HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_06May17Special Council Meeting
May 17, 2006
Members present: Mayor Gehrz, Council members Kuettel, Talbot, Harris and Lindstrom, Interim City Administrator/Parks and Public Works Director Hoag, Assistant City Administrator/Deputy
Clerk Kreuser, and Little Canada City Administrator Hanson.
Mayor Gehrz called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
City Administrator Position Discussion
Joel Hanson gave a brief overview of the interview process and short summary of each candidate. He explained Justin Miller was moving up in the profession, with tons of potential, and
he is ready to take the next step. Ed Treska is a seasoned manager, is loved in Grand Rapids, and has stability. He added the challenge was to choose the best match for Falcon Heights.
Council member Kuettel asked about the ranking system used to narrow the field. Hanson replied points were assigned by the position profile, taking education, experience, and city experience
into account. He explained, after Council member Lindstrom’s question, the process of narrowing the applicants down to 12, and then 7 for staff, residents, and council to interview.
The Mayor and Administrator Worthington screened the 12 down to seven. He added the two finalists were the consensus between the two groups, with a third candidate trailing far behind.
Council member Harris asked if any veterans applied. Hanson replied there was one or two, but the finalists were not veterans.
Mayor Gehrz thanked Hanson for working on the search and credited him for digging for references, rather than simply using the ones supplied by the candidates.
The Mayor then passed out secret ballots that were silently voted by the council and then collected by Hanson. Justin Miller had four votes, Ed Treska, one.
Mayor Gehrz asked for discussion on why each person is the best choice. She explained why her choice was Miller, based on the salary of each candidate, with Treska taking a sizeable
pay cut to work in Falcon Heights. She stated she would be uncomfortable offering the position to him, at the salary Falcon Heights could offer. With Miller, she stated the pay range
worked with his current salary, and he would be coming in with a stable, competent staff, a stable council, and he would fit in well.
Council member Lindstrom stated he totaled the number of people active in the interview process, and the number came to 29 (staff, council, commissioners). He added he had several reasons
for choosing Miller; many were along the same lines as the Mayor. Council member Lindstrom stated he liked Miller’s answer to a specific interview question in that Miller wanted to
help the community meet common goals; Miller nailed the environmental challenges cities face; Miller had the most knowledge about Falcon Heights; Miller had strong recommendations; Miller
is a strong generalist; and lastly, Lindstrom liked Miller’s straight-forward answers and his ability to be concise.
Council member Talbot thought the PDI assessment was very revealing about the two candidates, and it showed the candidates strengths and weaknesses. He added the pay cut Treska would
take bothered him.
Council member Kuettel stated that with a small city there would always be turnover.
Council member Talbot added that the City is flexible, and with Treska being the older candidate, Falcon Heights may be the last stop for him.
Council member Harris explained Miller was her first choice, and that she loved that he knew so much about Falcon Heights. With Treska, she did not hear the same excitement about the
City as she did with Miller. She thought Treska may have been applying to Falcon Heights simply because the job was open, and wondered if he could do better at a larger city in the
metro.
Council member Kuettel discussed Treska’s accomplishments, and stated he was the “all-star,” but she would be very happy with either candidate and would be happy to make the vote unanimous.
Council member Kuettel moved to authorize Mayor Gehrz to enter negotiations with Justin Miller for the position of City Administrator. The motion passed unanimously.
Mayor Gehrz thanked Hanson for his hard work, and expressed her thanks to the Little Canada City Council and Mayor.
Mayor Gehrz asked for the council’s help with the contract provisions. She proposed a starting offer of $68,000 to Miller with a six-month review and bump, in accordance with the City’s
compensation policy. Council member Harris thought that was a good starting point. The Mayor asked the council to consider the standard 12 days of sick leave, and 10 days of vacation
credited to Miller’s bank. She explained the rest of his benefits, including health, dental, dues/subscriptions, and mileage. She added the main issue was severance, with the model
contract allowing six months severance. Council member Kuettel thought the contract should offer two months severance. A short discussion on the severance package commenced. The Mayor
explained the contract would be renegotiated every year, along with an annual performance review. The council decided the conditions surrounding the severance pay are equal to two months
salary after termination if due to malfeasance or failure to perform satisfactorily the duties of the position as deemed appropriate by the Mayor and City Council upon written notice
and opportunity of 60 days to rectify.
Mayor Gehrz closed by meeting by stating she would call both candidates that night. The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Stacey Kreuser
Assistant City Administrator/Deputy Clerk