City Manager Performance Evaluation Committee

City Manager Performance Evaluation Committee City Hall Room 302A 10 N. Division Street Battle Creek, MI 49014 Monday, April 16 2018 3:00 p.m. Committee Members Present: Comm. Susan Baldwin, Vice Mayor Dave Walters, and Commissioners Chris Simmons and Sherry Sofia. Committee Members Absent: Comm.Kaytee Faris, as the alternate. Staff Present: Rebecca Fleury, City Manager: Nancy Mullett, Labor Attorney: Vicki Houser, City Clerk Call to Order: Comm. Baldwin called the meeting to order at 3:04 p.m. Public Comment: None Approval of Minutes: A motion was made by Comm. Sofia, supported by Comm. Simmons, to approve the February 5, 2018 City Manager Performance Evaluation Committee minutes. All yes, none opposed. Motion approved. Bi-Monthly Performance Review A. City Manager Report of Performance Highlights and Concerns Ms. Fleury provided the December 2017 to March 2018 Managerial Competencies and Goals update reports. B. Commission Highlights and Concerns Comm. Baldwin informed the Committee that she received comments from Commissioner Flores, confirming Clerk Houser did not receive communications from other Commissioners. Comm. Baldwin noted Comm. Flores expressed concern the evaluation document continues to be long and complicated, requiring the City Manager spend substantial time to complete reporting. Comm. Simmons noted the City Manager has a very complicated and involved position, noting she works with all City departments. Comm. Sofia agreed the goal of the workshop was to condense the document, thinking more items would be moved to the checklist. Comm. Sofia asked if the separate spreadsheet could be incorporated into one of the existing documents, stating they needed to be respectful of Ms. Fleury’s time. Comm. Sofia also noted Ms. Fleury’s weekly reports provided extensive detail. Vice Mayor Walters expressed concern the reporting was too time consuming, expressing concern Ms. Fleury would be required to spend time reporting when she should be doing the work of the City. Ms. Fleury stated she wanted to ensure the Commission had the information they needed, agreeing the new document took more time than the previous document, expressing appreciation the Committee required reporting 3 times per year instead of every other month. Ms. Mullett asked if all of the information was needed to evaluate Ms. Fleury’s performance, also asking if two forms of the checklist were needed, suggesting the information be consolidated into one checklist, possibly with a comment being provided when an item was in progress or not yet started. Ms. Mullett recommended Ms. Fleury notate the goal, such as Economic Vitality, to topics in her weekly updates. Ms. Fleury asked if the checklist needed to be completed every 4 months or just before the final evaluation, noting her weekly updates include information relative to the checklist items. Comm. Simmons suggested the weekly updates and monthly one-on-one meetings be considered part of the reporting. Comm. Sofia expressed preference for the spreadsheet, which shows the actions, allowing the Commission to measure the progress. Comm. Sofia also noted it is difficult to know the color of the dots if the document is not printed in color. Vice Mayor Walters stated he felt the spreadsheet was redundant, asking if the checklist items could be added to the weekly updates. 1  Ms. Fleury stated she could include a comment for items that are marked with a red or yellow dot, as suggested by Comm. Baldwin. Ms. Fleury also noted the Commission receives updates during the monthly presentations when staff reports how their work aligns with the City’s goals. Comm. Baldwin acknowledged the Commission has been indulged with the detailed and constant reporting provided by Ms. Fleury, expressing concern it not become an unmanageable process. Comm. Baldwin shared the comments she received from Comm. Flores, notably her appreciation of Ms. Fleury’s job performance. Comm. Flores said she was pleased with how things were progressing, particularly given the challenges with senior staff turnover. She noted the advancement of economic development and appreciated Rebecca and staff’s responsiveness. Comm. Simmons stated he liked to see work being delegated to other staff, stating she could provide staff reports instead of writing a new report. Comm. Baldwin stated it was helpful that the departments are identified for particular goals. Ms. Fleury clarified information regarding the EDF team, noting this does not just include John and Valerie, but also Mr. Dearing, Ms. Zuzga, Mr. Bolek and a DPW representative, providing more coordinated services. Ms. Fleury further explained the relationship between the City and CCDC, noting CCDC contracts with the City, as a support organization to the City. Ms. Fleury noted the City is CCDC’s only client, and the City directs their work, noting they have an advisory board only, with interaction and oversight of the arena. Ms. Fleury noted a BCU Board member is also a CCDC board member. Comm. Baldwin requested an update on the structure of the EDF team. Ms. Fleury emphasized the importance of economic development to the entire community, stating all organizations throughout the community are intertwined, including the schools and housing. Ms. Fleury noted City staff, BCU and BC Vision are all working on a comprehensive Economic Development Master Plan to identify the gaps and mobilize people to work on solutions. As to Comm. Flores’ comments regarding staff vacancy, Ms. Fleury noted vacancies put pressure on other staff to make sure work is being done properly. Ms. Mullett informed the committee that several of her clients are looking for human resource leaders, stating there are not a lot of people following this career path. Comm. Simmons asked if there was anything the Commission could do to help facilitate the search for senior staff members. Ms. Fleury noted the importance of succession plans in all departments, stating some departments have already made plans. Vice Mayor Walters stated he worked for 7 different police chiefs in his 21-year career with the City, stating there have been staffing gaps in past years. Committee Discussion Ms. Fleury expressed her appreciation of Chief Blocker, stating he is doing the best he can managing the Fire Dept. Ms. Fleury also complimented the work of the labor consultant who works a few days a week, and the tremendous work of Linda Morrison, Finance Director, and her staff for their support. Next Meeting: June 11, 2018 at 3:00 pm in Room 302A. Adjournment: Comm. Baldwin adjourned the meeting at 3:56 p.m. 2