CC Minutes - 07/18/05 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Manager Taylor said when he used the term ~we" he did so because he tried to work in the context of shared team responsibility. While he took responsibility for outcomes, he attempted to work in a team context, particularly around the council's goals. Mayor Piercy called for a round-robin of council comments. Mr. Poling said he was pleased with the manager's overall performance. He believed the manager was taking steps to address the criticisms that had been offered regarding his performance. He believed the manager needed to continue to improve communications between council and staff and the council and the citizens. Mr. Poling was glad to see the manager stay on top of the council's priorities, and hoped the council could implement as many of its action plans in the next year as possible. Ms. Taylor agreed the manager's job was difficult. Councilors had different points of view. She noted suggestions in the executive session that more public relations staff were needed, while she believed that such individuals produced propaganda. She said the community needed correct information. Ms. Taylor thought the manager's strengths lay in public relations, his work with the general public, and in his resilience. However, she thought that the manager often made excuses, which was perfectly normal behavior. She hoped the manager did meet with individual councilors to discuss their evaluations. Ms. Taylor said one of her biggest problems with the manager was his resistance to ideas he believed might compromise his authority as City Manager. That was a problem for her. She cited the idea of a perform- ance auditor as an example. She also perceived that he attempted to influence council policy rather than merely carry out policy. Ms. Taylor expressed concern that the council had not heard about the renewal of the City's legal contract until she had received a constituent inquiry. She wanted to see the manager report to the council on what he had been doing and what he was thinking about doing. She believed the manager should solicit the council's input into changes he was contemplating. Mr. Kelly thought City Manager Taylor strong in some areas and believed there were significant problems in other areas. Ms. Solomon arrived. On the positive side, Mr. Kelly said the manager was energetic and a very hard worker. He liked him personally. He thought the manager did a good job of community outreach to different groups and interests. He appreciated his positive oversight of financial matters, noting the very smooth recent budget process, for which he believed the manager deserved recognition. Mr. Kelly said that the manager and staff had also done some very good and hard work in difficult circumstances related to the council's priority for a hospital in the central core. Speaking to comments about the need for public relations made earlier, Mr. Kelly said that it would be nice to have a single public relations officer, but it did not have to be a single employee. He believed that every manager knew he or she was working in a fish bowl, and half the success of any project was the public's perception of it. For example, Mr. Kelly thought every lead staff or manager should have it in their mindset to respond to erroneous statements made in the press, for example, and immediately pick up the telephone and call the reporter as part of project management. That did not require public relations staff. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 18, 2005 Page 5 Work Session