Minutes - Council - 06/23/1975 - Special

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Si)cci. al McetJn.~; of Ramsey City Council June 23, ]!)75 Hro Steff'en then asked, how do we solve the leadership problem, tie ~ndicated theft the role that we had expected .Wt. Thurston to take has not come about and that there seems to be a disagreement among the counc:il members on how many staffing positions we presently need. Hr~ Steffen indicated that it would be inappropriate to hire admin:i.~tra-i:ive person to work in the field. Hr. Gorham stated that everyone on the Council agrees that we lack leadership in the staffing positions and the four members of the Council agree that we need an admJni.~trative assistant. Mrs. Oliphant said she could agree with the hiring of an administrative assistant but that she was concem~ed with the 'cimingo She ]:eels that in six months we would need an admins'i:rative assi.~stant, but not at the present. She feels that with juggl_~ng of personnell we could get through the next six months and at least temporarily solve the problem. She feels that to temporarily solve the problem each staff person should be told specifically what his or her job i.s. She indicated that no one seems to know among the staff what their exact duties consist of. She felt that this type of in:[:ormation might Jack-'ease each staff persons efficiency. Mr o Steffen then asked the Council about the personalities and per£ormance question of each present staff member. Mr. Steffen then gave his evaluation of the present staff to the Council° lqith regard to Hrs o Guy he discussed her loyalty~ her role as a mediator and her dislike for the bookkeeping duties required by the City. Hro ,~teft:en then discussed Jim Thurston, indicating that he was a good assc.~;sor~ 'i:haL he was learning in the building inspection department and that he admittedly was a poor administrator. lfJth regard to Mrs. Nelson, Hr. Steffen indicated that he knew little about her~ that she has been given little leadership by the pYesent s'i:a:[::l', bu-i- that slm apparently has been assigned 'to do a litt[ie bit of eve:cyth~ng within the City Hall :functions. In summnry~ it was Mr. Steffen's opinion that Mrs. Guy be pha~ed down to a ]e:{~{ important position within the City, because of her :i. nterest and desire 'i:o retire in the near future~ that Mro Thurston be phased out a.~ a city employee and that Mrs. Nelson should be given more time to eva]ua're her abilities. Hro (;orham sta'l:ed that if Mr. Thurston was not going to stay, that he should leave now. Mr o Steffen indicated that perhaps he should be given ~ome time~ maybe one month, but that whatever is done a~. assistant should be determined. Mr. Gotham stated that we should hire a building inspector/assessor who would also be responsible for his own bookwork. Hr. {~ox s%~ted that we have a problem t~at no one likes~ That everyone a~{~eed-theft Mr. Thurston was personable~ but that he lacked leadership abi'l:i'i:y. , ~,h.'. Cox felt that rather than phase out Mr. Thursto~-,., it would be best to have him leave immediately and give him severance pay. Hr~ (lox felt that this would be in the best interests of all par%ies~ M~-. Re-i. ma~n agreed that Mr. Thurston should go immediate]y~ m~inly because of his attitude, that his assessing ability was good 'but that hJ.~ buildJ~,~ inspecting was poor. Hr. Reimann also felt that he should be g']ven severance pay. Mr. Hickelson stated that if we keep him for a month in order to g~ve lead time, we would then have to 'cake a chance that he would handle the job for that one month period. Hr. Gotham: