Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 12-22-08 special minutes — reading text

negotiations and if there is a new Mayor, City Council can change it. Mr. Hartwell pointed out the staff proposal says the City Council should give the Mayor clear direction as to the parameters the City will offer the candidate. He said the Mayor has set parameters that are established by the Council to negotiate and as long as he does not go out, he is not usurping the authority of Council. Mr. Miller asked the City Attorney if she had time to negotiate with a new prospective City Manager and had any negotiating experience. Mr. Minich called a point of order that the question had nothing germane to the motion on the floor. Mr. Miller said he wanted to know why they are not going to use the City Attorney. The Mayor noted that Mr. Miller has decided that is the position he wants and if the motion fails and they want the City Attorney to do it, then she will do it. Mr. Miller stated there must be some reason they are not asking or tasking the City Attorney. The Mayor noted it is Council' s call to task the City Attorney. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion to approve the Mayor to negotiate a contract with the # 1 ranked candidate and it carried by a vote of 4 to 3 with Holmes, Reeves, Hartwell, and Minich in favor and Miller, Garvie, and Pullen opposed. RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE Mr. Wiltsie mentioned, on the recruitment schedule, staff would like to finalize the schedule based on discussion tonight and provide a revision that includes all the changes that were made and bring back to City Council at the next meeting. The Mayor received confirmation that the job position will be announced beginning tomorrow and staff will return with a revised alternative 2 recruitment schedule with more firm subsequent dates based on the discussion tonight. ACTING CITY MANAGER City Council move to appoint an Acting City Manager. Mr. Wiltsie pointed out the staff provided several alternatives for the Acting City Manager appointment. He mentioned it was initially thought the Range Rider Program would provide a retired City Manager to come over on an interim basis to be the City Manager, but it has been clarified by the Florida City and County Management Association ( FCCMA) that a Range Rider would have to resign as a Range Rider so that does not appear to be a viable alternative. He noted the second alternative would be to appoint a manager in transition or a retired manager. He pointed out the agenda packet included a list of managers who are in- between jobs across the state and if that is an option Council would like to pursue, staff can contact one or all to see if they would be interested in coming to the City. He noted in his conversation with a Range Rider Mr. Simmons, he indicated he is aware of and has assisted other Cities in securing an interim City Manager from a pool of retirees that he knows who can come to the City in a very short period of time and run the day- to- day affairs and operations of the City. He said there is a cost associated as they typically charge what the current City Manager is making plus they would require an auto and housing allowance.  89 Special Council 12/ 22/ 08 ACTING CITY MANAGER ( CONT) Mr. Wiltsie said another alternative would be an in- house candidate to serve on an interim basis, and the final alternative would be a member of the community the Council would believe can come in to run the day- to- day operations of the City. Mr. Hartwell mentioned a sound- off piece in the paper that mentioned Council, in the interim, could take on those duties of the Manager because they have competent Department Heads. He thought what is needed is a focal point of getting information, disseminating information and tasking, and thought with one, two or seven perhaps the Council in the interim. He did not like the idea of someone from the community, and with the Manager in transition he would be afraid of the expectations of that person of perhaps being hired, and in- house he would hate to think of one of the Department Heads who already has a full- time job taking on a second full- time job as a City Manager during the interim of three to four months. He would like to entertain the idea of perhaps the City Council in the interim. The Mayor asked how Mr. Hartwell would envision the Council running the staff meeting, and how the process would work, if Council would alternate or select someone. Mr. Hartwell commented not everyone has a full- time job and he was just throwing out ideas to think through whichever answer would provide the least disruption to their already heavily tasked Department Heads and would not cause a disruption in the transition period. Mr. Miller said the City does have an outstanding group of Directors and some of them may like the chance to get some career broadening experience and be an acting City Manager. He said not for the complete time but maybe two or three weeks at a time on rotation to let them get the experience, and even though it is a Department Head Council will have access to the acting City Manager. He has seen the way the Human Resources Director has performed in the absence of the City Manager and is comfortable with what he has done in her absence. He suggested they could give the other Department Heads the opportunity to volunteer to serve in that function then Council can layout a schedule, but they should not burden one for the complete task and just rotate them maybe every three weeks. Mr. Minich disagreed with both concepts and said City Council cannot do it and it is not their place to do it; and to swap different Department Heads in and out during the transition time is not something to do. He said they need one person as it is a difficult time because they are not only losing the City Manager but they are changing over half the City Council and it needs to be one person to guide them through the process because they have to not only get ready for a new City Manager but get ready for three new Council members at the same time. He said they need to select one person to do the job. The Mayor made the observation that the budget process will start during this time also for next years budget so he thought the key is continuity. Mr. Garvie mentioned he served on another board where there is a similar situation where if the CEO is sick, on vacation,or leaves for another job there is always one person who everyone knows is going to be the person in charge, and it is important to know that. He also wondered why someone is not designated as an Assistant City Manager and said there should be someone who takes that position when the City Manager is not here and Council has the right to know who that person is who will be in charge during that time. He commented that person does not have to receive extra money but it should be considered in a bonus situation, although he felt they should receive additional salary for the responsibility. He did not believe it should rotate around even though it does make more people qualified it creates a lot of commotion. He said they need stability and having one person at all times who would be the fill- in for the City Manager, no matter what happened creates stability for the employees, Council, and the residents. 90 Special Council 12/ 22/ 08 ACTING CITY MANAGER ( CONT) The Mayor asked if there is a provision for an above and beyond additional salary compensation. The City Manager believed the Mayor is referring to the out- of-class pay for an employee acting in a step- up position and will receive between 5- 15%> during that particular time. She said that is something Council would have to specifically designate as it is not something that is automatically done for this particular position. Mr. Reeves recalled a former City Manager who volunteered services at one point and wished to know if there is someone in the local Range Rider program who might be a retired City Manager who would step into the role. The City Manager noted at one time Mr. Keeler and Mr. Ingram were in town but believed Mr. Ingram has moved away and she has not heard from Mr. Keeler in quite some time. Dr. Pullen commented there are a lot of highly qualified people in the area who have been managers before that can be named as a temporary City Manager. He mentioned one person he thought is highly qualified is Joe Taylor who held a very high management position on base and thought if he were asked he would act as Interim City Manager, probably at a very reasonable cost that would not cost the City much. He would like to put his name forward. The Mayor noted Council has to decide if that is the way they want to go, internal or external, and if Council goes the external route then they can discuss how to go about the process of selecting someone. The Mayor opened the floor for public input. As no one wished to speak public input was closed. Mr. Garvie moved to appoint an Interim City Manager from the current staff, only one person to act in that position. Motion failed for lack of a second. Dr. Pullen moved to name someone from the community to be Interim City Manager. Motion failed for lack of a second. Mr. Miller moved to advertise immediately for an Acting City Manager, and discuss the terms with Mr. Wiltsie and get that person on board as soon as possible. Mr. Reeves seconded motion. Mr. Miller believed there are people in the area who have experience and thought they need someone with management and people skills to get the people working together. He thought the talent is here in the local area to get someone to come in to serve the City for three or four months. Mr. Reeves mentioned he has been approached by several high- powered people from the military base who are not doing anything right now and agreed it would give Council an opportunity to talk to a few of them who, he feels, are over- qualified and he would like to give them an opportunity. He agreed there is a lot of local talent. Mr. Minich wished to know how long it will be advertised and when Council will decide. He said two weeks would be sufficient to make the decision on January 13th. Dr. Pullen received clarification from Mr. Miller that the motion is intended to recruit outside in the local community for candidates for the Acting City Manager position. The Mayor called for the vote on the motion to recruit outside in the local community for the Acting City Manager position and it carried by a vote of 5 to 2 with Miller, Reeves, Pullen, Hartwell, and Minich in favor and Holmes and Garvie opposed.  91 Special Council 12/ 22/ 08 ACTING CITY MANAGER ( CO NT) It was suggested the City request the local citizens submit a resume and Council make a decision at the January 13th Council meeting based upon the resumes received by January 6th to