt a total team approach is the only way to be successful. He gained department directors' belief and participation through his long term demonstration of support for them. While he has had to remove department directors, he pointed out disagreement results in creating thinking. o msp04d97 7 04/26/97 r ~ In response to Question #7, Mr. Roberto described a simple project in North Miami Beach that failed because the parameters of the project were not understood. He outlined a process to assign a construction manager at the beginning; achieve a clear consensus what is to be built; clarify roles, and remove non-professionals from the process. In a year, the city was able to rebuild all the recreation centers on time, and within budget. In response to general questions, Mr. Roberto said local option taxes are collected only for roads. If bonds are issued for a project, he said they should not exceed the useful life of the project. When questioned whether he has ever made a mistake in his work, Mr. Roberto responded, "Absolutelyl" He was pleased to hear Clearwater citizens characterize the City Commission as a group of decent individuals who are trying to do the right thing and trying to make things happen. He said it is exciting to a City Manager when the public is engaged and genuinely wants decisions to be made, because apathy destroys a community. .~ The meeting recessed from 11 :50 to 1 :30 p.m. Robert S. La Sala stated he has been in local government for 25 years, the last 18 years in the coastal Florida communities of Pinellas County, City of Boca Raton, City of Coral Springs, and Sarasota County. He holds a Masters degree in Public Administration. Having been involved in every aspect of City and County government, he said his strengths are a collaborative management style, proactive well thought out recommendations, and the ability to achieve win/win situations. He cited an example of going into the community to find solutions to a neighborhood concern. He believes in financial accountability, fiscal responsibility, looking for opportunities to increase productivity, and better ways to deliver service. In response to question #1, one quality issue in which Mr. La Sala achieved success was a move to attain cultural change in Pinellas County where he served as Chief Assistant Administrator. He detailed how employees from all levels identified ways to improve delivery and he routed their recommendations directly to the Commission. After a failed quality circle program, he learned it is necessary to move methodically to achieve cultural change that will sustain itself. Responding to Question #2, Mr. La Sala described a situation where his leadership made a difference in a controversial capital initiative to bring sewer service into an urban area due to water quality problems from septic tanks. He highlighted how he formulated progressing questions and led the County Commission through a series policy choices that allowed them to make decisions acceptable to them and the antagonists. His determination and ability to stick to a project were valuable assets. A question was raised what he would do if a department director would not accept a change he wanted to make. Mr. La Sala responded change is difficult for everyone. He would appeal to fundamental human nature by demonstrating the benefits of cooperation; the shortfalls and deficiencies resulting from lack of cooperation. If cultural policies continued to differ and compatibility is not achieved, separation would be necessary. In o msp04d97 8 04/26/97 .' ;, t~ the case of a split City COfTlmission decision, he would make a fact based recommendation, providing a broad base of information so they can work through to an acceptable conclusion. In response to Question #4, Mr. La Sala described how Sarasota County has restructured the Environmental Management Department to flatten the organization, shorten time frames, and refine construction permitting while maintaining the integrity of the department. Community planning and working with citizens to define land use and zoning priorities, he was able to bring recommendations to the Commission. ~. t .~Jt:,} In response to general questions, Mr. La Sala detailed a process of building and maintaining positive relationships with the private sector by staying in the mode of continuously fine tuning the development process. Regarding involvement in project management, he noted it is important to maintain oversight responsibility in various projects, report milestones and exceptions, work with contractors, and interface. He has experience with outside and internal contract management; the Director in charge is held accountable. He felt it is justified to consider bonding for a compelling public purpose that cannot be accomplished by pay-as-you-go funding, especially when the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.' Mr. La Sala felt the biggest challenges he would face in the first year as Clearwater City Manager would be programmatic and organizational. He listed critical issues as management support, downtown and beach redevelopment, expanding the tax base, the static financial base and identifying opportunities for customer service. He felt being Clearwater's City Manager offered an unparalleled opportunity to be involved with a progressive city committed to improvement. Because of the City Commission's cohesive support of the City Manager form of government, the City has a bright future. He has lived in Clearwater, is willing to get involved, wishes to make a commitment to the community, and is able to hit the ground running. He brings an established track record and credibility in intergovernmental relations. Mr. La Sala outlined standards he would use to assess success if selected for the position: following and building the City's vision, developing goals, integrating goals with major policy issues, and looking ahead to the future. Formal and informal evaluation of the status of accomplishments is a continuous process. He would ensure employees were buying into his management style by working with them, seeing that they understand how they fit. He would promote employee attitude surveys to address their concerns, keep management in touch, and act on what he finds. Mr. La Sala responded to a question regarding what he would do if service was suffering as a result of two competing department directors. He said he would get them together to look at the big picture, point out when the issues are bigger than their administrative agenda, and invite them to find a solution. A question was raised what information Mr. La Sala would want in order to address the decline of the beach and downtown. He responded he would want to see market research, tenant research, priorities, and the telling factors regarding property owners and o msp04d97 9 04/26/97 ~ .::) v '! I,... \. < major stakeholders. With that information in place, he would plan how to build on the small successes to measure progress. He said this position is an exciting opportunity for him and offers a good fit. He felt he can help the City. move forward by bringing leadership, support and inspiration. Mr. La Sala responded to a question regarding how he would improve intergovernmental relationships between Clearwater and Pinellas County, and the potential for bias or conflict. He said he faced a similar situation with the City of Boca Raton, where the City and Palm Beach County shared from the same pool of resources. He felt better equipped than his municipal colleagues to represent the municipal position because of his unique experience in both city and county administrations. His professionalism dictates he will support the policy making body of the City. His enthusiasm and dedication will be respected and appreciated. Mr. La Sala thanked the Commission for their candor and hospitality, stating he looked forward to a strong working relationship with them and the management team. The meeting recessed from 2:07 to 2:32 p.m. James S. Oaken reviewed his employment history, stating he became the City Manager of Toledo, Ohio at the age of 29. After holding that position for 5-1/2 years, he went on to be City Manager for Hartford, Connecticut and Peoria, Illinois. He subsequently served as Corporate Vice President and Real Estate Consultant for Foster & Gallagher, Inc., in Peoria. Due to shrinkage in his responsibility due to corporate acquisitions, he decided to pursue returning to service as City Manager. In response to Question #1, Mr. Oaken said a City Manager's most important responsibility. is to deliver complete, professional, and accurate reports and material to the City Commission and the public. He changed the agenda process in Peoria and brought in people he felt were necessary to achieve the level of quality he wanted to present. He said he does not like to bring issues to the table for a recommendation without thorough research. Another quality issue was his organization of a Fire Department unit to assess neighborhoods for badly needed improvements to curb appeal and environmental factors, bringing the information back to City Hall. Asked in Question #2 to describe a situation where his leadership made a difference, Mr. Oaken cited an incident in Hartford when the roof of the Civic Center collapsed the day after a basketball tournament because it had been poorly constructed. He did not have enough votes to support his recommendation of architect for the reroofing contract. Because his selection was based on a creative solution to the reroofing, he felt it important to stand behind his decision. He brought various people into work sessions with the commission until he achieved general agreement on his choice. He felt this was a crucial time in his policy management career, and it helped restore the credibility that was lost when the roof collapsed. Speaking about a change that department directors resisted, Mr. Daken said the budget method in Peoria involved balancing through tax anticipation warrants. The city borrowed msp04d97 10 04/26/97 In response to Question #7, Mr. Oaken said he delegates project management to staff, who bring their skills to the table and are more familiar with managing their projects. He is careful to use internal resources effectively, and visits the sites to stay informed. He stressed an organization of substance and quality must delegate and hold project managers accountable and oversee them closely without getting in the way. ~ from a bank based on taxes to be collected the following year, and carrying interest. " Changing the practice required severe cuts that were resisted by the directors who would experience the cuts. Organized education conducted internally by lenders convinced those in the power structure regarding the financial health possible without this practice. The city worked its way out of the practice during the course of three years, and the directors learned the value of outside resource training or facilitation. In response to Question #4, Mr. Oaken said the City of Toledo had independent departments of parks, recreation, and forestry in the 1970's. The directors understood the city was missing grant opportunities because of this overlap, and agreed to consolidate three departments into one Oepartment of Natural Resources. Because Mr. Oaken did not wish to alienate two directors by voicing his opinion on which should lead the new department, he chose to facilitate rather than lead the reorganization efforts, allowing them to decide which of them would be director. The individual nominated to head the new department had been Mr. Oaken's first choice. He stated this innovation is an example of creating thinking that came about as a result of synergy created among the people. :t~~ f";:~I',,, Mr. Oaken said he wishes to be Clearwater City Manager because the position offers challenges regarding growth, neighborhood stabilization, improvement and development. He recognized certain capital needs as he drove around the City, stating Penny for Pinellas is an outstanding mechanism. He noted some funding incentives for redevelopment in commercial/industrial neighborhoods. He stressed the importance of ensuring a strong correlation between physical planning and the need for jobs. He was impressed with the infrastructure and referred to material he had read about the perceived needs for beach and downtown improvements. He was fascinated by the integration of economic development needs with community pride. He stated his experience in the private sector was a nice rounding out experience, enabling him to appreciate how the private sector looks at investment differently than a traditionally trained City Manager. Staff is strong and he could pinpoint nothing to cause serious concern. When asked about his experience building and maintaining a positive relationship between the private sector and the community, Mr. Oaken related a time in Toledo when a 1/2 cent sales tax was proposed. Regions and committees were formed to include representation by the business and private sector. Elected officials participated in the process. A wish list was built and refined into a needs list. Consensus was achieved by people who had never set down together before. By the time the question was posed for referendum, a booklet had been published that represented the community's dreams regarding community centers, parks, and programs. The tax passed overwhelmingly. ..,1> ~\ '......", msp04d97 11 04/26/97 " :,i, \ ,,:': .:':2, '::~;K,'":,; ,/;:rj;: :~"::, " "... ',(' ,,',,' " " ~ ,.. .,;. ' "I,' " ..+: . ,,'f' " ,~ Mr. Oaken praised the City's vision statement, not for what is on the paper, but for what it will take for the City Commission and City Manager to make it live. No one can argue with the philosophy because it is written In terms of the community. He felt it important to put into practice. He thanked the City for a delightful experience, stating last night's reception was a very nice thing to do. He wished the City Commission luck with their selection. Upon completion of the interview process, Ms. Deptula asked the Commissioners to review their notes from the past two days in preparation for a meeting on Monday afternoon. Ms. Skyrme provided a form with scoring values to help summarize the information. Discussion ensued regarding use of the form. It was indicated the form is intended as an aid to evaluation, but is not required to be used. The goal is to distill information and come up with two top candidates on Monday. The Commission was asked not to rank their first and second choices to avoid sending the wrong message to candidates. Robert Slavin, President of the consulting firm that recommended the candidates, stated he would need to determine whether or not the candidates were still interested in the position. He ~i11 make the determination and inform the City Commission before their ' meeting on Monday. The meeting adjourned at 3:22 p.m. . ATTEST: C'~ ~.~-~=- , , : City Clerk , , > 0, msp04d97 , 12 ' 04/26/97 .: j~j 't:' ~, , :("; \ /;\{~:: ::: ;,", :;'.