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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 03/18/98 Work Session MINUTES Eugene City Council McNutt Room--City Hall March 18, 1998 11:30 a.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Pat Farr, Tim Laue, Bobby Lee, Scott Meisner, Nancy Nathanson, Laurie Swanson Gribskov, Betty Taylor Betty Taylor, Ken Tollenaar. I. CALL TO ORDER The adjourned March 16, 1998, Eugene City Council meeting was called to order at 11:30 a.m.; His Honor Mayor James D. Torrey presiding. II. ACTION ITEMS A. Evaluation of City Manager Mr. Farr moved, seconded by Mr. Tollenaar for purpose of discussion, to retain the City Manager. Mr. Farr commented on the process used to evaluate City Manager Vicki Elmer, saying he believed the termination/retention decision should be separate from a formal performance evaluation, which he described as a procedure used to evaluate past performance and chart a course for the future. Ms. Taylor said there has been insufficient time for the City Manager to prove herself. Ms. Taylor also criticized the process, saying that this should have been an evaluation rather than a decision about termination, that it was far too so to consider terminations, that Ms. Elmer had barely had a chance to start her job. She pointed out that the executive evaluators included four acting managers and a chief who was no longer in that position. She predicted that, after a few years when Elmer had had time to choose her staff and work with them for a while, staff reaction would be different. She also said that firing Ms. Elmer at such an early date in her tenure would make the city look ridiculous and would make it difficult to hire a competent successor." Mr. Laue stated that the issue is what is best for the community and that is how he will decide whether to retain Ms. Elmer. He added that the input from the bargaining units was important. Minutes--Eugene City Council March 18, 1998 Page 1 11:30 a.m. Ms. Swanson Gribskov expressed disappointment at comments made by the City's executive staff, saying that Ms. Elmer was "set up to fail" and she deserves to continue her job with the City if she desires to do so. Mr. Lee spoke of the struggle in this community between the power structure and the disenfranchised, adding that it is something the council must address. He disagreed with the view that the council has not provided clear direction for the manager, reading from Ms. Elmer's six- months performance evaluation that cited four areas for improvement. Mr. Lee acknowledged that Ms. Elmer had made organizational changes but said it was not accompanied by leadership and communication, creating much anxiety among staff, the community, and the council. Doing otherwise, he said, would have "de-politicized" her decisions. Mr. Meisner reflected on the City Council's role, saying it was to serve the best interests of the community and to insure fairness and the best services possible. He agreed with Mr. Laue that the input from the bargaining units was important, noting that it was consistent with input given by the executive and other staff. Ms. Nathanson prefaced her remarks by saying that the decision being made is for the entire community. She described "change agents" as inspiring others involved to become change agents themselves and assume the responsibility for making improvements--something that has not happened here. She said that making tough decisions did not necessarily indicate strong leadership; had there been strong leadership, the decisions made would have been met with more understanding, if not acceptance. Mr. Tollenaar said some of the complaints against the City Manager were clearly valid and some were matters of perceptions, but even if they were just perceptions, the resulting organizational angst and the low morale were tangible. He also was impressed with the consistency between input by the bargaining units and staff, saying the management style problem was serious. Mr. Tollenaar said even good results "could not be maintained if the management style did not enlist the energies of the staff, the council, and if it produces low morale and loses credibility for the City Manager and the entire organization in the eyes of the community." He concluded that additional time could not help problems with management style. Mayor Torrey thanked the council for the serious manner in which each approached his and her comments. He thanked Ms. Elmer for her professional demeanor and cited her leadership style as a problem because it did not allow for strong support from her management team. Ms. Elmer said council confidence was imperative were she to continue leading the City organization, adding that she had done her best and if that was not "good enough," she respected the council's right to make the decision to terminate. Ms. Elmer said she was proud of what she has accomplished during her tenure in Eugene and was sorry for the pain the organization has gone through. She said she had great confidence that the council and organization would meet the challenges facing the community. Ms. Elmer said the pain of downsizing, coupled with Minutes--Eugene City Council March 18, 1998 Page 2 11:30 a.m. management changes, makes it not possible to start the change agenda until you are through with that. "! have done all that realistically could be accomplished considering the circumstances." Ms. Taylor, in reference to other councilors' comments, agreed that the job of city manager is not permanent, but said that one year is too short a time. She said that the turmoil, which some councilors wished to end, was caused by the council's turning the evaluation into a firing decision, and would end if a decision to retain was made. In reference to the contention that staff morale was low, she pointed out that employees had expressed a lack of confidence in Chief Cooke, (and) that this extreme dissatisfaction had changed to support scarcely a year later. She expected the same change with Elmer. Mr. Farr described the City organization as professional and financially sound, adding that the management style exhibited by Ms. Elmer does not work with the organization and he would oppose the motion to retain her as manager. Mr. Tollenaar moved, seconded by Ms. Nathanson, to amend the motion by substituting "terminate" for "retain." Addressing a question from Mr. Meisner, City Attorney Glenn Klein said if there were a majority on the council to terminate, the termination would be effective immediately. The motion to amend passed, 7:1; with Ms. Taylor opposed. The main motion passed, 6:2; with Ms. Swanson Gribskov and Ms. Taylor opposed. Mayor Torrey thanked Ms. Elmer her professionalism. Ms. Elmer expressed her disappointment at not being retained, adding she has enjoyed working for the organization and knows it will accomplish all it has planned to do. She thanked the council for its professionalism. Mayor Torrey announced a press conference by the City Manager in the council chamber immediately after the meeting. The meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Minutes--Eugene City Council March 18, 1998 Page 3 11:30 a.m. James R. Johnson City Manager Pro Tem (Recorded by Yolanda Paule) Minutes--Eugene City Council March 18, 1998 Page 4 11:30 a.m.