1 / 16

Council-Manager Relations: Current Issues

Council-Manager Relations: Current Issues. FLC Annual Conference August 16, 2013 WORLD CENTER MARRIOTT - Orlando. Current Issues. Hiring Managers – best practices Dismissing Managers – best practices Severance – 2011 Legislation and Implementation. Historic Notes.

glenys
Download Presentation

Council-Manager Relations: Current Issues

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Council-Manager Relations: Current Issues FLC Annual Conference August 16, 2013 WORLD CENTER MARRIOTT - Orlando

  2. Current Issues Hiring Managers – best practices Dismissing Managers – best practices Severance – 2011 Legislation and Implementation

  3. Historic Notes The Council-Manager form of government, also called Commission-Manager form is the most prevalent in FL: approx. 275 of 410 cities have it The manager is appointed by the mayor & council; serves at their pleasure and is responsible for: day-to-day administration, policy recommendations, hire/fire staff, implementation, and prepares and presents annual budget Description and duty vary by charter & ordinances

  4. Hiring and Dismissing Managers: Best Practices Public processes can make it seem daunting Have a plan in place before you begin Workshop your plans: councils/commissions need to discuss their preferences in a non-action setting

  5. Hiring the Manager Know the type of manager desired; specify Options: in-house process; FCCMA Range Riders; executive search firm In-house: use HR staff to collect resumes; staff ranks candidates and sets up interviews FCCMA Range Riders: work with HR staff to set up process, can help review resumes; not a search firm ESF: get bids for prices and process. Firm recruits; narrows pool; arranges interviews; thorough process

  6. More on Hiring Background checks: city must conduct this or hire firm to do so Interviews are critical; tours of facilities and program/project discussions Pros/Cons of citizen committees Look for the right ‘fit’ – for council and community Know your ‘must haves’ – what you won’t give up What happens if finalist declines?

  7. Notes on Manager Salary/Benefits Manager positions can be tough to compare – need more than population (Consider: utilities or not? Complexity of city services; number of advisory boards; number of unions; unique aspects of job) Create peer list of cities/counties and update numbers through statewide survey (must be participants to access). Link at: http://www.floridaleagueofcities.com/Resources.aspx?CNID=520 Use ICMA survey, too (see Resource page)

  8. Dismissal of Manager What process does your city define? Charter? Ordinances? Employment policies? City attorney: discuss legal impacts Have city been conducting evaluations? Notice to manager – what is required and/or recommended Resignation versus Dismissal Public ‘airing’ – cannot be avoided but can be done appropriately; script out the comments you wish to make

  9. Hiring/Dismissal Discussion Questions or comments?

  10. Severance Some managers have contract; some have letter of agreement and some have no formal document adopted by elected body Managers negotiate their contracts or LOA; council/commission approves it. Some are annual, some are perpetual until elected body wishes to change it, or manager resigns or is terminated and new document is done for new manager Severance can also be in contract for other employees or contracted entities - varies

  11. Why Severance? Business models: compensation for someone who works at pleasure of board; helps with transitions, moves, interruptions of daily life and length of time for job hunt. Average manager tenure in FL: about 6.5 years; average national tenure: 7 years ICMA recommends at least six months to one year for manager depending upon population & job complexity – state laws/limits vary

  12. More on Severance In 2011, FL laws were changed to limit amount of severance for any state or local entity; limit became 20 weeks – F.S. 215.425 Existing contracts and LOA were considered grandfathered in and not affected; if contract was modified/amended, however, then new limits apply Effective date: 7/1/11 Common misunderstanding: severance lumped with sick/leave pay-out for “big” number - confusion

  13. Current Issues on Severance Examples of high payouts – headlines over departure with $500,000 Determining if limit applies: attorney must determine date of contract or LOA approval and whether any amendments impact the document’s effective date Severance in the future: being able to attract best candidates when this is limited; finding other options (example: pay into deferred compensation account rather than offer severance)

  14. Discussion on Severance Questions or comments?

  15. Resources International City/County Management Association: www.icma.org Bookstore has handbooks and guides on working with managers, salary survey; phone: 202/289-ICMA Florida City & County Management Association: www.fccma.org – Range Rider program is jointly sponsored by ICMA & FCCMA phone: 850/701-3637

  16. Speakers on Panel Councilor Thomas Barnhorn, City of Seminole: Moderator; member of FLC Board of Directors Mayor Ed Braddy, City of Gainesville: elected to council in 2000; elected mayor 2013 Mayor Robert Apgar, City of DeLand: elected in 1983; elected mayor 2001; member FLC Board of Directors Russ Blackburn: Gainesville City Manager since 2005; President, FCCMA Michael Pleus: DeLand City Manager since 2008; Secretary-Treasurer, FCCMA

More Related