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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-11-26 spec ItU9 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION BOZEMAN, MONT ANA NOVEMBER 26, 1983 ***************************** I The Commission of the City of Bozeman met in special session in the Commission Room, Municipal Building, November 26, 1983, at 9:00 a.m. Present were Mayor Stiff, Commissioner Weaver, Commissioner Vant Hull, Commissioner Anderson, Commissioner Mathre and Clerk of the Commission Sullivan. The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer by Commissioner Math re . Signing of the Notice of the Special Meeting The Mayor requested that each of the Commissioners sign the Notice of Special Commis- sion Meeting. Each Commissioner in turn signed the Notice. It was moved by Commissioner Vant Hull, seconded by Commissioner Anderson, that the Commission waive the Commissioners' salaries for this meeting as established in Ordinance No. 1137. The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being Commissioner Vant Hull, Commissioner Anderson, Commissioner Mathre, Commissioner Weaver and Mayor Stiff; those voting No, none. Interview of City Manager candidate - James E. Wysocki This was the time and place set for interviewing one of the candidates for the position of City Manager of the City of Bozeman. Commissioner Anderson introduced Mr. James E. Wysocki to the Commission. Mr. Wysocki reviewed his past. He also indicated an interest in staying in this part of I the United States because of the mountains and the people. Commissioner Anderson asked Mr. Wysocki about the "meet and confer" program with employees which he has initiated. Mr. Wysocki stated that Grand Junction has an employees' organization. He stated the "meet and confer" program has helped the employee morale and has created a better working relationship. Commissioner Vant Hull asked if there has been room for merit pay in the employee pay increases. Mr. Wysocki stated the classification plan adopted in Grand Junction provides for up to six steps in pay increases. He stated the program provides for review of employee performance every six months on an informal basis and once a year on a formal basis. He also stated there is an employee incentive program with cash awards for ideas submitted by employees which will save money or time. Commissioner Vant Hull asked if the evaluations lead to suspension of employees if they are not performing their work adequately. Mr. Wysocki stated if the evaluations are conducted honestly, they may lead to elimina- tion of one or two employees. He also indicated an employee may be transferred into positions which he/she cannot handle; and it is not bad to transfer that employee back into a position he/she can adequately fulfill. Commissioner Vant Hull asked Mr. Wysocki how closely involved he has been in the evalua- tions with so many employees in Grand Junction. I Mr. Wysocki stated he is ultimately responsible for all evaluations. He then indicated he had forwarded a copy of the personnel manual for Commission review. He noted the personnel manual includes the health insurance premiums and is revised annually. Mr. Wysocki then indicated the City of Grand Junction has implemented an employee appraisal process. He stated the process establ ishes the key job activities for each position, which are reviewed with the supervisor. He then stated every City Manager should be evaluated every six months or more often if needed. Also, he feels the Commissioners should review goals at least annually to see if they are still correct. He indicated it might be healthy to have Special Meeting 11-26-83 lf1 U informal reviews of the goals and the City Manager's performance on a quarterly basis. Mayor Stiff asked what the job description for a City Manager should be and how all encompassing that description should be. Mr. Wysocki stated the job description should be generalized. He stated the City Manager must respond to the needs of the community through the Commissioners, using the expertise of the staff as needed. He noted the description should contain what the Commission I expects of the City Manager and should remain general as it relates to administrative duties to be performed. Commissioner Mathre asked Mr. Wysocki why he applied for the position of City Manager of the City of Bozeman. Mr. Wysocki stated he has been in Grand Junction, Colorado, for fifteen years. He noted it is important for a City Manager to work in another City and deal with a different set of circumstances so that he can progress in his career. He stated he has found that in some ways, his long tenure in Grand Junction is working against him. Mr. Wysocki then stated he does not support some of the changes that are being pursued in Grand Junction, and he feels this is a good time for someone else to serve as City Manager there. He also stated he must consider his family in a potential move, and he feels now would be better than two or three years from now. He also indicated he is interested in what is happening in this area. Commissioner Vant Hull asked about the snow clearing capabilities in Grand Junction. Mr. Wysocki stated the City has budgeted $4,000.00 for snow cleaning activities and often does not spend the entire amount. He also noted the City of Grand Junction does not own a snow plow. Mayor Stiff stated the Commission is concerned about communication between the Executive and Legislative branches. He also expressed concern about the City's lack of an operating financial statement. Mr. Wysocki stated he is not one to generate a lot of paper t but would rather talk on an individual basis. He indicated he has found that, when dealing with a Commission, it is bene- I ficial to meet informalfy with individual Commissioners and discuss various issues in which the Commissioner is interested. He also indicated he will use the Commission as a resource to learn the background about an issue. Mr. Wysocki also stated some Commissioners may not be as interested in a given issue as others. He suggested that a Commissioner with little interest in a subject and a Commissioner with a strong interest be placed on a committee to work with staff members to review that subject and possibly submit a recommendation. Commissioner Vant Hull asked Mr. Wysocki how he avoids a serious lack of communication. Mr. Wysocki stated those items which are sensitive in the community must be expressed to the Commissioners so they have a basic knowledge of the issue. He indicated he feels the City Manager and Commission should establish a policy for the communication of those items. Commissioner Anderson asked about the success of the public information booklets which Mr. Wysocki has submitted for Commission review. Mr. Wysocki stated the booklets were initially developed in the planning area as the result of frustration. He stated Grand Junction has a publ ic information officer, who takes all telephone calls for information. He stated that individual is then responsible for directing the caller to the proper person or seeking an answer to the question. Commissioner Vant Hull noted the City of Bozeman does not have such a position or the budgeting capabilities for that type of position. She asked who would be responsible for such a program in this community. Mr. Wysocki stated the dissemination of public information could be the responsibility of someone currently working for the City. He also noted a retired person with extensive knowledge I would be willing to work part time, or someone could be utilized through the public administra- tion intern program at Montana State University. Mr. Wysocki stated the need for maintaining a position or series of positions must be constantly reviewed; and if the position is no longer needed, it should be combined with another position or eliminated. He then indicated he prefers to fill temporary positions rather than create new positions which may not be needed when a specific job is completed. Commissioner Vant Hull noted the City-County Planning Board has autonomy. She asked Mr. Wysocki if he would have any trouble working with this type of situation. Special Meeting 11-26-83 41l Mr. Wysocki stated he would need more information on the involvement of the City and County in development and maintenance in the planning process. He then reviewed other areas in which City-County cooperation has been achieved in Grand Junction. Commissioner Vant Hull asked if he has any ideas about getting more cooperation and funding from the County. I Mr. Wysocki stated he needs to know more about the community before he can answer that question. He indicated if he found City-County cooperation would be desirable, he would work to attain the cooperation. Commissioner Weaver noted the City's budget for the General Fund for this fiscal year is $3.28 million, compared to a much higher budget in Grand Junction. He asked Mr. Wysocki if he would have any difficulties in scaling down his expectations as City Manager to meet the constraints of the budget. Mr. Wysocki stated there are several differences in the personnel and activities con- ducted in the various departments in the two Cities. He indicated he does not feel the dif- ference in the budgets would create any problems. B rea k - 1 0 : 1 0 to 1 0 : 20 a. m . Mayor Stiff declared a break at 10:10 a.m., to reconvene at 10:20 a.m., in accordance with Commission policy established at their regular meeting of March 14, 1983. Interview of City Manager candidate (continued) - James E. Wysocki Commissioner Vant Hull asked if the City of Grand Junction has faced any budget crunches, noting the City of Bozeman faced one in Fiscal Year 1979. She also noted the value of a mill has dropped the past two years. Mr. Wysocki stated the City of Grand Junction anticipated $6.4 million in sales tax revenue during the past fiscal year but received approximately $5.6 million. He indicated the I City removed nineteen employee positions to compensate for the decreased revenue. He stated the City is now attempting to hold vacancies as long as possible and then reviewing the position to determine if it should be filled, eliminated or combined with an existing position. Commissioner Weaver asked how much support the property tax provides. He also asked what other tax revenues are utilized. Mr. Wysocki stated the City of Grand Junction levied 12 mills during this fiscal year; and the value of a mill is approximately $138,000.00. He then indicated the City has a franchise fee for the power company. He also noted the City of Grand Junction has tap fees for the Waste Water Treatment Plant and the water system and reviewed those charges. He indicated the City has two separate water systems within the city limits with two different charges. Commissioner Anderson asked Mr. Wysocki what he feels he could contribute to Bozeman's city government. Mr. Wysocki stated he has had experience in many different facets of government. He indicated he has an understanding of people and able to determine what they can offer the City. He also noted he has experience in the general operations of the various City departments. He stated he can deal with the day-to-day operations of the City, and he under- stands the elements City employees must deal with in completing their tasks. He stated he can transmit the employee concerns and ideas to the Commissioners so they have a better under- standing of the employees' situations. Mr. Wysocki also indicated he has an ability to organize and stated he could develop efficiency in the City's operation. I Commissioner Weaver asked Mr. Wysocki if he has any comments on development. Mr. Wysocki stated he does not think growth for growth's sake is good; and more of the same isn't necessarily good. He indicated planning and looking at the future are important in development. He also stated he does not feel those people who have lived in Bozeman many years and paid for the development of the City's infrastructure should be required to pay additional monies to expand the systems so more development can occur. Commissioner Vant Hull noted the City provides many services, but receives no revenues from approximately one-half of the users. Special Meeting 11-26-83 412 Mr. Wysocki stated 60 percent of the users of the recreation program in Grand Junction I ive outside the city I jmits. He stated consideration has been given to in-city and out-of-city rates, but it is controversial, would be difficult to administer and may not be legal. He also noted the softball players pay a $5.00 fee to the softball association, which is used for the softball program. Mr. Wysocki then stated the City should possibly be responsible for some of the costs for activities provided for senior citizens and youth. I Commissioner Vant Hull asked how the library is operated in Grand Junction. Mr. Wysocki stated a mill levy is assessed on a county-wide basis; and the library is operated by the County, with a separate board involved. Mayor Stiff noted Mr. Wysocki has indicated one of his attributes is organizational ability. He then asked him if he has any problems with delegating to employees. Mr. Wysocki indicated he does not have problems delegating to employees. He noted the staff knows what is happening in specific areas, and he will not interfere with the performance of their jobs unless community pressure so requires. Mr. Wysocki stated he does want to know what the employees are doing. Commissioner Anderson asked Mr. Wysocki what he expects of the Commissioners and the staff . Mr. Wysocki stated if he is hired, he will request that each department head submit a list of concerns within his area, along with any solutions which have been tried, and a list of strengths. He then indicated he would request a similar list from the individual Commissioners. Commissioner Vant Hull asked Mr. Wysocki if he feels the "hands on" approach is good in city management. Mr. Wysocki stated he believes in allowing the key people in the City to become involved and exchange ideas. He then indicated he has been actively involved in the City Managers' association in Colorado and in the League of Cities and Towns. Commissioner Mathre stated people in this area are concerned about growth and indicated certain types of growth are more beneficial than others. She asked Mr. Wysocki what kind of I growth he feels would be beneficial to Bozeman. Mr. Wysocki stated the reason for seeking growth must first be determined. He noted if people are seeking growth for the sake of growth, the City has a problem. He stated with the fragile environment around Bozeman, not just any development should be encouraged. He noted in Grand Junction, they are careful not to attract growth that will add to the air pollution, especially because of the air inversions. He then cautioned the Commission to learn from what other Cities have done and to be selective in the growth it approves. B rea k ~ 11: 1 0 to 11: 20 a. m . Mayor Stiff declared a break at 11:10 a.m., to reconvene at 11:20 a.m., in accordance with Commission policy established at their regular meeting of March 14, 1983. Interview of City Manager candidate (continued) - James E. Wysocki Mr. Wysocki asked about the Master Plan and the City's jurisdictional area; City's water supply and water filtration capabilities; the Fire Division and its use of volunteer firefighters and automatic sprinkler systems; and the method used for determining pay increases for laborers. Mayor Stiff asked Mr. Wysocki if he has any conditions for acceptance of an appointment as City Manager if he is offered the position. Mr. Wysocki stated he does not know the parameters for compensation. He also questioned whether such a discussion is appropriate at this time. Mr. Wysocki then noted the Commission is conducting four personal interviews. He suggested that the Commission view each person as I a consultant and draw as much information from him as possible because the City has paid for it. He stated when the Commission selects one applicant for the position, it can then draw all of the ideas together for consideration. The Commission thanked Mr. Wysocki for coming to Bozeman for the interview. Adjournment - 11 :55 a.m. There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, it was moved by Commissioner Mathre, seconded by Commissioner Weaver, that the meeting be adjourned. Special Meeting 11-26-83 It 13 The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being Commissioner Mathre, Commissioner Weaver, Commissioner Vant Hull, Commissioner Anderson and Mayor Stiff; those vot i ng No, none. I ALFRED M. ST I FF, Mayor ATTEST: Clerk of the Commission I I Special Meeting 11-26-83