Agenda - Council - 04/10/2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-228- knowledge of how the employee works on a daily basis with other staff members, residents, Council or Commission members, and also an understanding of the employee's stated job responsibilities. It is difficult to provide concrete examples to support performance measures if an individual only interacts with an employee on an occasional basis. The performance appraisal may be slanted by how an employee handles himself/herself in meetings and can miss the positive or negative qualities the employee possesses behind the scenes in doing daily work. #4) According to the City Charter, the City Council shall by resolution hire or remove heads of department. The Administrator shall be the chief administration officer and supervise the activities of all City department heads and personnel of the city in the administration of Ci_ty policy and authori.ty to effectively recommend their employment and/or removal. Through the Charter, a balance is created by which the Administrator is best suited for the supervision of daily activities of Department Heads and the City Council reacts to the facts and recommendations presented in a performance review prepared by the Administrator. The City Administrator works more closely with Department Heads and has more concrete knowledge of their performance as seen through their daily work. When it comes time to hire, the Council bases its decision on facts presented through interviews and background checks. If the Council needs to remove a Department Head, they again need concrete facts supported by performance appraisals and other documentation to warrant such a removal. The Council needs to rely on the City Administrator who, through his daily contact and documentation of performance, is best suited to provide such documentation through performance appraisalsl Based on the information above, a reasonable conclusion may be for Councilmembers to advise the City Administrator whenever they have concerns or other feedback regarding a Department Head's performance. It is important to remember that such concerns must be supported by facts and concrete examples, otherwise the information may be deemed irrelevant by a court of law if challenged. To advise Council when a Department Head is ending probation could be accomplished by a brief comment in the weekly update and at that point, Councilmembers with feedback could contact the City Administrator prior to the Department Head's perforn~ance review being written. Such feedback, if applicable, could then be included in the body of the document rather than being added after the fact. Staff Recommendation: Based on discussion. Committee Action: Based on discussion. Reviewed by: City Administrator Assistant City Administrator PC: 4/10/01