04/07/2008 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• A conflict that may have started between two individuals seems to have expanded to proportions that adversely now affect the city council -city staff relationship. • Maybe some on council are turning people baiting into a sport just to get a reaction. 4. What can we do about it? The following observations were made: • Council has an obligation to call inappropriate behavior on the carpet and deal with it constructively. Staff should not have to deal with perceived hostile behavior on the part of any council member. • Council feels staff has an obligation to work with council as a body and provide to the council its experience and expertise so that council can make the best decisions possible. • It is hoped that all, within council and staff need to understand that decisions made by council, especially those that move in a direction different from recommendations that may have been provided by staff, is not a criticism of staff's capabilities or council's respect for the expertise, experience, and integrity of staff members. • Council members need to understand that they can disagree but do not have to be disagreeable and hurtful; bad behavior is not an effective nor acceptable means to resolve disagreements. • All parties need to realize how good both council and staff are and both groups need to empower each other to reach their fullest individual and collective potential. • Council and staff need to establish forums or processes where they can get relationship issues raised and resolved. • Neither council nor the staff can change the past but both can seek to change the future in terms of working with each other. There is an understanding that there will be a "wait and see" attitude but it's important that both groups work together and hold each other to their commitment to a highly productive council -staff partnership.