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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-19-01 Minutes SS MINUTES OF THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION SPECIAL SESSION HELD APRIL 19, 2001 CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL AND DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM Mayor pro tern Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. in the Commission Chambers Conference Room. The roll was called and a quorum declared present. PRESENT: Mayor pro tern Anderson, Commissioners Howell, Johnson, and Parker. Also present were Acting City Manager Gleason, City Attorney Rosenthal, and City Clerk Grafton. Also present in the audience were Former Commissioner Betty Hager, her son, James Fleming, Former Mayor Lester Dabbs, Martha Lopez-Anderson, Police Lt. Steve Goclon, an unidentified gentleman, and later in the meeting several members of the CACOPD arrived. ABSENT: Mayor Vandergrift (unable to attend) DISCUSSION/ACTION RE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR CITY MANAGER GLEASON City Attorney Rosenthal said this Special Session was pursuant to Commission direction on Tuesday, April 17 in order to discuss and take action with respect to an employment agreement with Jim Gleason as City Manager. He said the action taken Tuesday night was to call this meeting for this purpose, but a motion to appoint Mr. Gleason as City Manager had not yet been made. He recommended that, after that motion was made, the employment agreement with former City Manager Shapiro could be used as a guideline for this agreement, with particular changes discussed at this meeting regarding the term, clarification of automatic renewals, salary, annual salary reviews/adjustments, life insurance, deferred compensation, severance pay, etc., incorporated into an agreement to be adopted at the May 1 regular meeting of this Commission. He added the formal appointment of City Manager could be made at this time, and the Human Resources Director could be directed to send notices to applicants advising the decision has been made. Commissioner Parker. seconded by Commissioner Johnson, moved to appoint Jim Gleason as City Manager of the City of Ocoee for a term of one year. as of today. Motion carried 4-Q Commissioner HowelL seconded by Commissioner Parker. moved to request Human Resources Director Psaledakis to advise all of the applicants for the City Manager position that it has been filled. Motion carried 4-0. RECESS 7:12 -7:21 P.M. (TO MAKE COPIES OF THE AGREEMENT) As there were several citizens who wished to speak, Mayor pro tern Anderson gave them an opportunity to speak at this time. Ocoee City Commission Special Session April 19, 2001 James Fleming, 511 Orange Avenue, listed the following issues: 1) The 10% clause bothered him about the previous City Manager agreement. 2) He had looked through some of the resumes and found several that he felt were more qualified than Mr. Gleason, but they did not live in Ocoee. 3) He wanted to be sure the City contributed to a pension program for the City Manager. 4) He believed there should be a training wage for the City Manager. Former Mayor Dabbs, 619 Caborca Court, said he was disappointed that the process had been short circuited and the public did not get a chance to speak. He asked about a reported lunch attended by elected officials and Mr. Gleason. In response, several Commissioners simultaneously said they had gone to supper to celebrate Commissioner Howell's winning the election, that it was a purely social evening, and that Mr. Gleason was not present. Mr. Dabbs said at least two commissioners had told him they were not going to hire Mr. Gleason and also he objected to the new City Manager salary being the same as Mr. Shapiro's. Former Commissioner Hager, 511 Orange Avenue, said there was no reason for her to speak, as the decision had already been made, but she recalled the problems experienced by all during Mr. Gleason's term as commissioner. She also recalled that both Commissioner Johnson and Commissioner Anderson had told her they were not going to hire Mr. Gleason. Martha Lopez-Anderson, 2438 Alclobe Circle, said it appeared the decision was made Tuesday to hire the City Manager. Lt. Goclon, Ocoee Police Department, said Mr. Gleason's lack of experience should not be a hindrance as he had good department heads who were experienced. He added that, due to Mr. Shapiro's management style, the years he was City Manager were difficult for staff, and Mr. Gleason has treated employees decently as Acting City Manager. At this point in the meeting a page by page review of the agreement began. Page 2 2. Term: change 180 days to 90 days 3 A. Compensation and Benefits: There was discussion here regarding a chart which had been distributed showing city manager salaries along with populations of various cities. Without obiection Commission agreed to leave the salary the same as the budgeted amount ($84.635.20 annually) until the end of the fiscal year and the salary will be discussed through the budget process and may be increased effective October 1. 2001. as part of the budget process. Mr. Gleason had distributed a list of contract discussion points which he said was to show the amount needed for the City Manager to be paid more than the next highest paid employee. He added he was aware of the budget issues and would not press for a higher salary at this time. 2 Ocoee City Commission Special Session April 19, 2001 The visitors left the room and the discussion conti~ued. Page 3 & 4 4.A, B, C, D, and E. Without obiection Commission agreed on standard retirement. perks, insurance. professional dues, etc. Page 4 F. Deferred Compensation: 10% of base salary up to $8,500 paid directly to agency of the employee's choosing. Without obiection Commission agreed to include the City Manager when a cost of living increase is provided other employees. Without obiection Commission agreed to provide the City Manager a car every other year (not a police interceptor car) and move the old car to staff use. Page 7 & 8. 7.A, B. Resi~nation and Termination: (Without cause) 3 months and benefits through the 3rd month (health, life, disability) Commissioner Parker asked if this Commission was under any legal obligation to go through any application process. City Attorney Rosenthal responded, "No." Commissioner Parker asked if this Commission was under any legal obligation to go through any public going over of the applications once they were received. City Attorney Rosenthal responded, "No." Several members of the CACOPD arrived. Commissioner Johnson stated for the record: "I've sat at - and he was making enuendos about us having lunch the other day - but, let me tell you something, I have sat at plenty of lunch tables with ex-Mayor Dabbs - publicly I'll tell you - ain't got nothing to do with what we were doing with city business - but we sat with City Manager Ellis Shapiro setting right there with us. So there ain't no difference if anyone of them is along. But I'm telling you. That's a fact of life. I'm telling you, it burns my gut to be told just because you make a vote, you know, you're, in the sunshine law, you've done something wrong or you're - You know I sit with these people, in tables with them eating, and sitting at places, and all of a sudden it's wrong when we go and do it with somebody else. So don't tell me that. And another thing I want on record, and I wanted Goclon to come back in here, but he's probably gone. But I'll tell you for public record and I hope - I wish you'd give him a copy of this. How long did he say he'd been working here? (Response from voices at the table: 12 years) Well, he can...he's made a misnomer or mis-statement. I'm going to tell you right now, we, whether you wouldn't want to think so or not, but this is my opinion and I can verify it through plenty of people, and Jim 3 Ocoee City Commission Special Session April 19, 2001 will probably would say it. Ellis Shapiro is what we had to have when we were in the ages coming through. He put us on the right roag how to finance, how to bond issue. We wouldn't have the police department we've got over there this day. He can think what he wants to about the way it was run, about the other chief that left. But I'm telling you, sitting in this city with what happened to us with Ted Ryan, with Mr. Burgess, or .. Ellis Shapiro has sat in plenty of meetings that I've sat in and I've watched him handle lawyers, developers, and everybody else, no matter what we liked or disliked about him or what he did, he knew and he knew how to run a government. And they, and I've been to Cape Coral and he's full of crap. That's another police officer saying that. "scuse me, I mean it ain't nothing.. I personally know my brother was there in that city. He was assistant city manager. The fire department and chief of police and the firemen used to ride with them everywhere, made them honorary members. So you get a focus of what you want to think. This police department right here, Ellis Shapiro always helped them. And this city would not be where it's sitting with the roads - with the access through the County with what all we've done without Ellis Shapiro. Now you can not like him. I mean, anything you want to. But let me tell you what, we wouldn't have been where we are and he wouldn't be making the salary he's making as a police officer he's making today if it wasn't for Ellis Shapiro. And I, I, I'm, I don't care, Ellis is gone. Ellis is done. But I don't want to hear that, 'cause I can show you out in this town, this building, our taxes, our salaries - look at these employees' salaries we've got here, the benefits. That they've never, ever been shied from. But he led us into the 90's and into this part. I'm not trying to be a preacher, folks, but I know, and the only reasons - and I got - it just makes me sick that I've sat here for fourteen years with people that don't judge my theory or my thinking. That I have a lot of respect for, that don't think I can think. And I'm telling you there's something wrong if they can't believe that we can make a judgment. I'm elected by the citizens of this town to make a judgment, and I'm going to make it. When he sit with me, Lester sit with me on the board, he made a judgment. So what's the difference? When Ellis Shapiro did what he was supposed to do in this town, you can think what you want to and the employees can, but there's also employees here that will tell you that he did what he was supposed to do, that he got us to where we are. Maybe he didn't have the nicest demeanor, you know, and all. But he did what he was supposed to do to help us, and we're sitting here tonight with all of us here, and this city that I think is the best thing that ever - and our police department is not behind. We've got - way update every equipment, and we've got first standards of what we're supposed to have. So, I'm personally, I should have said a while ago it offends me and I really respect that young man because he is a good officer. But that's his statement, That's not what I feel and I think Ellis was done an injustice when you say stuff like that. And I think we will move ahead and I think Jim's going to do a great job and I also want to make a statement and I called my wife tonight before I came up here after I heard this comment. She was standing right there with me and that's her cousin. I asked her, I said, 'Did I say that?' She said, 'No, you did not say that.' That's all I'm saying, don't read into things that I say that I haven't said. I mean, you're not going to make that statement to me because I'm going to say something back. We're going to give you the chance to do the job. 4 Ocoee City Commission Special Session April 19, 2001 We couldn't lay them 120-something applications out into the public. We'd never get it solved. And let me tell you what, you can bring them all in from New York City and New Jersey and everywhere else. That don't mean they're going to be able to do the job. So we're where we're at and we are the ones who are going to take the hits if we don't do it right. So that's my - I just wish everybody would get to thinking in modern times. You look at these salaries on these cities. Winter Garden starts at 85; they are one-third the size of us. Jim, I want you to know, you've got us on the hot seat here too, but I know you're going to do it and I think you can do it and not a one of us has had the conflicts that you and I have had and as I told you, it's forgive and forget. And move on with what we've got to do. And now I'm off the record. " After Commissioner Parker and Commissioner Howell made a few remarks, City Attorney Rosenthal said he would finalize the agreement and it would be on the May 1 agenda. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 8: 18 p.m. Attest: APPROVED: City of Ocoee ('\ 5