HomeMy WebLinkAbout#23 Council role in recommending for hireMAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
DATE: 1/19/16
REGULAR
ITEM #: 23
MOTION
AGENDA ITEM: Council Role In Recommending Employees For Hire To Council
SUBMITTED BY: Clark Schroeder
THROUGH: Clark Schroeder
REVIEWED BY: Clark Schroeder
SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction of Item .................................................................................................... Staff - Report/Presentation .................................................................................................... Staff - Questions from Council to Staff ............................................................ Mayor Facilitates
- Public Input, if Appropriate ................................................................... Mayor Facilitates - Call for Motion .............................................................................. Mayor & City Council
- Discussion ..................................................................................... Mayor & City Council
- Action on Motion .................................................................................. Mayor Facilitates
PUBLIC POLICY STATEMENT: Council has the option to set policy regarding Council role
in recommending employees to City Council for hire
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
Staff Recommend that with the exception of the City Administrator position, city staff interview
and recommend for employment new hires to city council
BACKGROUND AND STAFF REPORT:
Lake Elmo’s City Administrator ordinance states the following.
§ 31.29 PERSONNEL.
(A) Acts as personnel officer, and is responsible for implementation of city personnel policies with the authority to effectively recommend employment, discipline, or removal of city employees for Council action;
It is the opinion of the writer, this ordinance authorizes the City Administrator and his/her staff
to recommend for employment all new hires. The involvement of Council Members in advising
staff after they have sat in on interviews creates undue pressure on the Administrator to
recommend to the City Council what the City Council Members have already recommended.
The city should operate in a fashion so that Council Members all have the same information at
the same time when asked to make policy decisions. Having individual Council Members
interview with applicants creates an imbalance of information and knowledge between council
members. If council members wish to interview and make recommendations for hire to the City
Council, all City Council Members should be invited in the interest of equality.
RECOMMENDATION:
Move to: “With the exception of the City Administrator position, interviewing and
recommending candidates for employment to the City Council should be made by city staff.”
ATTACHMENT(S): None