Regarding Agenda Item #15: City Manager Search

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Steve Adler
Posts: 533
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:12 pm

Regarding Agenda Item #15: City Manager Search

Post by Steve Adler »

Colleagues:

I’d like us to discuss this agenda item on Tuesday’s work session and, if there are differences of opinion, I’d appreciate consideration of postponing a Thursday vote since I’ll be at the leadership meeting of the US Conference of Mayors later this week.

I really appreciate the hard and quick work of the Task Force and our search firm and am supportive of the proposed “Candidate Profile.” I know we all appreciate all of the community members that participated in the process. There is one element that may well be found in the proposed draft but that I believe could use amplification. The relationship between the Manager and City Staff, and the Mayor and Council Members is an area that I think needs special attention. I would propose adding a new third paragraph in the section on Responsibility:

“Effectiveness in the position will require the City Manager to possess the ability, confidence, management skills, and willingness to foster and encourage an open and collaborative working relationship between the Manager and City staff with the Mayor and City Council Members based on trust, openness and the appropriately free flow of information and political and policy advice. With a clear understanding of the distinct responsibilities that fall to the Manager, the City staff, the Mayor, and the City Council Members, as well as the realization that there is a large area of matters that are both policy and management in nature or elements, the City Manager will need to build a staff culture that supports such a working relationship. It is important the City Manager appreciates the value of and utilizes the political and practical expertise that are brought to the table by the Mayor and Council Members, just as the Mayor and Council Members must appreciate and utilize the management and urban expertise the City Manager and City staff bring.”
Mayor
Alison Alter
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 3:52 pm

Re: Regarding Agenda Item #15: City Manager Search

Post by Alison Alter »

Tomorrow I plan to propose an amendment to the job responsibilities that uses different language to accomplish the intent of the Mayor's original suggestion posted above. Before posting here, I shared the language below with the Mayor and Mr. Newton. I understand that the Mayor has communicated with the task force chair. It is my understanding that all three are comfortable with this substitution.

"The City Manager will need to create an organizational culture that supports the appropriately free flow of information as well as the exchange of political and policy advice between City Staff of all ranks and elected officials. S/he should appreciate the value of and utilize the political and practical expertise brought to the table by the Mayor and Council. In addition, this individual should provide avenues for the Mayor and Council to leverage the management and municipal expertise the City Manager and City staff bring to policy questions. In order to be successful, the new City Manager should invest in an open, trusting, and collaborative relationship between the City Manager and City Staff and the Mayor and City Council."

This would be inserted under Responsibilities as a new 3rd paragraph.
Council Member, District 10
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