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02 City Council Min (6/28/04)MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL June 28, 2004 The City Council of the City of Paris met in special session, Monday, June 28, 2004, at Paris Junior College, Bobby R. Walters Applied Technology Building, Room 1206, 2400 Clarksville Street, Paris, Texas. Mayor Curtis Fendley called the meeting to order with the following Council Members present: Jim Bell, Jay Guest, Mary Ann Fisher, Don Wilson, Karen Wilkerson and Rick Poston. Also present were Interim City Manager Terry Townsend, City Attorney Larry Schenk and Assistant City Clerk Sherian Dixon. Mayor Fendley said there would be a presentation by Chris Hartung of Waters Consulting Group, Inc. regarding the draft of a profile for City Manager candidates. Mayor Fendley mentioned that on the handout from Mr. Hartung, the term expiration of Rick Poston was incorrect and should be May 2006. Mr. Hartung explained that the profile he handed out was a product of the interviews he had with City Council members, staff and community representatives, whom he met with last Monday. He asked the Council for any additions, corrects, questions or comments. Mayor Fendley questioned where interested candidates were told to apply by submitting their resume and work-related reference ASAP, if there was not a time frame or time limit on that. Mr. Hartung said sometimes they will put a date, such as a first review of applicants, but usually posting is noted as until filled. He did indicate that he was planning a first review of applicants around July 31 st or August 1 st Councilman Wilson voiced some concern about the wording under personal characteristics which describes Paris as a small rural community. He felt this type of wording would limit the City in the candidates that would apply for the position. He felt that only people from small rural communities would apply for the job. Mr. Hartung explained the usage of the terminology by citing that in some of the interviews he had, there was some concern about some one coming in here from a large, fast-growth, environment. Councilman Wilson agreed that he was one of those interviewed that had felt someone from that kind of inetropolitan wouldn't necessarily be familiar with the type ofproblems here in Paris. Councilman Poston agreed with Mr. Wilson about the terminology. He explained that in the Ark-La-Tex area, that this was probably the single, most industrialized county in the area and the term rural would suggest that there wasn't much industry in the area. Mr. Hartung suggested replacing rural with the term non-metropolitan. Councilman Wilson agreed the term non-metropolitan would mean that it is an independent community which could be any size. It was the consensus of the Council to replace small rural with the term non-metropolitan. Mr. Hartung said when all the revisions were completed, he would send the Council a revised copy. Councilman Wilson suggested putting something in the profile about the last City Manager being employed for seventeen (17) years. He indicated that if someone was looking for a job with stability, that would say a lot for this City. Mr. Hartung related that one of the things that would be included on the International City-County Management Association website is the number of City Managers since 1980. Mayor Fendley called for any other comments or changes. Councilman Bell noted that the personal characteristics listed in the profile seemed sort of generic and he felt like they would fit any city. Mr. Hartung said he got those characteristics from the interviews he conducted with staff and the community. He did explained that some of the characteristics would be generic in nature and would even describe key executive positions, but he did try to list those things he heard in the interviews. Mayor Fendley suggested that the profile would get the kind of persons they were seeking to interview and they could get more specific during the interview process. Councilman Guest asked what were the top two (2) or three (3) concerns voiced during the interviews with the staff and the community. Mr. Hartung answered that probably what he heard most often was relationship skills and, probably tied to that, communication skills. He continued that understanding public finance and rates was another thing that was brought to his attention. Councilman Guest asked if tax rates was one of the voiced concerns since Paris has one of the top tax rates. Mr. Hartung said tax and utility rates were both mentioned. Councilman Poston brought the Council's attention to the last page of the profile where it talks about building positive relationships with organizations and the community. He wondered if possibly the Chamber of Commerce and the PEDC should be added onto the list of organizations the City is actively involved with. Mr. Hartung said the term business community would include that. Councilman Wilson wanted to know if there was a way, when the candidates are brought forward, that they could be assigned a number, so the Council will not see a name or a hometown. He explained it would be hard to get a good candidate who already has a good j ob to come and be interviewed in an open meeting. He felt because of the Open Meetings Act, some of these candidates might not apply. City Attorney Schenk explained that the issue of identification is a State Law problem. He continued that the question of how they interview the candidates is a charter problem. Mr. Hartung proposed that, once the Council approves the profile and authorizes him to proceed with work of the scope of services already approved, that the next time the Council would see him would be when he would be prepared to discuss finalists with the Council. Councilman Wilson wanted to know how many finalists that would be. Mr. Hartung said it was, typically four (4) to six (6). Councilman Guest asked how long the process would take. Mr. Hartung estimated that it would be sixty (60) to ninety (90) days from now until the Council will interview the finalists. He indicated Waters would solicit applicants for a month and would then start the screening process. Mr. Hartung reminded the Council that this was now a vacation period and he felt they needed to allow enough time for the word about the opening to filter out, since some people might be on vacation. Mr. Hartung said he would make the requested changes on the profile and send the revised copy to the Council. Mayor Fendley called for a motion on directing the Waters Consulting Group to prepare a final profile for City Manager, subject to the suggested amendments. Councilman Guest made a motion to approve, which was seconded by Councilman Bell. The motion carried 7 ayes, 0 nays. Mayor Fendley called for discussion of potential future agenda items. He reminded the Council of the upcoming Budget. Interim City Manager Townsend said the revenue side from the tax office would be ready by the end of July. Mr. Townsend suggested that since some of the revenue wouldn't be ready until the end of July, the expense side of the budget could be discussed. Mayor Fendley further explained that on the revenue side, there could be some rough estimates but that there were some tax hearing going on that would effect the final numbers. Councilman Wilson agreed that it would be wise to go ahead and discuss the expense side so that could give them enough time to ask any questions necessary and get answers back from the staff. Councilman Poston said he would like to be made aware of what the current turnover rate for employment was for the City of Paris, by department. Mayor Fendley said the format in which the budget has been formerly discussed and examined is quite cumbersome interviewing each department head. He felt that Interim City Manager Townsend could give the a copy of the proposed budget and the Council Members could take it home and look at it and if anyone had any questions, they could ask the department heads when they came to present their budget. He preferred this to going over line item by line item. Councilman Bell said the Council should set some guidelines that line items over a certain percentage of change from last year should be addressed. Mayor Fendley asked how long it would be before the expense side of the budget could be gotten out. Interim City Manager Townsend said he could probably have it in a week or so. Mayor Fendley asked if they wanted to set up the budget meetings for the month of July. Councilman Bell said if Mr. Townsend gets them a copy of the proposed expenses, they can go over it and begin to discuss that. He said that he would like Mr. Townsend to highlight the big changes, department by department, that occur in the budget, so they could look over that. Interim City Manager Townsend said he would get a hard copy of the expenses to the Council this week. It was the consensus of the Council to go ahead and get the expense of the budget and begin to discuss it at the July 8th City Council meeting. Mayor Fendley suggested setting more dates in July to discuss it. It was agreed to also schedule budget meetings on the 13th and the 27th of July. Mayor Fendley called for consideration and discussion of future events for the City Council or City Staff pursuant to Resolution No. 2004-081, which is a policy regulating reimbursable expenses incurred on behalf of City Council Members and Senior Staff Members for attendance at events within Lamar County. There was nothing. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned. CURTIS FENDLEY, MAYOR ATTEST: SHERIAN DIXON, ASST. CITY CLERK