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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 020397 Agenda Item: A-1 Meeting Date: 5/27/97 Approved as submitted ATASCADERO CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 3, 1997 MINUTES 3:00 P.M. - ADJOURNED MEETING: Mayor Johnson called the Adjourned Meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Councilmembers Carden, Clay, Lerno, Luna and Mayor Johnson Absent: None Others Present: Marcia M. Torgerson, City Clerk Staff Present: Andrew Takata, City Manager; Roy Hanley, Deputy City Attorney; Cindy Holton, Deputy City Clerk COUNCIL COMMENTS: Councilman Clay reiterated a request from regular Council meetings that members of Council not talk down to members of City staff. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Eric Greening, 7365 Valle, expressed his amazement at the length of time it is taking for the hiring of a City Accountant. He encouraged public interviews of candidates for the City Manager position as a service to both the Council and the observing public. Mayor Johnson responded by stating that today's meeting is part of the interview process for an Interim City Manager, and it needs to be distinctly clarified from that of the process for hiring a permanent City Manager. BUSINESS ITEM: 1. RESOLUTION NO. 10-97 - Appointing Robert F. Grogan as Interim City Manager Roy Hanley, Acting City Attorney, gave a brief report on the proposed contract and resolution. Lengthy Council discussion ensued. Councilman Luna read a prepared statement (Exhibit A, attached). Councilman Clay responded by stating that he felt Councilman Luna's comments were strong and questioned what he meant by "poisonous atmosphere." Councilman Luna explained that he had documentation and would share it with Councilman Clay after the meeting. CC 2/3/97 Page 1 Councilman Luna also expressed his concern of the lack of a full Council interview process. Councilman Luna went on to state that he felt the contract, as proposed, was too vague. He felt it needed to be more specific, i.e. hours expected to work, attendance of meetings required, assistance in the hiring of the permanent City Manager, etc. Mayor Johnson asked Mr: Hanley if the details of employment could not be included in the contract. Mr. Hanley replied that details of employment could be included but that the Atascadero Municipal Code lists the requirements of a City Manager, i.e. full-time employment, attendance of Council meetings, etc. The Council then discussed the timing of this transition. It was noted that time is of the essence in getting an interim on board in order to facilitate as much transition time as possible, preferably two weeks, with the outgoing City Manager. Councilman Luna stated that he had hoped that Mr. Grogan would have been here to be interviewed by the full Council and to have his comments on the record. Mayor Johnson responded by saying that he could be called now for a conference call. Councilman Clay commented that Mr. Grogan's presence today would have been a good idea but that he has confidence in Councilman Carden's and Mayor Johnson's conclusions from their interview with Mr. Grogan. Councilman Lerno agreed. Andy Takata and Roy Hanley reviewed the terms of the proposed contract with Mr. Grogan. Public Comment Eric Greening suggested, if possible, Mr. Grogan be contacted by telephone for an interview during this meeting to hopefully satisfy the concerns previously stated. He suggested that Mr. Grogan be asked if he might be willing to work for about one-half of the City Manager's salary for the first two weeks if selected as interim. Lindsay Hampton expressed that she was shocked to learn there would not be public interviews to select an Interim City Manager, that some of the concerns being discussed here could have been addressed in that forum. Mr. Grogan was contacted by telephone and responded to questions from the Council:- Mayor Johnson asked what an Interim City Manager does, to which Mr. Grogan responded. He indicated there cannot be less than 40 hours per week put in by an interim. The Mayor asked how Mr. Grogan views the turnover procedure—how does he see it and how is it critical for an incoming manager, to which Mr. Grogan responded. Councilman Luna asked what hours the Council and public can be expected to be able to talk to Mr. Grogan, who responded that he expects to be available on a full-time basis. He added that he cannot help but get emersed in the job as a manager. Councilman Luna said there is dislike on the part of some Council members about starting off having to compensate two City Managers to do the work of one. Mr. Grogan responded that he is willing to talk with Andy Takata during his attendance at the City Managers Conference next week. CC 2/3/97 Page 2 Councilman Clay asked if one week can be a sufficient transition period. Mr. Grogan responded that he will be here tomorrow, in any event. Mr. Grogan reassured the Council that he is a committed person and is not a clock- watcher. Council discussion ensued regarding the length of the transition period. It was the consensus of the Council to have Mr. Grogan begin work on February 6, 1997. There was additional discussion pertaining to his compensation. There was concern expressed about the City's fiscal condition. Roy Hanley reviewed specific language to be included in the contract, i.e.: • Effective date to be February 6, 1997. • Term of the contract ends upon the effective date of the appointment of a full-time, permanent City Manager. Insert a sentence which states that the contractor accepts the obligation to stay up to two weeks after the appointment of the full-time City Manager, at the pleasure of the full-time Manager. • Add language to scope of service to clarify "full-time interim City Manager". • Reference and attach copy of the Municipal Code section pertaining to the City Manager, and attach the job description of the current City Manager. • State that the Interim will assist the City Council in the process of selecting a permanent City Manager. • Insert a 30-day Notice of Termination (by either party) clause. Motion: By Councilman Carden, seconded by Councilman Lerno to adopt Resolution No. 97-10, as amended upon recommendation of the City Attorney. Motion passed by 5:0 roll-call vote. There was brief Council discussion and, in conclusion, Councilman Luna expressed his appreciation to the Council for bending to satisfy his concerns. The meeting adjourned at 4:09 p.m. MINUTES RECORDED BY: nl(A .U/k., MARCIA M. TORGERSON, City derk PREPARED BY: v CINDY L. HO ON, Deputy City Clerk ATTACHMENT: Exhibit A - Prepared statement of Councilman Luna CC 2/3/97 Page 3 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - 2/3/97 EXHIBIT A (COMMENTS OF COUNCILMAN GEORGE LUNA) For the most part I will speak to the contract before us. I want to make my position on this contract very clear: My comments have nothing to do with Mr. Grogan. Also, my comments have nothing to do with therp ocess of his appointment that prevented three councilmembers and the public from asking basic questions of all screened applicants. To my knowledge this is the first time that candidates for a position (even if there was only one applicant) have not been interviewed by the full council. I voted against that process last Tuesday. The two most important appointments that any City Council can make are City Manager and City Attorney. If the Council expects city employees and the public to have confidence in its decisions, then it should not blindly accept staff recommendations on important items like this. This contract is unprofessional; it does not specify, for example, what duties we can expect from this interim city manager. Nowhere does it say what the special services of Interim City Manager are! 1) Will the city be run by fax machine from Santa Maria? 2) Will the interim manager be expected to attend all Council meetings? What hours will he be available to the Council and Public? 3) What Council delegated duties are included? 4) Will anything be done to clear the poisonous atmosphere that exists for some city employees? 5) Will this new management begin to restore an atmosphere of harmony and teamwork so that the public's work can be expeditiously done by its employees? 6) What role will the interim manager play in the hiring of a permanent city manager? What role will he play in the hiring of the three permanent employees allowed for in this budget? 7) For the next two weeks we will be paying for two city managers (a total of$ 8300). From what part of the budget is this coming? It is ironic that this shabby work is tolerated by the Council. Clearly, the media bestowed mantra of pro-business does not mean businesslike.