Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 09-08-2006 ‎(special-finance director)‎ — reading text

relationships. 11. Potentially controversial issues of race, gender or ethnicity. Any information a candidate may volunteer during the interview process regarding the foregoing matters does not render the interview invalid or otherwise taint the process. Consequently, open ended questions such as AIs there anything else you would like us to know about you? are not prohibited and can sometimes provide valuable insight into a candidate' s views and perspectives. Page 6 of7 Areas Where Questioning Should Not Be Pursued With regard to issues of physical or mental health, many questions are appropriately after a conditional offer of employment is made but must be avoided beforehand. As a result, the interviewer must avoid questions relating to the following areas: 1. A candidate' s medical history. 2. Past worker' s compensation claims. 3. Past use of sick leave. 4. Health of a candidate' s family members. 5. Any obvious physical or mental impairment of the candidates, except the following question, which is permissible, AAre you able to perform the essential functions of the job for which you are applying? Better practice is not to ask this type of question. Of course, from a practical point of view, I cannot imagine anyone answenng no. 6. A candidate' s frequency of illegal drug use or addiction. The following question, however, is permissible: AHave you ever used illegal drugs, and if so, when was the last time you used them? Once again, this is a very delicate area which can create significant problems for the employer if the questioning intrudes upon certain areas. 7. Alcoholism or the frequency of alcohol consumption. The interviewer must also avoid questions relating to any obvious physical or mental impairment of the candidate. The following question, however, is permissible: AAre you able to perform the essential functions of the job for which you are applying? The better practice is simply not to ask this type of question. All the questions listed above which reI ate to medical conditions may properly be asked of a candidate after he or she has received a conditional offer of employment. Before an offer is made, however, the questions must be avoided. Once again, open ended questions such as, .Als there anything else you would like us to know about you? @ are not prohibited. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us for further guidance or assistance. Page 70f7  CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH FINANCE DIRECTOR RECRUITMENT 2006 AGENDA Thursday, September 7, 2006 Review Committee Interviews I. 11 :00 am - 12: 00 pm Lunch at Two Trees Restaurant, City Golf Club II. 12: 30 pm Location: City Manager' s Conference Room Pre- Interview Discussion III. Interviews A. 1 : 00 pm - Lisa Absher 1 : 50 pm - City Tour by Missy McKim B. 2: 00 pm - James Fulkerson 2: 50 pm - City Tour by John Hofstad N. 3: 00 pm - 4: 00 pm Panel Discussion V. Adjournment 002- 06  CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Se tember 8, 2006 Agenda Consideration of interviewing and ranking Finance Director Candidates Lisa Absher - Interview Council Action 1st 2nd Vote: Agenda Item Number: 1b  CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Agenda Consideration of interviewing and ranking Finance Director Candidates James Fulkerson - Interview Council Action 1st 2nd Vote: 1c Agenda Item Number:  CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING Agenda Consideration of a request to authorize the City Manager or designee to negotiate a salary and benefits package with the top ranked candidate, subject to final Council approval Human Resources Director) Council Action 1st 2nd Vote: Agenda Item Number: 2  CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH MEMORANDUM DATE: September 1, 2006 TO: Honorable Mayor& Members of City Council FROM: Mark Wiltsie, Director of Human Resources SUBJECT: Finance Director Salary and Benefit Package Backi!round: Section 53 of the City Charter entitled " City officers; appointment and compensation" states that the City Council shall fix, by resolution, the compensation of the Finance Director. Discussion: In the recruitment for Finance Director, the job announcement stated a salary range of 78, 000 to $ 100, 000 DOQ. In the past, Charter Officer positions have been provided the same benefits that are enjoyed by all other city employees. These include life, medical, and dental insurance; vacation leave; sick leave; and ten (10) paid holidays. In addition participation in General Employees' Pension Plan with the 5% employee contribution paid by the City was adopted in 2001. To provide City Council with historical information, the former Finance Director Mike Burton was provided the following compensation package in addition to those benefits enumerated above: Salary 87, 300 ICMA Contribution 8% of salary Auto/Phone allowance 175 per month In addition to the above, as both of the candidates for the Finance Director position will need to relocate, moving expenses will likely need to be addressed. In recent past, the 1  City has provided a not-to exceed amount $ 4, 500 for moving expenses for department director positions. For the benefit of City Council to establish a parameter for the salary of a new Finance Director, staff has reviewed the most recent salary survey conducted by the Florida League of Cities for cities of similar size and submits the average salary to be $ 90, 889. Recommendation: Staff respectfully requests City Council authorize the City Manager or designee to negotiate a salary and benefit package with the top ranked candidate consistent with the advertised salary and benefits enumerated above. Respectfully submitted: Mark Wiltsie Director of Human Resources ApproVed S~ 71 I1D~ Cb:~ anager 2 Additional Questions for J.T. Fulkerson 1) You have used the same basic accounting system since 1982. How difficult do you feel it would be to adapt to the system here in Fort Walton Beach? 2) Please tell us your long range career plans. 3) If you are hired as the Finance Director in Fort Walton Beach, how long to you plan to stay with us as the Finance Director? 4) Tell us about your participation in the Kentucky Finance Officers' Association and in the National Government Finance Officers' Association. Have you served on any committees or served in a leadership role? 5) Let' s assume we select you as the Finance Director for Fort Walton Beach. What areas in your background do you feel you need to strengthen? What training do you feel you would need to obtain in the first year as the Finance Director? Additional Questions for Lisa Absher 1. Please tell us about your long range career plans. [ Ms. Absher has indicated she ultimately would like to be a City Manager.] 2. If you are hired as the Finance Director in Fort Walton Beach, how long do you plan to stay with us as the Finance Director? 3. We understand that you became the first Finance Director in Marco Island right after it incorporated and that you had to build a Finance Department from scratch. Please tell us how you did that. For example, how did you decide what employees were needed and what functions they would cover? How did you establish policies and procedures? How did you set up the accounting system? ( the software, chart of accounts and so on) 4. Let's assume we select you as the Finance Director for Fort Walton Beach. What areas in your background do you feel you need to strengthen? What training do you feel you would need to obtain in the first year as the Finance Director?  City of Fort Walton Beach Finance Director Selection Ballot September 8, 2006 Please put a check mark (~) next to the name of the candidate that you would like to have as the next Finance Director for Fort Walton Beach. Place a check mark Candidate next to your choice Lisa Absher i........../ J. T. Fulkerson Signature of Elected Official Submitting the Ballot: M7/-av  City of Fort Walton Beach Finance Director Selection Ballot September 8, 2006 Please put a check mark (-V) next to the name of the candidate that you would like to have as the next Finance Director for Fort Walton Beach. Place a check mark Candidate next to your choice Lisa Absher ~ J. T. Fulkerson Signature of Elected Official Submitting the Ballot:  City of Fort Walton Beach Finance Director Selection Ballot September 8, 2006 Please put a check mark (~) next to the name of the candidate that you would like to have as the next Finance Director for Fort Walton Beach. Place a check mark Candidate next to your choice Lisa Absher v--- J. T. Fulkerson Signature of Elected Official Submitting the Ballot: jJ~-', v -- , i7~ p~  City of Fort Walton Beach Finance Director Selection Ballot