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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995 07 17 City Commission Workshop Minutes WORKSHOP CITY COMMISSION JULY 17, 1995 The Workshop Meeting of the City Commission was called to order by Mayor John F. Bush at 7:05 P.M. ROLL CALL: Mayor John F. Bush, present Deputy Mayor John Langellotti, present City Manager John Govoruhk, present City Attorney Frank Kruppenbacher, present COMMISSIONERS: Larry Conniff, present John Ferring, present Cindy Gennell, present David McLeod, present Discussion on the 1995-1996 Fiscal Year Budget: Manager Govoruhk stated that the Mayor and Commission has received the memo from July 14, 1995. Harry Martin, the Finance Director, has put together the changes and recommendations that have been made at the previous workshop. The memo also has the roll back rate and the recommended millage, which is one and the same. Commissioner Ferring commended the City Manager and Finance Director for the work they did on the budget. Commissioner Ferring said he is happy to see that the recommended proposed millage rate/roll back rate for 3.7023 is commendable and reflects further austerity on the budget and the cutting of a lot of the "flutr' we had prior to this document. The residents in the City should be happy that we are getting a reduction in taxes once again. Mayor Bush stated that in his tenure as Mayor and working with the City Manager, in the two years that we have done the budget, Mr. Govoruhk has taken the Commission's wishes and translated into dollars which has resulted in the reduction of taxes. As far as he (the Mayor) can determine, with the input that he gets from residents, the residents are fairly satisfied with the operation of the City Government. I think that Mr. Govoruhk deserves a lot of the credit for that; we have demonstrated here, with Mr. Govoruhk's help and his Staff that you can operate Government on less money and do it just as efficiently and effectively. Mayor Bush thanked Manager Govoruhk for what he has done for the City. Mayor Bush mentioned that the Recreation Budget increased 25% this year, last year estimated expenditures were $821,584.00 and the proposed budget for 95-96 is 1,230,902.00; a 200 thousand plus increase in Parks and Recreation. Mayor Bush also mentioned that with the City Manager's Budget, the severance pay was built into the budget. Mayor Bush said there are probably other employees that are under the same program and said he wonders if that should be a budget item that appears every year in the budget rather than just when we think someone might be retiring. It is an obligation that the City has taken on and it is not appearing anywhere as a budget item. Discussion. Workshop City Commission July 17, 1995 Page 2 Commissioner Ferring stated that particular budget line only pertains to relatively few individual employees, you have to be at a certain age criteria for it to be effective. I think this is an area that we are going to be looking at and addressing in the future under the Personnel Policy Plans. Attorney Kruppenbacher stated this issue is going to be resolved with the next Personnel Policy changes being brought to the Commission, so it is clarified, then you will be able to deal with budgeting. Harry Martin, Finance Director, stated that every year we adjust our compensated absences liability, that is a balance sheet item only; we do kind of plan for people getting some of that money. Manager Govoruhk stated that in the previous two years we've had about four people; looking at the next five years, I believe there is only about three people that will be coming up. The proposed changes to the Personnel Policy it will address that. In the future when we hear of anyone wanting to retire, that is when we do a budget revision to cover it. Commissioner Gennell asked how many people are accruing sick days and vacation time. Mr. Martin said every employee except part-time employees accrue sick days. Mr. Martin said regarding the vacation time, that is a liability that is there; when an employee terminates they get their vacation that is on the books plus what is accrued. Mr. Martin said there is about 17 employees right now that have over 800 hours, both vacation and sick leave on the books. It is a substantial liability which we do take into consideration on the balance sheet to record that liability; it is noted on the auditors report. Commissioner Conniff asked if there is a cap on vacation and sick time. Mr. Martin stated that our current personnel policy states 45 days if you have 15 years of service; 30 days if you have 10 years of service. Mr. Martin stated that we do have employees that have more than 45 days right now. Commissioner Conniff said when the employee retires, we only pay 45 days? Mr. Martin said basically, yes. Manager Govoruhk stated that the new Personnel Policy will recommend changes throughout the whole policy, it will address that, it will give three or four options for the Commission to choose how they want that to be. Mayor Bush asked Mr. Martin about the reserve, and asked if the 94-95 reserve is around a million dollars. Mr. Martin said the 94-95 current revised budget figure reflects $944,000.00. Mayor Bush asked what is the reserve in the proposed budget. Mr. Martin stated that would be reduced by $114,000.00 almost $115,000.00 dollars. Discussion. Mayor Bush asked what will be the carry over at the end of this year. Mr. Martin said the fund balance he estimates it to be between 1.2 and 1.3 million balance in the bank. Mayor Bush asked the Finance Director and the City Manager if they feel the City has adequate reserves. Mr. Govoruhk and Mr. Martin answered yes. Workshop City Commission July 17,1995 Page 3 Mayor Bush said the results of this budget would be that the millage would be 3.7023. Mr. Martin said yes. Discussion on setting the procedures and time frame for filling the City Manager position: Commissioner Langellotti said he would like to recommend that we contact the I.C.M.A. and go through the procedure that we went through three years ago~ they are either present or former City Managers and they did a capable job the last time and he would like to see that procedure go through and come back to us with 10 applicants and have the Commission look those over. Discussion. Commissioner McLeod said he doesn't have a problem with I.C.M.A. doing the search, but we need to put down some of the things that we are expecting out of the City Manager. Don't we also need to say that we are looking for this City Manager to have "X" kind of background, or "X" number of years experience etc., some kind of guidelines. Mayor Bush said we would have to give them the information then they will screen the applications and choose the top ten, in their judgement. Mayor Bush asked if the Commission wants to reserve the right to add people to the "pool". Discussion. Commissioner Gennell asked do we want to extend the offer country wide through the United States, in other words, do we have any intention whatsoever of hiring someone outside of the State. Discussion. Commissioner Ferring said judging from the last search that was conducted, he thought that the I.C.M.A. did an admirable job and they went out country wide, we received resumes from allover the country, I think that is in the plans. The I.C.M.A. drew up the profiles from what input they had gotten from the Mayor and Commission at that time. Discussion. Commissioner Conniff said he has no problem using I.C.M.A., and no problem going country wide for a search, the only thing is we have an awful lot of qualified people out there who don't subscribe to the I.C.M.A. or don't have an avenue of getting that publication. We would be loosing some talent by not accepting applications outside the realm ofI.C.M.A. Commissioner Langellotti said as he recalls we had received 211 applications (3 years ago) and we got it down to ten and he recalls a few Commissioners had looked throughout them with the Mayor at that time and there was a good group~ he thinks with the proper advertising and going through the Florida League and other types of advertising, let it go country wide. Mayor Bush said what Commissioner Langellotti is saying is that the I.C.M.A. will run the search, but we will place ads in the Florida League of Cities, place an ad in the local newspapers etc. Attorney Kruppenbacher said that the I.C.M.A. screens out the response to the ad the City puts out. Manager Govoruhk said the first thing you want to look at is the ad, the next thing is the Workshop City Commission July 17, 1995 Page 4 advertisement which would go to Washington, D.C., the I.C.M.A. newsletter placement and support service which would go nationwide. The F.C.C.M.I.A. in Tallahassee, Quality Cities and also in the local newspaper; so you will have four ads going coast to coast. Then you will tell the I.C.M.A. that you want "X" number of top applicants, they will go through them and screen them; they will come back with the top number of applicants that you asked for. Commissioner Gennell said she approves using the I.C.M.A. but maybe 10 is a little shy, maybe 12 or 15 is a nicer number, but, if 8 of our top ten people are from the Mid-West or Northeast are we going to be paying for their travel costs to come here and interview, is that in the budget? Discussion. Mayor Bush stated that for a position of this level he thinks it appropriate that the City pay transportation and per diem costs. He stated that he doesn't think it necessary to interview ten people, he said we have indicated we want to look at ten but once the Commission has evaluated 10, I think we can decide on a smaller number to actually bring in to interview. Commissioner McLeod asked if we have a copy or format that was used before, that was actually used by the other Commission. Manager Govoruhk said that is what the Commission has. Discussion. Manager Govoruhk said all the applications come into the personnel office, copies will be made for each person that is on the committee for the I.C.M.A. Commissioner Conniff said former Mayor Kulbes is present so we can ask him questions regarding how the search was done before. At the last meeting I addressed the fact that I would like to see Mayor Bush head some sort of committee to screen the applications and my fellow Commissioners didn't think that was a good idea. I do want someone who is bias towards the City that is looking at these. Commissioner Ferring asked former Mayor Kulbes, when we put out the last search for the last City Manager was he involved at any degree other than making the recommendation to go with the I.C.M.A.? Former Mayor Kulbes said after the Commission had a discussion such as the one you are having tonight, he wrote the qualifications that the Commission was looking for, those things were included in the advertisement that went out. Mr. Kulbes said there were some 211 resumes, that went to the Personnel Director and he read every one, and also conferred with the Range Rider and his group. I picked 10 people and they picked 10 people and the object was that the Commission would review the ten without the people being present and then cut it down to five. Of those five, they would then interview those individually and pay the expenses for those five people. We didn't make copies for the Commissioners because some resumes were 8 to 10 pages long; the Commissioners were invited to go to the Personnel Office, at their leisure, and check out the resumes. I took five resumes per night, I signed for them and had them back the next day, any Commissioner could do that. Mr. Kulbes said he thinks the I.C.M.A. can do a good job for the Commission, they did a good job last time. Mr. Kulbes said if you have one that you think is good, send it to the I.C.M.A. also, so that some Workshop City Commission July 17, 1995 Page 5 people who are not in the I.C.M.A. that are qualified. Discussion. Commissioner Gennell asked why wasn't the salary mentioned in the other ad, it just states salary negotiable. Discussion. Attorney Kruppenbacher stated that the salary range should be included in the ad. Mayor Bush said we need a job description, we should ask the City Manager to put together a job description to his best knowledge for the Commission's approval. We need to decide what the salary range is, and I think we should advertise the salary range. Discussion. Commissioner Ferring said the City Charter specifically states what the City Manager has to do. I asked the City Manager if we had enough funds in our contingency fund to cover the expenses of anybody we might bring in. I think that that is something we have well funded, we need not be concerned ifwe spend a few dollars to bring people in for interviews, so there should be no concern in that area. As far as the job description is concerned, I personally don't see anything wrong with this ad, it worked last time and I don't know why we have to change it other than putting a salary range in there. Discussion. Mr. Kulbes said to the Mayor and Commission that if they need any help or advise he would be happy to volunteer his services to the Commission. Attorney Kruppenbacher said the "EOE" at the bottom should be spelled out that the City is an equal opportunity employer and not use the initials. Mayor Bush said so far the Commission has decided to use the same job advertisement but put the salary range in it, and the correction that the Attorney mentioned and the population needs to be changed also. Commissioner Gennell also mentioned that the number of employees and the budget amount need to be changed. Mayor Bush stated that the City Manager will make sure that the ad is as accurate as it can be before it is published. Discussion on paying the expenses for the interviews. It was determined that the City would pay the expenses for the applicant only and not spouses, family etc. Commissioner Ferring said he is suggesting that in the old ad where is states salary negotiable, we put a salary range from $60,000 to $75,000 plus fringe benefits, update the rest of the ad as required and then lets get it under way. Once we get the ad out we can refine ourselves down the line. Commissioner Conniff said he would like to expand on that and say as of November 1, 1995 we will have a consultant, we are not going to go with the City Manager, so if we are going to have a time frame, we will have a time frame, the way he sees it we will have a City Manager on board by November 1, 1995. I say we close the applications offat September 15, 1995. Discussion. Workshop City Commission July 17, 1995 Page 6 Commissioner McLeod asked Commissioner Ferring if the dollar figure he gave of $60,000 to $75,000 is from the Cody Study. Commissioner Ferring said he doesn't have the Study in front of him but from what he recalls it is in that range. Commissioner McLeod suggested that we stay within the range of the Cody Study. Discussion on the salary for the City Manager. Discussion on dates for placing the ad, the application deadline, the application review date deadline and when the selection will be made. Manager Govoruhk said the publication deadline for the list that the Commission has is, we get the ad in by July 27, 1995, it will be published August 7, 1995, thereby giving everybody 30 days, having the deadline on Sept. 7, 1995. Meanwhile as the applications come in we will furnish the committee with them. Discussion. Commissioner Gennell said September 15, 1995, would be more reasonable for the cut-off date. Commissioner Ferring said the Cody Study's salary range for City Manager is $50,000 to $67,000. He stated that he thinks we need a little more for the salary and that is why he said more and that is why he went from $60,000 to $75,000. Commissioner Ferring said he wants to get a quality Manager, he does not want to see something where we are going to under sell yourself, and at the same time, you have to give quality people something to think about. Commissioner McLeod said we paid good money for the Cody Study, went out supposedly State wide, and the State wide average is between $50,000 and $67,000 for City Managers, that is what the Study indicated to us and we agreed on for Cities of this size. Discussion. Commissioner McLeod said his problem is that if we are saying that the Cody Study isn't good enough to hire a City Manager then why is it good enough to keep the rest of the employees of the City within bounds of that Study. Commissioner Conniff said he would like the ad to mention that Winter Springs is in the Orlando area. More discussion on the cut off date for the applications. It was determined that the cut-off date will be September 15, 1995. Mayor Bush said that Mr. Govoruhk will bring the ad up to date and the suggestion by Commissioner Conniff to say in the Orlando area is a good suggestion. Commissioner Gennell stated regarding the salary range, she has a great deal of difficulty going that much higher than what the Cody Study said. Discussion. Discussion on dates for the review process and hiring date. It was determined that the closing date will be September 15, 1995; the evaluation closing date will be October 15, 1995; and the decision on who will be hired will be November 15, 1995; and the official hiring date will be before the Commission at their regular meeting on November 27, 1995. Workshop City Commission July 17, 1995 Page 7 It was also determined that the salary range will be 5% more on the minimum salary ($52,500) and the maximum will be $75,000. Mayor Bush reviewed what the Commission has decided: 1. I.C.M.A. will take care of the screening of the applicants. 2. The advertising will be done in three different places: F.C.C.M.I.A., Quality Cities and the local newspaper. 3. The ad will be modified for the population, number of employees, salary range, affirmative action statement. 4. Closing date for applications will be September 15, 1995 5. Closing date for evaluation of the candidates for selection ofinterviews will be October 15, 1995 6. Decision will be made by November 15, 1995 7. The Commission will officially hire a new City Manager on November 27, 1995, at the Commission's regularly scheduled meeting. Mayor Bush mentioned that he and the City Manager had talked today and that he (the Mayor) met with Mr. Columbo, the individual that will be writing the Commission's Newsletter and he and the City Manager will meet with Mr. Columbo on Saturday. I gave you, in your boxes today, recommendations on some possible articles for Mr. Columbo to work on; if you have any others that you would like to add, make sure Mr. Govoruhk gets them. The Commission will see this before it is printed so you will have an idea of what his writing style etc. Mayor Bush mentioned that Mr. Columbo lives in the Highlands. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. R~~~ ~OPkinS' City Clerk