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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-28 Workshop City Manager Candidate Selection City Commission Meeting Minutes MINUTES OF WORKSHOP DANIA BEACH CITY COMMISSION CITY MANAGER CANDIDATE SELECTION MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019 - 9:45 A.M. 1. Call to Order/Roll Call Mayor Lewellen called the meeting to order at 9:45 a.m. Present: Mayor: Lori Lewellen Vice-Mayor: Lauren Odman Commissioners: Chickie Brandimarte Bill Harris Tamara James City Attorney: Thomas J. Ansbro City Clerk: Thomas Schneider 2. City Manager Candidate Selection Renee Narloch, of the search firm S. Renee Narloch & Associates, participating in the meeting via conference call, reviewed where we are in the process. She noted applicant Horace McHugh, CAO of Plantation, one of the recommended candidates for the City Manager position, has withdrawn as he accepted another position. This leaves the four recommended candidates and anyone else the Commission may want to interview. We have an interview date for the candidates scheduled for February 13, 2019 at 9:45 a.m., which will likely be a full-day process. She needs direction from the Commission on which candidates they would like to bring forward to interview. Commissioner Brandimarte said her choice to be interviewed is Caryn Gardner-Young, former City Manager of Parkland and current Assistant City Manager of Delray Beach. Commissioner Harris chose Ana Garcia, former City Manager of the City of North Miami Beach. Commissioner James had no one to add to be interviewed. Vice-Mayor Odman chose Caryn Gardner-Young and Ana Garcia. Mayor Lewellen chose Susan Grant, former Deputy City Manager of Coral Springs. She asked about the situation with Alex Rey, Town Manager of Miami Lakes, insofar as his start date should he be chosen. Ms.Narloch responded we would have to come to an agreement and look at possibilities of when he could actually start. She explained he has a 30-day commitment in July and actually retires on March 3 1" through the FRS DROP program. He could be hired as soon as August; if he is chosen, we would have to look at how to get him on board sooner. If the Commission feels strongly about him, there is no harm in bringing him to the table to interview. Mayor Lewellen noted she is concerned as she does not want to eliminate him for something like this as she thinks he is very qualified, yet she does not want to delay this process further. We need to select someone sooner rather than later. Ms. Narloch said based on the number of candidates suggested, he could be scheduled on February 13n'without creating a problem. Mayor Lewellen stated she would like to add him to hear what he has to say, and to see about his flexibility. She felt it is better to have more options than less. Ms. Narloch suggested in the interview process, he be asked a follow-up question relative to how he would see this playing out over the next several weeks as far as options to come on board here. Commissioner Brandimarte asked if Susan Grant was fired and whether she brought notoriety to her city because an all-male commission did not give her a position. Ms. Narloch responded she was let go from Aventura after six months. Regarding the article mentioned by Commissioner Brandimarte, there was a blogger or local newspaper that wrote an article relative to Susan Grant and another female Deputy City Manager in Coral Springs, neither of which got a nod for the position. That particular article took the opinion that female candidates were being overlooked intentionally. Commissioner Brandimarte asked if Susan Grant was aware of or agreed to the article that brought the notoriety to Coral Springs when she was fired. Ms. Narloch Renee said no, she was not participating in any sort of thing to make the City look bad. Commissioner James commented she does not have any objections to interviewing all four candidates; however, the last person added would not be in her top two or top three. It seems like it would be cumbersome to work situations out with what he has going on. Commissioner Harris agreed; the timeframe is way off and we should not put this off any longer. Mayor Lewellen said she would like to see what other options are out there. We do not know specifically what the situation is, if there is something he could be more flexible with, which was her main reason for including him because he is qualified. Ms. Narloch noted she checked for late applicants prior to this meeting; there were a couple, but none of them rise to the level of those we are looking at now. One was Mr. Jason Nunemaker, who worked for Dania Beach in the early 2000s as an Assistant City Manager and Interim City 2 Minutes of Meeting Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—City Manager Candidate Selection Monday,January 28,2019—9:45 a.m. Manager. She has not done a preliminary on him and based on information she has, she would not change her recommendations. The Commission consensus was to interview Caryn Gardner-Young, Ana Garcia and Susan Grant. Ms. Narloch repeated her understanding that there are three candidates moving forward to interviews; Ana Garcia, Caryn Gardner-Young, and Susan Grant. She asked if the Commission would like to participate in one-on-one interviews with the candidates. Commissioner Harris said yes to the one-on-ones. Mayor Lewellen noted she wants to do one-on-ones. Vice-Mayor Odman said she would like to do one-on-ones. Ms. Narloch asked if we could schedule the one-on-ones as the Commissioners' schedules permit. They would conclude prior to the group interview on February 13th. Commissioner James suggested scheduling all three candidates on the same day since only three Commissioners want to do one-on-ones. Vice-Mayor Odman suggested giving Ms. Narloch two or three dates to choose from. Mayor Lewellen said she is available on February 5th, 6th and 7th. Vice-Mayor Odman said she is available on February 5th and Oh. Commissioner Harris said his schedule is wide open. Mayor Lewellen suggested starting with February 5th and 6th. Ms.Narloch confirmed February 5th or 6th works, at any time, starting no earlier than 9:45 a.m. Mayor Lewellen added she prefers afternoons, but can work something out if it needs to be in the mornings. Ms.Narloch noted she would confirm as soon as possible, and she understands they want a block of time and want to do it at City Hall. She added on February 13th, we will start at 9:45 a.m. and she needs a 10 minute debrief to go over the rules, then we will interview two candidates before lunch and one candidate after lunch. We will debrief at the end of the day to talk about candidates and come up with a consensus on our next steps moving forward. Commissioner James asked if we come to a consensus on a candidate on February 13th whether we could vote then or if we would have to come back to do a vote. 3 Minutes of Meeting Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—City Manager Candidate Selection Monday,January 28,2019—9:45 a.m. City Attorney Ansbro responded the vote would need to be at a public hearing, with notice in the newspaper at least five days before the hearing. It could be done at the following regular Commission meeting provided there is time to advertise the hearing. Commissioner Harris asked if a copy of a draft contract could be provided. City Attorney Ansbro said he could provide what was used for the last manager. Ms. Narloch noted she would ask the candidates to provide her with what they would like to see in a contract, should they be the selected candidate, in order to expedite things. In the last round of interviews,there was an add-on question regarding salary. Commissioner James asked if the Commission could get a copy of the questions for the interviews beforehand, in case they want to add questions. This way, we can go back and forth with Ms. Narloch to come up with the final set of questions. Ms. Narloch said yes and agreed this could be done via e-mail with the Commissioners. Vice-Mayor Odman confirmed arrangements for the conference rooms for the one-on-ones would be determined once the date is set. Commissioner James asked Ms. Narloch to provide questions that they cannot ask legally in the one-on-ones. Mayor Lewellen asked if City Attorney Ansbro could sit in on the one-on-ones to ensure there is nothing improper being asked. Ms. Narloch responded yes. When she sends the questions for the group interviews, she will include what the Commission should stay away from; this will pertain to the one-on-ones also. It is basically staying away from personal information. Commissioner Brandimarte asked if we will know what the questions were that were asked in the one-on-ones. Ms. Narloch said not in the one-on-ones because they are a much less structured environment; they are more for conversation and interaction. They are as much for the candidates as they are for the Commissioners because the candidates want to get a good feel for each of them individually. Commissioner Brandimarte asked if the one-on-ones become a public record. Ms. Narloch said the communication itself does not become a public record, but any notes taken or anything written, such as questions, would become one. 4 Minutes of Meeting Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—City Manager Candidate Selection Monday,January 28,2019—9:45 a.m. 3. Adj ournment Mayor Lewellen adjourned the meeting at 10:16 a.m. ATTEST: Q Cy CITY OF D NIA BE A H IUIVV� THOMAS SCHNEIDER, CMC p,ypp�` L R E ELLEN s CITY CLERK HE MAYOR Approved: February 12, 2019 5 Minutes of Meeting Dania Beach City Commission Workshop—City Manager Candidate Selection Monday,January 28,2019—9:45 a.m.