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05-30-1989 - Special , ..., ...", f CITY COUNCIL OF EDGEWATER SPECIAL MEETING MAY 30, 1989 MINUTES Mayor Mitchum called the Special Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Edgewater Library. He stated the purpose was for arranging the scheduling of interviews with prospective City Manager applicants and discussion/decision regarding the hiring procedures for a permanent City manager. ROLL CALL Mayor David Mitchum Councilman Dan Hatfield Councilwoman Gigi Bennington Councilman Russell Gold Councilman Thomas Fish City Attorney Jose' Alvarez Acting City Manager Susan Wadsworth Chief Lawrence Schumaker Present Present Present Present Present Excused Present Present Councilman Fish stated that the City Clerk had been advertising in professional publications but he felt that wasn't enough and he went to the Florida City and County Managers Association conference May 17 to 19th in Naples. He said he found the City of Edgewater is getting a bad reputation with that organization but he was able to allay some of those negative impressions. He said he spent time with several good applicants for our position and one was Mr. Elly Johnson who impressed him as being very straightforward with 20 to 25 years in the business. He said he did some background checking by talking with some people in the cities where he worked and some personal references and he seems to be very valuable to the programs they have in place now and is highly respected and highly thought of in the City Manager form of business. He suggested another person who would be good to interview would be Roman Yoder, who was the number 2 choice when they hired Mr. Kelly. He added that Mr. Yoder also has a lot of experience. Councilman Gold suggested each Council member select 5 or 6 and bring them up and group them together and then interview the top 5 and if they don't pick one, make another list and interview the next 5. Councilman Hatfield suggested they set up a series of questions to ask pertinent to what they're doing and have a discussion of what they want from a City Manager and what they should look for. He suggested it be some type of confidential form so the next person won't know the questions they'll be asked and key up on them. Mayor Mitchum suggested that leMA probably could provide some standard questions. Councilman Hatfield suggested they look into it. He added that they have to convince the Manager as well as the Manager convincing Council because of the image that needs to be changed to show they're an organized government. Councilwoman Bennington suggested that before they start inter- viewing that they as a Council should determine what they want to see in a City Manager and come to terms about what the job should be and what they want him to do. Councilman Hatfield suggested they set aside Tuesday, June 6th, for a workshop just for that item. There was no objection expressed. There was discussion about the number of applications received to date and Mayor Mitchum pointed out their reputation can't be too bad or they wouldn't receive so many applications. 1 .~ . ~ .., Councilwoman Bennington suggested they discuss the interview expenses, how many they'll interview, how they'll pick them, and when they'll start. Mayor Mitchum suggested they do preliminary work and as they have 5 applications, they can make telephone calls and look into it as the more background they base their decision on the better it will be. He suggested they make a priority list of 1 through 5 and a back up list of 6 through 10. He also suggested they get copies of all the applications and start cutting it down. Councilman Fish expressed hope that some would get more than one vote. Councilwoman Bennington noted that they always had a major- ity they concurred on when they went through Department Heads applications previously. Mayor Mitchum stated that Finance Director Fred Munoz had a form that was a telephone survey they could possibly use when calling the background with a list of questions. Mr. Munoz explained that perhaps Karen Rickelman had the form. Councilwoman Bennington suggested they meet once a week to start narrowing it down. Mayor Mitchum suggested the meeting on Tuesday could be a Special Meeting and Workshop combination and they could bring up names if they've reviewed the applications by that time. Councilwoman Bennington asked if they're going to do more of a background check than just calling people. Mayor Mitchum replied that he thought they have to. Councilwoman Bennington suggested that when they get to 2 or 3 they could do a background. Mayor Mitchum stated that he'd talked with Frank Roberts in New Smyrna Beach and he indicated he'd be happy to help in any way he could. He said that Mr. Roberts also told him there are screening boards with County and City Managers and they'll review appli- cations and prioritize, plus there are firms known to lCMA that could provide background checks on the applicants at a minimal cost. Councilman Hatfield agreed it had to be fairly done, and asked if they have to be paid. Mayor Mitchum replied no, it's a professional courtesy. Councilman Hatfield agreed that the more professional input they get, the better judgement they can make. Mayor Mitchum said he wouldn't be opposed to an association of pro- fessional people doing the reviewing and short listing. Council- woman Bennington said she'd like to go through them and then give them the short listed ones. Councilman Gold pointed out that the present employer may have done an extensive background and it would be helpful if they could get that. Mayor Mitchum reviewed his prior background check made on the former City Manager. Council- woman Bennington stated that they're ultimately responsible for their actions and it makes good sense to protect themselves. Mayor Mitchum stated that they'll have a special meeting and work- shop on Tuesday night and will get the application copies out in the next couple of days and review and discuss them then. He added that they'll discuss the possibility of asking managers to serve on a review board after they've short listed the applicants. Councilwoman Bennington said they have to determine what type of City Manager they want. Mayor Mitchum said they'd word is as the role and relationship of the City Manager/City Council. Councilman Gold stated that he'd be out of town for that meeting. Mayor Mitchum suggested a motion to adjourn. Councilman Fish so moved. Councilman Hatfield seconded the motion. Meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m. Minutes submitted by: Lura Sue Koser 2 Council Special Meeting Minutes May 30, 1989, 6:30 p.m. . 'iIIl. "w' ATTEST: . -.1A7A~f, ~- ACTING ClIi'Y MANAGER App oved this ,q day of #2:?7PL- MAYOR ....., COUN ~ ;. cU,j cd CO~ ZONE T~EE ~ ~~J!~J COUNCILMAN - ZONE FOUR ~ ,)&:- 3 Council Special Meeting Minutes May 30, 1989, 6:30 p.m.