Council Special Meeting

MINUTES CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING CITY OF MONTEREY Thursday, July 18, 2013 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Councilmembers Present: Councilmembers Downey, Haffa, Selfridge, Sollecito, Della Sala Absent: None City Staff City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Director of Information Present: Resources/City Clerk, Police Chief, Deputy City Manager, Plans & Public Works, Chief of Planning, Engineering, and Environmental Compliance, Benefits Manager CALL TO ORDER Mayor Della Sala called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. PUBLIC APPEARANCE 1. Review Proposals from Selected Recruitment Agencies Regarding the City Manager Recruitment; Consider Termination of Contract with CPS HR Consulting; and Consider Award of Contract to an Alternate Agency (Mayor - 502-11) Action: Reviewed proposals; gave direction to staff Mayor Della Sala introduced the item, recommending that the Council hire a new executive search firm at this time and terminate the agreement with CPS HR Consulting in order to move forward with the recruitment expeditiously. He recommended that Council hire Avery and Associates. Councilmember Haffa said that he would be OK hiring either of the two firms during the last process, but asked if it would be possible to consider Peckham Associates as well. Councilmember Selfridge stated that Council is working very hard to get the best possible candidates. Councilmember Downey said that she has researched Peckham, who would be available in October. She said she only heard one member of the Community Panel say that the proposed salary should increase. Mayor Della Sala said that he heard that from more than one of the panel members, and Councilmember Haffa agreed. Councilmember Haffa said that salary could be negotiated. Mayor Della Sala opened public comment on the item. Nelson Vega said that he is glad that the Council is holding the recruiter responsible, but he believes that the matter should be studied further before hiring another firm. Clyde Roberson said that he is pleased to hear Councilmember Selfridge mention that the City Manager has graciously agreed to stay until the end of the year. He reviewed the attributes that the City Manager needs to have. He said that the sooner a new permanent City Manager is hired, the better to move the City forward. Dan Albert said that it is a tough decision to hire a new City Manager. He said that when one is talking about the diversity of the City of Monterey, it cannot be compared to another City like Carmel. He supported the Mayor's recommendation, and said that it is important to move on and get a new City Manager on board as soon as possible. He thanked Mr. Meurer for agreeing to stay. City Council Minutes Thursday, July 18, 2013 Rick Johnson agreed with Councilmember Selfridge that he is grateful that the City Manager is going to stay, saying that it was really Mrs. Meurer that made that decision. He supported moving forward with hiring a permanent City Manager, but to make sure that someone is at the helm by January 1st. With no further requests to speak, Mayor Della Sala closed public comment. City Attorney Davi explained that under the purchasing rules, the City could go out for an Interim City Manager on our own and would not need a recruitment firm to be involved in that process. Councilmember Downey thanked the City Manager for staying through December 31st. She favored going in a two-prong approach for both a permanent and a conditional interim City Manager. She said that she would prefer to open an RFQ and consider Bobbi Peckham's firm. It was moved by Councilmember Downey and seconded by Councilmember Haffa to prepare an RFQ in order to have an opportunity to consider Peckham as well as other firms. Councilmember Haffa said that he would like to hear from both Avery and Murray again. Councilmember Sollecito said that Avery and Murray have been recruiting for many years, but their presentations to the City Council were not that good. He asked how long it would take to go out with a new RFP, and Assistant City Manager McCarthy said it would take approximately sixty days. Councilmember Sollecito said that he would prefer to move forward with Avery or Murray at this time and not delay the process further. He said that he does not see how starting a new process helps the City. Councilmember Downey said that going out now might get the same response as before, but a delay could get different respondents. Mayor Della Sala voiced concerns about waiting to issue an RFP. He urged moving forward now. Councilmember Selfridge said that she favors not setting a salary, but basing it on qualifications. On her question, Mr. McCarthy explained that it would take sixty days to bring back responses to an RFQ. Councilmember Downey agreed that she would be more supportive of Avery than Murray. She reviewed the reason agendizing the performance evaluation. Ms. Selfridge said that she would like to be able to consider Peckham. Councilmember Haffa said that he is open to a new RFP, but would like to have it done sooner than sixty days. Mayor Della Sala said it is unnecessary and disruptive to go out again. Mayor Della Sala said he will not support the motion and would prefer a dual track of moving forward with a recruitment for a permanent City Manager and an internal process for potentially hiring an interim, if one is needed at a later date. The motion carried by the following vote: AYES: 3 COUNCILMEMBERS: Downey, Haffa, Selfridge NOES: 2 COUNCILMEMBERS: Sollecito, Della Sala ABSENT: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSTAIN: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: None RECUSED: 0 COUNCILMEMBERS: None By consensus, the Council clarified that staff is authorized to terminate the current contract with CPS HR Consulting. 2  City Council Minutes Thursday, July 18, 2013 2. Discuss the Need, Timing, and Process to Hire an Interim City Manager, and Give Direction to Staff (Human Resources - 501-05) Action: Discussed Mayor Della Sala opened public comment. Dan Albert asked how this item got on the agenda, and Mayor Della Sala explained that Councilmembers Downey, Haffa, and Selfridge called a special meeting to discuss this item and the closed session item. Having no further requests to speak, Mayor Della Sala closed public comment Councilmember Selfridge said that because the July 16 meeting had been cancelled, she felt it was very important to call a special meeting to find out the next step. Mayor Della Sala opened the floor for comments on the closed session item. Clyde Roberson asked why there is a need for this closed session if Council has already discussed the pertinent issues. Mayor Della Sala closed public comment and adjourned to closed session at 4:49 p.m. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION Information Resources Director/City Clerk Gawf announced that in a closed session, the City Council discussed the City Manager Performance Evaluation, and no action was taken. ADJOURNMENT Having no further business to come before the Council, Mayor Della Sala adjourned the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Bonnie Gawf Chuck Della Sala Information Resources Director/City Clerk Mayor 3