HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Packet 05-14-2013 SpecialCITY OF PLYMOUTH
AGENDA
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
MAY 14, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
MEDICINE LAKE CONFERENCE ROOM
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. TOPICS
A. City Manager Hiring Process
B. Close meeting for labor negotiations update
3. ADJOURN
Special Council Meeting 1 of 1 May 14, 2013
Page 1
rp)City of Agenda 2APlymouthNumber:
Addjn3 Quality to Life
To: Laurie Ahrens, City Manager
SPECIAL
COUNCIL MEETING Prepared by: Givonna Kone, Human Resources Manager
May 14, 2013 Reviewed by:
Item: Options for City Manager Selection Process
1. ACTION REQUESTED:
Staff is requesting direction regarding the type of city manager search and selection process the
City Council would like to use to replace Ms. Ahrens'.
2. BACKGROUND:
The city conducted its most recent city manager search and selection process in 2003. It appears
that the process took approximately six months to complete. The process began with the City
Council's selection of PDI, an executive search firm, to manage the process.
As reported at the April 23, 2013 City Council meeting, there are several options the City
Council may use to fill the city manager position. Those options include:
1. using a search firm to conduct a full or partial national or local search.
2. using staff to conduct a full national or local search.
3. using a limited process (interview/background check) to appoint an individual.
The City Council may issue an RFP for executive search firm services or it could send out a
letter asking for proposals for a full and/or partial search.
Process
Following are steps that are typically taken during a recruitment and selection process for a city
manager. These steps were recently used by Fridley and Eden Prairie to select their city
managers. This list may be revised based on the needs and desires of the City Council.
Selection of an executive search firm
Review/update the job description, qualifications and compensation.
Preparation of a community/job profile.
Acceptance of applications.
Screening of applicants by the consultant or City Council.
Candidate assessments and background checks.
Interviews with finalists by City Council, Directors and others as determined by the City
Council.
Selection of successful candidate.
Negotiation of employment agreement.
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The City Council may design a selection process that includes all or some of the components
outlined above.
I have been asked to provide information on the recent internal appointment process used by
the City of Minnetonka. Minnetonka appointed an internal candidate and subsequently a
consultant designed and led a process for defining City Council expectations and
communicating those expectations to the successful candidate. The information is attached.
Cost
The estimated cost of using an executive search firm for a full process is $20K to $30K, plus
expenses. Conducting a full process using staff or using a consultant to assist with an
internal appointment process would cost approximately $10,000 (assessments and
background checks). The largest cost variable would be for transportation and lodging for
candidates who live outside the metro area.
Compensation
The governor's 2013 salary cap is $160,639. On average, comparable cities in the metro pay an
annual base salary of $150,000. Cities may request a waiver from the Office of Management &
Budget to pay an employee in excess of the governor's salary cap.
3. BUDGET IMPACT:
There are sufficient funds in the Contingency Fund to cover the cost of hiring a consultant to
conduct a search and selection process.
4. ATTACHMENTS:
City Manager Job Description
May -October Meeting Calendars
Documentation from Minnetonka
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POSITION WRITE-UP
POSITION TITLE: CITY MANAGER
DEPARTMENT: ADMINISTRATION
DATE: October 1987
REVISED:
ACCOUNTABLE TO: CITY COUNCIL - PLYMOUTH, MN DIVISION:
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF POSITION
To direct, control and continually evaluate all administrative, fiscal and public service affairs of the City
according to established ordinances, policies and procedures of the Council and/or Minnesota law.
To advise the Council in defining sound public policy and staffing for key personnel assigned to ensure the
effective and timely delivery of City services.
R AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
rsees and directs the provision of municipal services through effective leadership and delegation to 1
department and division personnel.
s the City Council regularly informed on all developments affecting the administration, provision, 2
or modification of services which they must know to effectively perform as policy -makers.
s the City in contacts with persons, agencies and businesses relative to various City matters, 3
development and provision of services, zoning interpretation, environmental concerns, etc.
Delegates liaison responsibility for such matters to key personnel as appropriate.
itinually evaluates results being achieved as the basis for counsel, guidance and recommendations to 4
Council relative to level of services, projecting fiscal needs, bonding requirements, etc.
Counsels and directs key management personnel in establishing goals and objectives to ensure
provision of satisfactory services at the most favorable cost.
all preparation, documentation, and review of the annual City budget, as well as five-year 5
Drovement program, and presents same to Council with appropriate recommendations.
Page 4
and maintains methods of communications to ensure personnel receive reliable, timely 6
required to effectively perform assigned duties and responsibilities.
an organizational climate in which department or division heads and other supervisory 7
1 make the most productive use of all available resources.
ablishes effective personnel programs designed to encourage employees to continually improve 8
ividual job performance and, as appropriate, set achievement goals beyond assigned accountabilities.
Directs the City's labor relations program, including collective bargaining and contract
administration.
lishes organizational and planning priorities with the Council to achieve established objectives. 9
Ls sensitivity to public relations and takes appropriate action whenever required to redirect or 10
policies to ensure the continued confidence and respect of Plymouth residents.
current in new developments, ideas and methods in public administration and recommends or 11
lents those appropriate to the City of Plymouth.
s other responsibilities as apparent or as delegated by the Council.
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
City services are effectively provided consistent with established policies.
12
Position accountabilities are carried out in a manner which consistently commands confidence and respect from
the Council and community.
Key staff personnel consistently exhibit leadership, competence and initiative in performing assigned
accountabilities.
Council receives clear, reliable and timely advice and recommendations based on proven principles of business,
finance and public administration.
Effective fiscal control and planning consistently run maximum benefit to the City for the public resources
expended.
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RESPONSIBILITY FOR WORK OF OTHERS
Direct supervision over:
Assistant City Manager
Director of Planning and Community Development
Director of Finance
Director of Public Works
Director of Public Safety
Director of Parks and Recreation
Through the above, provides indirect supervision and work direction over all other City personnel.
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SUPERVISION
Oversees and provides final approval in decisions relating to the selection, promotion, transfer and discipline
all City personnel.
Ensures that all City employees clearly understand City and Department policies and procedures so all
personnel may proceed with certainty in performance of their positions.
Evaluates continually the demonstrated performance of assigned personnel as the basis for counsel and
guidance to stimulate improved performance and prepare employees for promotional opportunities as they may
become available.
Creates an organizational climate in which assigned personnel are motivated to develop and achieve their full
potential and demonstrates by personal example the desired examples of conduct and work performance.
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MEMORANDUM February 2, 2012Suite4900
33 South Sixth Street
Minneapolis, t N 35402 TO: Geralyn Barone, City of Minnetonka
FROM: Harry Brull, PDI Ninth HouseTel: 1.61.2.339.0)27
1.800.633,441.0
www,pdininthhousexom RE: Proposal to Assist Leadership Transition
Thank you for your interest in PDI Ninth House's assistance in helping the City of Minnetonka
make a smooth and effective leadership transition. Please consider our proposal as a starting
point; we remain flexible in regards to meeting the City's needs.
As I understand it, with John Gunyou's retirement and your transition to the role of City Manager,
the City wishes to accomplish the following:
1. A smooth and orderly transition
2. An understanding of your unique strengths and developmental possibilities
3. Expectations of the city council for you
We can contribute to the above goals through the following activities:
Through our in-depth assessment process, we would conduct a background check, verify
credentials and identify the talents, skills, and potential development opportunities you
bring to the position. This could be supplemented through the use of the Profilor®, PDI
Ninth House's 3600 feedback tool.
Through a series of individual interviews with elected officials and department heads, we
would identify the challenges, priorities, and requirements for the City, City Manager, and
leadership team. The work product from this activity is a report detailing the city council's
expectations of the new City Manager.
Costs for the procedures described above are as follows:
Individual interviews and report - $7,000
In-depth assessment - $2750 (ProfilorTM — additional $250)
Thank you for the opportunity to again work with the city of Minnetonka. If you have any questions,
please feel free to contact me at 612.414.8998 or harry.brullpPDINH.com.
Cordially,
Harry Brull
Senior Vice President, Public Sector Services
City Council Study Session Item #1
Meeting of April 2, 2012
Brief Description: Expectations for new city manager
Background
On January 9, City Manager John Gunyou announced his retirement effective June 1.
The city council formally accepted Gunyou's resignation on January 23 and designated
Assistant City Manager Geralyn Barone as the next city manager, subject to negotiation
of an appropriate contract.
The council authorized Mayor Schneider and Council Members Allendorf and Wagner to
oversee the administrative details of the hiring process. A contract has been negotiated
and is scheduled for city council approval on April 16.
The council also expressed a desire to set expectations for the new city manager.
Consultant Harry Brull of Personnel Decisions International (PDI) was engaged to
facilitate a process to do so. In early March, Brull conducted individual personal
interviews with the mayor, council members, department directors and Barone's current
direct reports.
At the April 2 study session, Brull will engage the council and Barone in establishing
expectations and priorities. An understanding of challenges, threats and opportunities
facing the city, along with a profile of Barone's leadership style, will form the backdrop
for the discussion.
Discussion Point
Outline expectations for the new city manager
Submitted through:
John Gunyou, City Manager
Originated by:
Geralyn Barone, Assistant City Manager
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STAFF SUMMARY
CITY OF MINNETONKA
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 1
Council: Patty Acomb, Dick Allendorf, James Hiller, Tony Wagner, Brad
Wiersum, and Mayor Terry Schneider. Bob Ellingson was excused.
Staff: Geralyn Barone and David Maeda
Schneider called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
1. Expectations for new city manager
Consultant Harry Brull thanked all those he interviewed for their cooperation and
candor. He said the one concern he had was not related to the council or Barone.
He said government bashing had always been a national sport but now had been
elevated to an Olympic sport. Even a well-run city like Minnetonka was not
immune because residents do not always distinguish between local government,
state government and the federal government. He said the issue was the only
sour note he encountered in the interview process.
Schneider said the process had been useful and how the information gathered
would be used would evolve over time.
Wagner said during the contract negotiations one of the key things that will be
looked at are the key performance measurements and the desired outcomes. He
said he wanted to make sure Barone had the appropriate tools to use. This could
mean hiring an outside coach or bringing in John Gunyou on a contract basis.
The council had to ensure that the city continued to have a strong leadership
culture. With other retirements of key leadership team members the city had to
be proactive in preparing for the changes.
Hiller noted the process had been good so far but everything had been one way
to this point with the council providing input without hearing from Barone.
Schneider said he envisioned getting input from Barone during the next phase
with examination of communication styles.
Wiersum said the report was good and there were not a lot of surprises. The city
works well and the council and staff are proud of that. He said the biggest
transition issue would be the difference of personalities between Gunyou and
Barone. The past three city managers have kept the city on track and that is what
should be continued. He agreed with Wagner that with the aging population,
aging staff and aging council there will be further transitions. Barone's long
history with the city would serve the city well. He said stepping up to the city
manager position would require her to be more visible to everybody and that
would pose a significant challenge for anybody. The council had to help her with
that change and making sure its expectations were reasonable.
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STAFF SUMMARY
CITY OF MINNETONKA
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 2
Allendorf noted that when both Gunyou and former city manager Dave Childs
started they had an experienced assistant city manager with institutional
knowledge. In this situation the opposite was occurring. He said this would likely
pose a challenge for Barone. The person hired as the assistant city manager
would have to rely on Barone for her institutional knowledge and that knowledge
transfer. This would be an extra burden that Gunyou and Childs did not face. He
said if there were tools available they would likely be needed for this transition
time. Brull said it was important that key staff help in the transition and transfer of
knowledge so that the burden did not fall entirely on Barone. He said the city had
the advantage of having very competent people in key roles. Allendorf said that
the new person coming in will want to impress Barone and impress upon the
department heads that she/he could be the second in charge and direct their
activities. This will also be a challenging time. He said if the council can help
during the process, Barone should make sure to let them know of any tool that
might be helpful.
Schneider agreed the assistant city manager hire would be very important to
maintain the workflow. He said institutional knowledge could also be a curse in
that a person could have been doing things wrong for several years because it
was what the city had always done. The more critical component of the hire was
to get someone who understood the values and culture of the city and could fit in
with staff and the department heads.
Acomb asked if the new assistant could be hired when Gunyou was still here to
alleviate some of the challenges of the transition. Barone said hiring the assistant
city manager would take some time. She wanted to finalize her hiring process
first. She said she was confident the city would attract great candidates because
the job pays well and the city has a great reputation. What she will be looking for
is a person that would fit in well. Beyond the skill set it was important to find
someone who would be a good organizational and cultural fit. She noted that a
few years back three of her managers left within close proximity of each other.
She said replacing the three managers was difficult but she found the process
energizing as well. The new hires had new ideas and new ways of looking at
things.
Wiersum said there were two sides to the coin being discussed. When Gunyou
started he had Barone as an assistant city manager who had the institutional
knowledge. But he experienced the "fire hose" experience where everything was
new. This can also be challenging. Wiersum said Barone would not have the "fire
hose" experience but would have the challenge of bringing the assistant city
manager up to speed. Both presented challenges and any transition would be
challenging. He said having someone with Barone's sense of history of the city
leaves the city in good shape.
Brull noted many of the leadership team members had been through two city
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STAFF SUMMARY
CITY OF MINNETONKA
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 3
manager changes and had successfully adapted to differences in personalities.
He said Barone was starting with a tremendous reservoir of trust and good will
that would make the internal transition easier. He said the most challenging part
would be "up and out." Allendorf asked Brull to clarify what that meant. Brull said
up" referred to the working with the council and "out" was the community, other
governmental units and peers.
Schneider said there were two other components other than the internal
transition challenges. One was for Barone to be more visible and articulate in the
region and the state which was strength of the past three city managers. All three
were had a good presence in key groups and were often called upon for their
expertise. He said the other challenge was understanding how to deal with
difficult residents. Schneider said Gunyou improved on this skill over the years.
Barone said each person had to be dealt with individually. Some people get very
emotional about the issues they are calling about. She said with some people at
some point that no matter what is said or done will not make any difference to
them and the choice becomes determining if there was another avenue that
should be taken. She said in her current position she already has some
experience dealing with difficult residents.
Acomb said she agreed with Wagner's earlier comments about wanting to make
sure the council supported Barone with whatever tools and resources she
needed to be successful. Schneider said he saw the biggest challenge in that
area was Barone being timid in asking for what she needed. Wagner agreed and
said that was why he brought the issue up. Barone said she has already had
discussions about hiring a coach. Brull noted that there are different coaches for
different things like being a sounding board, learning to be a better public
speaker, or having better executive presence.
Wagner said he agreed with Schneider's comments about the expectation that
the city wanted to remain very visible externally and regionally. Schneider said he
would use the word "respected" rather than "visible." Wiersum said the city
wanted to demonstrate leadership
Allendorf said when the replacement process was setup the term "expectation"
was used a lot. He indicated the report did not include a lot of expectations in it.
He asked the other council members to elaborate on their expectations.
Hiller said the council had worked on development during his time on the council.
He said help was needed trying to pull together the pieces to give a better view
on how the city wanted to do development. He said that was one thing he would
like to state as an expectation.
Schneider agreed with Hiller's idea with the caveat that the council shared the
responsibility to follow through on what had been discussed. One example was
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CITY OF MINNETONKA
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 4
there was the lofty idea for the community commission when it was created. He
said the council dropped the ball and little was done. The city manager had to
call the council out when it was not meeting its responsibilities. Either the council
had to state that it had changed its mind and not do what was discussed or follow
up with getting things done.
Wagner said the challenge would be for Barone to be comfortable managing the
council and the council being comfortable being managed.
Brull said there needed to be a balance between risk and prudence and the
question was what role the council saw for itself in achieving that balance and
what role the city manager and staff played. He noted elected bodies tend to be
risk adverse.
Wiersum said the city had done innovative things in the past but the council
tended to be reactive rather than proactive. When the example of issue of the
Highway 169 interchange came up, it was the staff that drove coming up with an
innovative way to get something done. Even though it was creative and
innovative it was reactive. He said for the most part that was how the city
operated. He suggested implementing a five year or an annual plan that looks
out ahead in anticipating problems and developing solutions. He said his
expectation of Barone was to maintain the excellence the city had and deal with
the change as it comes. The higher expectation was for the city to be proactive.
Wagner agreed the annual or five year plan was commonly used in the private
sector and was helpful. The plans drive and help manage the process. Wiersum
said the council spent relatively little time together so there was a reasonable
number of things that could be tackled proactively so there was a need to make
sure the city was focused on good things while not having a list of unrealistic
things that could not be achieved.
Barone noted that for the May study session the strategic plan approved by the
council and the work plan that had been developed in conjunction with it, would
be discussed. The discussion would also include the draft of the upcoming year
work plan. She said this would give the council the chance to discuss any
changes in direction.
Hiller said Gunyou had been good at sharing pieces of information early on with
issues like the firefighter pension. This prepared the council that the bigger issue
was coming up. He said he was not too worried about risk as long as he knew an
issue was coming up. It was when he was surprised that he had concerns.
Allendorf said the city should take credit for the work that had been done on the
strategic plan. He was glad to hear the process was to be continued. As far as
risk and innovation, he said the city's innovation had been wonderful and should
be continued on internal items. The 169 interchange solution was an example of
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STAFF SUMMARY
CITY OF MINNETONKA
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 5
this. He said he did not want the city to be a leader on external, controversial,
and divisive issues that were beyond the scope of city government.
Schneider said he had the opportunity over the years to be exposed to a lot of
different governments and city manager/council relationships. The range of
relationships was varied with some cities having a dictator like city manager and
a council that didn't know what was going on to a city manager who had no
authority or respect from the council. The issue often was the councils did not
have a clear expectation of what their responsibilities and duties were. There was
no clear message coming from the body to the city manager. In other cases the
council was intimidated and did not want to speak up. He said the Minnetonka
council wanted to have a clear message with a city manager who knew how to
implement the messages. If the messages did not resonate with what the city
manager felt were the city's values, she needed to let the council know further
discussion was needed. Barone said respect between the council and staff was
critical. Two way communication was also very important. Allendorf cited the city
of Shorewood's recent change in city administrators as an example where there
appeared to be communication issues. The dismissed city administrator seemed
to be unclear why he had been replaced. Allendorf said he expected Barone to
let him know if a bad idea he wanted done was not what others would support.
Barone said she has seen the current council work to enforce respect between
councilmembers. Different opinions are accepted but there has been a self -
enforced respect.
Schneider said the majority of these issues he has seen over time have been
caused by poor communication. One person is talking on one level and the other
isn't listening or completely misinterpreting what is being said. The two people
are already at odds without knowing what was being talked about. He said that
didn't happen a lot with the Minnetonka council but the council could still improve
on its ability to communicate with each other. Barone said she endorsed the idea
the council discussed a few months ago about doing a team building session that
helped the councilmembers better understand communication styles.
Wiersum said people were proud of the city and thought the city was running
pretty well. The council did not always agree on everything but good
communication, being willing and able to disagree respectfully, and not to
undermine others were important. Wagner added that once a decision had been
made, it was important for everybody to be onboard. Wiersum agreed once a
decision was made it was important not to undermine others because if that
occurred the council would lose credibility. Brull said Childs liked the concept of
dynamic tension." Brull said as a council the dynamic tension was to not make
decisions prematurely using voting as a weapon. The trouble with the majority
voting without a full discussion was that it created a minority with a different
agenda. On the other side of making premature decisions was having excessive
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STAFF SUMMARY
CITY OF MINNETONKA
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
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discussion where decisions are never reached. Having a healthy balance was
important. He said the city manager's role was to help the council see where they
were in that balance.
Schneider said a related expectation to the city manager holding the council
accountable for what it said it would do was effectively working with different
mayors with different styles. He said Mayor Karen Anderson was much more
proactive with issues she felt strongly about while he was more laid back. Mayor
Jan Callison was somewhere in between.
Schneider said he disagreed with language in the report about being
aggressive" in relation to being willing to be creative. He said a word like
assertive" was better. Brull said the city would be aggressive in an issue like
environmental stewardship. Barone suggested Schneider was looking at the term
as a personality trait. Schneider said the word was being used in connection with
engaging citizens, employees and the community. He said it was important to be
proactive but not aggressive. Allendorf said he thought the word "aggressive"
was not appropriate even with environmental stewardship.
Allendorf said he had a conflict with trying to address the need to attract young
families to the city with maintaining the city's half acre lot size. He said people tell
him the city was great because of its open spaces and lot sizes. Yet some
developments like the one off Bren Road were small lots with relatively affordable
houses. He said somehow the city had to address the conflict. One solution was
to find pockets in the city where the council approved smaller and more
affordable homes. Wagner agreed and said it might be identifying where there
were a lot of two third acre lots that would someday be bought and split. He said
the issue Allendorf identified was fundamental conflict. Wiersum said the thing
that made Minnetonka unique was the open space and big lots. This makes the
city attractive for families with children yet the thought was the only way to attract
younger families to the city was to have lots like every other suburb. Allendorf
said the council had to address the issue at some point. Schneider said there
were other solutions other than small lots. Hiller said he was concerned with the
city becoming ad hoc. Wiersum said the declining market environmental has
made many formerly unaffordable homes a lot more affordable so the council
may be trying to solve a problem that may not exist. Schneider said there was
the inaccurate perception that the city did not have any affordable housing and
there was the reality that the city did not have certain types of homes with
amenities for young families.
Schneider said the category in the report about encouraging risk taking was not
accurate. The city was willing to accept a reasonable level of risk for appropriate
creative thinking and innovation but it wasn't willing to take risks for the sake of
taking risks. Brull said the risk taking being discussed was related to the city
manager being the leader of staff and encouraging creative thinking and risk
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CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 7
taking in the staff. Schneider said there had to be a purpose for taking the risk.
Hiller agreed with Schneider and said the statement should be about
encouraging and being supportive of innovation. Wiersum said the description of
Barone as "always operating in a highly ethical, respectful, and careful fashion"
was accurate. He said he told Barone he would like to see her be bolder and take
a few more risks. When he thinks of encouraging risk taking he thinks of creating
an atmosphere where people are willing to try new things and do not fear failure.
When a person fears failure he/she won't take risks and won't be innovative. He
said as the city manager, Barone won't have the time to get all the facts to reach
a decision. She'll have to have confidence in her gut feeling and her team's
suggestions. He said boldness and risk taking were really important.
Brull said in the context of the city being a government agency what risk taking
meant was how many of the dots had been connected and filled in before a
decision was made. He said when the Williston Center was built it wasn't known
if the center would make money because most community centers had to be
heavily subsidized. If the council had been more cautious the center would not
have been built. Barone said it was important for her and the leadership team to
foster the culture and environment for creative thinking. Wiersum said he had
worked in places that said they wanted employees to take risks but only
successful risks were rewarded. The people who failed were not backed. Brull
said that issue was key in attracting good staff. Good staff wants to work in a
place where innovation and creativity was fostered and encouraged. Wagner
said what was being discussed was creating a risk tolerant environment. Acomb
said there was a difference between taking a risk and being reckless. She said
the term "bold" was insightful. Wiersum said Barone was analytical and careful
and that was not a bad thing to be. She'll have to challenge herself to be bolder
in her new position. Barone said as the assistant city manager her job was to get
the city manager everything he needed to make a good decision and then
support his decision. She said her first thought about hiring the assistant city
manager was hiring someone who was opposite of her but it might be better to
hire someone who was detailed oriented. Brull said he didn't think Barone could
tolerate an assistant city manager who was opposite of her and could not deal
with details. Wiersum said what was needed was Barone to feel comfortable that
the details were covered. Wagner said it was important Barone knew the council
was supportive in her taking the thought out risks. Allendorf said Barone should
hire whoever she felt comfortable hiring for the assistant city manager whether it
was a male or female. Schneider said the best qualified person should be found
but if there was more than one than gender balance should be considered..
Schneider said in the category of fiscal management it was important for Barone
to be able to think outside the box. Wagner noted he had not experienced
Barone dealing with financial management issues. Barone noted she had been
involved in all the budget and CIP preparation meetings with the directors.
Wagner said in terms of development it was important for Barone to identify how
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CITY OF MINNETONKA
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 8
she was going to lead thinking six months, a year, and two years ahead as the
council had been accustomed to seeing. Wiersum said he wanted Barone to be
visible in the budget process. Fiscal management was an area she needed to
demonstrate that she would bring something to the table. Barone said part of the
challenge would be that Finance Director Merrill King was strong on the details,
and Gunyou was good at narrowing down things for the council. Barone said her
role as assistant city manager had been in the middle. Allendorf said he wouldn't
be disappointed if Barone decided it would be beneficial to bring in Gunyou to
help with the first few budget cycles. Wiersum said his critique of the current
process was when the annual budget review was done in December it seemed
as if the budget was being defended. He viewed the role of the meetings as
enlightening the public on what they would get and why taxes were going up or
down.
Schneider said over the years when he has had discussions with people upset
about taxes rather than discuss how the tax system worked, it was more effective
to focus the conversation on the value of the services being received. He
suggested it would be helpful for staff to present to the public how the city
creates value for good services at a reasonable price in broader terms. Wiersum
said government has worked hard to make the tax system complex and difficult
to understand. People are always questioning why their taxes were going up
when their property value was decreasing. People think there is one to one
relationship between the value of their property and the taxes they pay. He said
the thing that struck a chord in him was during the Crosby Cove development
discussion when the developer said that if he were allowed to create a lake lot
where one did not exist, the value of the property would go up and the city would
collect more taxes. Wiersum said he responded by informing the person that
what his property indicated was what his share of the total bill was. If his taxes
were increasing a lot, everyone else's taxes were going down a little. His
property value determined his share of the overall tax levy. Wiersum said he
would guess that 95 percent of residents did not understand this was the way
their taxes were determined. He said the city has not done a good job at
explaining this to people.
Hiller said the council had confidence in Gunyou's long term strategy. He said he
had confidence in Barone knowing all the details in the budget but he had no
intuition if she had a long term strategy. He said she would have to show this to
the council in some way.
Schneider said in the category of customer service gets raves from people in the
community about the job the city does. Under the community relations category
for opportunities for development he suggested Barone establish broader
relationships with outside organizations including state agencies, the Met
Council, Hennepin County and various local government associations. He said
this would be time consuming but was important in maintaining the city's position
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CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 9
as a respected leader. Establishing this would take time as people determine if
Barone measured up to expectations.
Wiersum said Barone would have to establish her own plan for development.
She would also have to decide what her brand would be that would establish her
presence in the community. Schneider said part of that would be being effective
dealing with irate residents while balancing that with other important issues.
Barone said there was a balance she would like to achieve between the outside
community and her visibility internally within the organization. She has seen the
impact it has on an organization's culture when city managers and directors get
too involved in external activities. Brull said this meant prioritizing where her
highest impact would be. Wagner said determining where the highest impact
would be was tied with the city's upcoming initiatives. If the Ridgedale area was
going to be re -done then focus would be on outreach to the business community.
Barone said fundamentally at the beginning it would be important to establish
local relationships and some of the regional associations.
Schneider said in the area of development opportunities, Barone would find
herself more and more in group settings. He said there was a balance in
communication styles with projecting and articulating and being soft spoken and
reserved. There were techniques to getting her voice heard without yelling and it
was an area she needed work. Barone said part of that for her was her comfort
and confidence level with the group she was in and cited her work on the park
board. Acomb agreed and said she had seen Barone speak up with comfort.
Allendorf noted it was not the assistant city manager's job to be outspoken. Brull
said one of Barone's assets was she knew who she was. Schneider indicated the
council had identified that quality.
Barone asked if the council was expecting some type of evaluation document to
include with her contract. Schneider said the process that was used in the past
for the city manager review involved a subcommittee that got feedback from the
entire council. In this process there would not be something in writing to compare
Barone's performance as city manager. To have measurable objective that
stated what the expectations had been for the year would be helpful to have a
meaningful dialogue. Wagner suggested including a few of the expectations that
could be realistically delivered on in a one or two year period for an individual
development plan. Barone indicated creating a hybrid with what had been used
for Gunyou's review and the evaluation system used for employees that included
goals that are updated every year. This would allow the council to look at the
general categories and specific goals. Brull said he could include examples he
had used for other cities.
2. Adjournment
The study session adjourned at 8:27 p.m.
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CITY OF MINNETONKA
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012
PAGE 10
Respectfully submitted,
David Maeda
City Clerk
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City Council Expectations for
City Manager Geralyn Barone
April 2, 2012
External Relations
Establish a presence in regional and state affairs; represent Minnetonka in a leadership
role
Maintain/enhance a presence (brand) in the community
Council Relations
Strengthen communication with the city council; encourage respectful, two-way
dialogue
Facilitate the city council in reaching "reasonable consensus"; serve as a dispassionate
observer
Move the city council to action on their ideas; hold council accountable for their
commitments
Internal Relations
Create a risk -tolerant environment, without fear of failure
Encourage innovative, creative thinking
Maintain/enhance Minnetonka's standards of excellence
Manage transition process with key staff leadership retirements
Fiscal Responsibility
Be visible in the budget process and communicate long-term strategies
Enlighten the public on taxes and budget (simple messages)
Maintain Minnetonka's position of fiscal responsibility
Future
Anticipate demographic changes and proactively address development issues (e.g.,
acre lots vs. affordable housing for young families)
Engage in long range planning; follow through
Personal Development
Enlist a professional coach in the transition
Improve public speaking techniques
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