City Manager Performance Evaluation Committee

City Manager Performance Evaluation Committee 10 N. Division St., Room 112, First Floor Battle Creek, MI 49014 Tuesday, June 18, 2013 12:00 p.m. Committee Members Present: Mayor Susan Baldwin, Vice Mayor Fulton, and Comm. Gray Committee Members Absent: Comm. Walters Staff Present: Ken Tsuchiyama, Jim Ritsema, Susan Bedsole, and Russ Claggett Call to Order: Mayor Baldwin called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m. Public Comment: None Approval of Minutes: A motion was made by Vice Mayor Fulton, supported by Comm. Gray, to approve the meeting minutes of June 5, 2012, as presented. All yes. Motion carried. Discussion Mayor Baldwin indicated it was time for the City Manager yearly evaluation pursuant to the contract and the committee was meeting to determine the process that would be followed. City Manager Ken Tsuchiyama provided a summary of the past surveys. Mayor Baldwin asked how everyone felt about using the survey monkey process again. Comm. Gray noted the committee had conversations during the last survey regarding having more feedback in a written form, instead of just a scale. She said she wanted to encourage more feedback Vice Mayor Fulton stated she wanted to make certain anonymity was available to the survey takers. Mr. Tsuchiyama noted the Name section was optional. Ms. Bedsole said with Survey Monkey it was not possible to associate a survey with a person. Mayor Baldwin asked where the comment sections were in relation to the questions. Vice Mayor asked if a comment section could be added after every question. Mayor Baldwin responded the survey was already divided into sections. Comm. Gray asked if the comment box was on the same page as the questions to which it referred. Ms. Bedsole responded they were on the same page. Mayor Baldwin suggested language was placed in the description requesting the survey taker to complete the comment section stating comments are very helpful and highly encouraged. Mayor Baldwin stated she would like to see the same questions as last time, for continuity purposes. Mr. Tsuchiyama noted there were several questions that only related to internal staff, and those in the community taking the survey had commented many questions were not relevant to them. 1 Comm. Gray suggested using the same survey, but sending it out separately to staff and community members and adding language such as “if not applicable, skip to the next question”. Ms. Bedsole noted the survey contained N/A on all questions now. Comm. Gray suggested language be placed in survey stating survey takers should mark N/A when they either have no experience with the topic or are not comfortable with answering. She also indicated anonymity language should be placed in the prefatory language of the survey. Mayor Baldwin asked about the list of external people who should be included in survey. Mr. Tsuchiyama presented the committee with an updated list stating he removed those that are no longer there or with whom he hasn't worked in the last year. He has also added new contacts with whom he has worked in the past year. Mayor Baldwin asked the committee to review the list of questions to verify they were still okay. Mayor Baldwin suggested placing new comment boxes after questions 12, 15 and 25. Comm. Gray asked if there could be, in the report, some kind of followup on the previous year’s evaluation to see what has occurred where there were lower scores and also to celebrate successes. She stated perhaps a summary of what the City Manager has done to address those issues. Vice Mayor Fulton agreed with Comm. Gray’s suggestion. Mayor Baldwin said she has seen in other organizations where the CEO prepares a summary of the last year and that summary is sent out with the survey. Mr. Tsuchiyama said he would prepare a summary. Mayor Baldwin asked that a general section be added to ask for any general comments. Comm. Gray suggested adding Helen Royal to the list. Mr. Tsuchiyama stated his interaction with her was not related to City business. Mr. Tsuchiyama said he could finish his year in review fairly quickly. Comm. Gray asked if the committee wanted the resolution on the second meeting in July. Mr. Tsuchiyama indicated that seemed to be the most reasonable time frame. Mr. Claggett reminded the committee that any salary increase could not be applied retroactively. Mayor Baldwin stated the survey would be due on July 3 and the next meeting would be July 8 at noon. Mayor Baldwin asked about the contract language and the provision regarding an increase in salary. Mr. Tsuchiyama responded the increase was based on a satisfactory evaluation and he would have Mr. Claggett create a resolution. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 12:57 p.m. SEB 2