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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-14-97 WS MINUTES OF THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION FOR DISCUSSION/SELECTION FOR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER HELD JANUARY 14, 1997 Mayor Vandergrift called the Work Session to discuss the selection for the position of City Manager to order at 7:10 p.m. in the Commission Chambers conference room. The roll was called and a quorum declared present. He asked the Commissioners if they wished to allow the audience to speak, and they answered in the affirmative. PRESENT: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioners Anderson, Glass, Gleason and Johnson. Also present were City Attorney Rosenthal, Labor Attorney Allen, Personnel Director Psaledakis, City Clerk Grafton and 36 citizens. ABSENT: None. Discussion/Selection for the Position of City Manager Attorney Reynolds Allen suggested procedure for public comments. Mr. Robert Wallich, 312 East Geneva Street, opined that the selection of a new City Manager with an election the next month would be presumptuous since the face of the Commission could change. :Mr. John Linebarier, Center Street and Ocoee Hills Road, expressed his support of Mr. Shapiro as City Manager. Mrs. Bruni Massa, 611 East Lakeshore Drive, asked why Mr. Shapiro was being replaced. Mr. Allen advised the contract for Mr. Shapiro would expire January 31, 1997. Former Commissioner Betty Hager stated her support for Mr. Shapiro. Commissioner Johnson concurred with Mrs. Hager. Commissioner Glass stated he had always voted his conscience in the best interest of the citizens of Ocoee. Mayor Vandergrift explained the history of the City Manager search but was interrupted by several citizens regarding the failure to offer Mr. Shapiro another contract. Mr. Allen called for an orderly meeting with the citizens speaking in turn and remaining quiet for others. Mrs. Pat Bond, 295 North Lakeshore Drive, supported the reaffirming of Mr. Shapiro's contract and asked each commissioner to address why he did not want to renew Mr. Shapiro's contract. Mrs. Betty Ervine, Orlando Avenue, stated she was present for information only. Mrs. Betty Hager restated her support of Mr. Shapiro. Mr. Danny Howell, 895 Marlene Drive, stated the Commission should not be failing to renew Mr. Shapiro's contract because they cannot get along with him. OCOEE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION FOR DISCUSSION/SELECTION FOR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER JANUARY 14, 1997 Former Mayor Lester Dabbs, 619 Caborca Court, suggested that Mr. Shapiro at least be offered a consultant contract until the new Commission was seated or at most be offered a new contract. Former Mayor Tom Ison, 6 Delaware Street, expressed his support for Mr. Shapiro. Mr. Ben Griffin concurred with Mr. Dabbs and Mr. Ison. Recess 8:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Mayor Vandergrift called the meeting back to order and asked for comments from the Commissioners. Commissioner Johnson said he would like to extend Mr. Shapiro's contract for a year. Commissioner Anderson stated he thought Mr. Shapiro was doing a satisfactory job but he would follow the path laid down by the rest of the Commission. Commissioner Glass advised that his decision regarding finding a new City Manager was not based on personal feelings. He wanted to do what was best for the City and stated his reasoning. He said he would recommend bringing back, in order of choice, Mr. Jeff Broughton, Mr. Jack Howley, Mr. Shapiro, if he were interested, Mr. Dragisch, and Mr. Hutka. Commissioner Gleason said that contrary to the opinion of many, he and Mr. Shapiro were able to communicate and work together. He emphasized that the success of the community was a joint effort among the public, Commission and City Manager. He stated that his objections to retaining Mr. Shapiro were available to anyone in the Personnel Department. He said he would not agree to an extension of Mr. Shapiro's contract but would rather desire to put a staff member in the position of Interim City Manager. His choice for the top two candidates were Mr. Broughton and Mr. Howley, and he proposed bringing them and their spouses back for a second round of interviews. Mayor Vandergrift stated his reason for running for the office of Mayor and explained why he was in favor of seeking a new City Manager. He said he would review his notes on the candidates and he felt that three votes in favor of a candidate should equal consensus to proceed. Attorney Reynolds suggested that Commissioner Anderson present the candidates he was favoring since the other Commissioners had already done so. Commissioner Anderson concurred with Commissioner Glass. 2 OCOEE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION FOR DISCUSSION/SELECTION FOR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER JANUARY 14, 1997 Attorney Reynolds asked what the Commission was prepared to do when January 31, the expiration of Mr. Shapiro's contract, arrived. He asked if the Commission was willing to ask Mr. Shapiro if he were willing to work on some basis - either until a candidate was found or until the new Commission was seated. Discussion followed regarding the offering of the interim City Manager position to Mr. Shapiro. Commissioners Glass, Johnson and Anderson concurred on their approval of such a move. Attorney Allen asked how long the interim period would be and suggested 30 days notice or 30 days pay in lieu of notice if the agreement were terminated. Commissioner Gleason expressed the hope that a consensus could be reached that would preclude the need for an interim City Manager. Consensus was reached regarding the interim position and terms of cancellation as suggested by Attorney Allen. Recess 9:10 p.m. to 9:20 p.m. Meeting reconvened in Commission Chambers. Mayor Vandergrift stated he had not made a decision prior to the meeting but had listed qualifications. He named Mr. Broughton and Mr. Howley as his first two choices and listed the reasons. Commissioner Johnson declined to be part ofthe discussion. As four out of five of the Commissioners concurred on Mr. Broughton and Mr. Howley, Attorney Allen asked if they wanted to invite those two candidates for another interview. He stated three out of five of the Commissioners had put Mr. Shapiro on the list as a potential new City Manager and asked if they wanted to invite him to interview if he were interested. Commissioners Johnson and Anderson said yes. Commissioner Glass said he was inclined to interview the two candidates, but if the two declined to return, he would be in favor of asking Mr. Shapiro. Commissioner Gleason concurred with Commissioner Glass. Mayor Vandergrift said no and said he did not think it would be fair to consider an additional applicant. Attorney Allen understood that if the two men did not wish to be interviewed further, Mr. Shapiro would be interviewed. Commissioner Gleason said he did not have a problem with interviewing Mr. Shapiro but felt ifthe process were opened, it would need to be opened to other candidates. Commissioner Anderson stated if one of the applicants decided not to be interviewed, he felt Mr. Shapiro should have the opportunity to be interviewed. Commissioner 3 OCOEE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION FOR DISCUSSION/SELECTION FOR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER JANUARY 14, 1997 Johnson concurred but said he wanted the addresses of the finalists from Personnel to write them as a Commissioner and let them know 30 or 40 people present at that meeting did not want them. Mayor Vandergrift concurred with Commissioner Gleason. Attorney Allen suggested the Commission should let Mr. Shapiro know that if he were interested, he should so state by a date certain. Commissioner Gleason suggested Friday, January 17, as the date certain. Consensus was for a Friday, January 17, deadline. Attorney Allen was directed to write a letter to Mr. Shapiro so advising. Attorney Allen asked if the selection process would be reopened if one of the top two choices did not wish to be interviewed but Mr. Shapiro did. The consensus was no. Mayor Vandergrift asked for a date to have the candidates and their wives come for another interview for those candidates. Discussion followed. The workshop for the Commission to meet with the candidates was tentatively scheduled for 4:00 to 6:00 D.m. . Friday. January 24. A reception was scheduled for 7:00 D.m. that same day in the Community Center. Consensus was for 45-minute minimum interviews with each and for R.S.V.P. invitations to be issued for the reception. Discussion followed regarding specifics of the reception. Directions to Labor Attorney Attorney Allen suggested it was premature to talk about a contract. In response to his question regarding Mr. Shapiro's answer to whether he wished to be considered, he was advised that answer should be directed to Personnel Director Psaledakis. Attorney Allen recommended not offering another contract like the one Mr. Shapiro had unless the candidate was someone the City thought it could not do without. It was a three-year, no-cut or all-pay contract. He suggested distributing a draft contract to the Commission to review and discuss at a later workshop. Mayor Vandergrift asked for the distribution of the draft contract. A workshop was scheduled for Tuesdav. Januarv 28. 1997. at 7:00 D.m.. with the labor attornev. to be present to determine if there is sufficient information to decide between the two candidates. Personnel Director Psaledakis distributed the list of moving expenses. Attorney Rosenthal suggested that the agenda for the January 21, 1997, City Commission Meeting include the appointment of an interim City Manager. Consensus was to do so. 4 OCOEE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION FOR DISCUSSION/SELECTION FOR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER JANUARY 14, 1997 A special session for the aDPointment of an interim City Mana~er was scheduled for Tuesday. January 28.1997. followinl! the workshop. Attorney Allen advised he would communicate with Personnel Director Psaledakis regarding Mr. Shapiro's wishes. Commissioner Gleason suggested that if Mr. Shapiro had no interest and one of the candidates entered into contract negotiations, the Commission would need to appoint all acting or interim City Manager among the staff members who had served in that capacity in the past. Mrs. Pat Bond felt that the Commission acted with tunnel vision regarding the issue of the City Manager and that possibly next time there was an important matter to be discussed, there would not be the public involvement as there was on this issue. Commissioner Gleason responded to Mrs. Bond's comments. Mrs. Betty Hager recalled a meeting in which she spoke in defense of Mr. Shapiro, and because of what she said, Commissioner Gleason threatened to sue her for slander. She spoke in defense of Mr. Shapiro at that time. She commented that there were people for Mr. Shapiro at this meeting, but where were the people who were opposed to him. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 10:36 p.m. Attest: APPROVED City of Ocoee ---' ~-' ,'),)', ,(+, ,y '-,~ (. .~.-{ 5