Minutes - Council Work Session - 02/06/2007

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5b. Ms. Sims stated typically the organization will give them one primary person to deal with on an ongoing basis. Once the brochure is created it would be approved by the Council. and she would inform them how the mailing went. The Council would be provided \vith information on the resumes and questionnaire results. She provides status reports. which v,'ould likely be every two to three weeks. 6. Ms. Sims stated the career navigator tool as a way of evaluating strengths is a good selling point. Waters Consulting Group takes a lot of time to analyze the candidates before entering them into the search process, and thcn puts them through the works before presenting them to the Council. Municipalities that work with Waters Consulting Group like the thoroughness of the information they provide. One of the best compliments she has received was "\Vhcn Andrea \\-'fites up a profile, this is the person." The thoroughness and the guarantee are what makes Waters Consulting Group the bettcr firm. Thcre are not many firms that \vill provide a two year guarantee where they \vill redo the search only for the cost of expenses if the selected individual is asked to leave or resigns prior to two years. 7. Ms. Sims stated two weeks ago she wcnt through two final processes. One \vas \vith a county in Charlotte, N0I1h Carolina for a finance director. They bad problems getting the list dO\vn to five and had seven candidates come in for an interview. They found the person they wantcd and shc feels the candidates \vere assessed well. The same week threc candidates were presented to the Las Vegas Housing Authority. Instead of going to five candidates. \vhich is what is recommended, the Authority wanted to go to three candidates. Waters Consulting Group tries to provide diversity in the final process, and this is limited with three candidates. The Authority selected the up-and-coming candidate who took the job, and then had buyer's remorse. What could have been done differently is that she could have been harder on the candidate during the interview process to be sure he was ready to make the step, and she could have done a better job of convincing the Authority to let them bring in four or five candidates instead of three. rt.)llow up question: What types of things would you havc done to be harder on the candidate? Ms. Sims explained there \-vere some questions she had written in the profile on the individual's ability to deal with tough management situations. She felt he was a little forgiving on management situations, and she \vould have Ileshed out in a more harsh fashion with what would happen in some scenarios in order to get a belter feel for how he might have dealt with stressful situations. This would have involved her taking a harder line with a couple other people too. The candidate got caught up in wanting to win and looking the best. Partially it was a maturity issue. She thought she wrote up his weaknesses fairly, but if she had pushed harder she could have been harsher on his weaknesses. The other thing that was difficult in that situation is that all three of the candidates \vere interviewed and given the offer in a public mecting. 8. Ms. Sims stated she has bcen with Waters Consulting Group for six years. City managers she has placed have been with organizations three to four years. 9. Ms. Sims noted the RFP states the City is considering the mayor/council form of government. She asked how this would play into the recruitment process. Mayor Gamec stated right now Ramsey is under a city administrator form of government. A motion was passed that in 20 II the City will go to a city manager type of government. If things do not change. the individual would come on as a city administrator, and depending on the years of service could become a city manager. According to the City Charter, this would be automatic unless there was to be a vote against it. Councilmember Strommen stated the Council's desire is not to repeat a full City Council \Vork Session I February 6, 2007 Page 12 of 14