Recommendation to Direct Staff to Establish a Process for Recruitment of a New City Manager.  (City Manager 2210)
Thank you, Staff. Right. So now we're on six F. Recommendation to direct staff to establish a process for recruitment of a new manager. Good evening, mayor and council members. I'm Stephanie Geller, Brant Sierra, your administrative services director. I'm here today to discuss with you the process and timeline for selecting a new city manager. And staff is seeking some direction on how to move forward at this point. I believe you've seen the report that talks about the general timeline that we're looking at. And I think the some of the major questions that we need to. Some guidance on at this point is the where we go forward in terms of the recruitment. We have two avenues which to choose. One is to do an internal recruitment. The second is to go outside with a recruitment firm. In my experience, when you're hiring someone at the level of a city manager, it is typical to use an outside recruitment firm. They are the folks who are out there with their fingers on the pulse of who's who's available in the city manager, land and city staff. Really, we don't have that information. They will also put out the full color brochures. They know what the trends are and this is what staff is actually recommending at this point. I'm here for any questions on the report or the timeline. Member Daisuke. The question I have and I sent it earlier to the city manager because I seen it recently, one city they've put out to bid the the service to define city managers. For example, in your staff report, you've identified a whole number of potential human resources agencies. I think in the past, I think we just kind of selected one I can't remember generally. Well, we've done both internally and we have selected firms based on you know, I called around to find out basically what they're charging and who's available. And one thing I have found is that some firms are very busy right now. And so it's going to be depending on who's available and who people, you know, say that they, you know, are available to do a city manager recruitment, the city of Alameda, because that's a big recruitment. So let me just the question I have is and I'm not locked into any position, it's just a question that I want to make sure to put out there. You know, what thoughts have you given to putting out to bid? Yeah. Who who we select. Well, in terms of bidding process, and it's a good question, this isn't the kind of thing that normally goes out to bid. Number one, the cost level is quite low. We don't usually put out things to bid until unless they're at a higher price point. And this is also a type of professional service where the cost is, is they're all pretty much charging the same. It's really a matter of who we like the most. And because it's a matter of quality, we can do that without going out to bid. I can simply just call people and find out who's available, who's good, who I like, who puts out, you know, good brochures, who I know does the job. Because we've all been out there and we've been recruited personally and we know who who's the kind of what firms will send out those letters to all those aspiring city managers or experienced city managers. So it's actually easier for us to simply do that legwork without going through a formal bidding process. A formal bidding process would also extend the timeline for another probably two months. All right. Thank you. Okay. There are no speaker soaps. Correct. Member. Ashcroft Thank you. And thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your report. And I agree with staff that this is a major recruitment for our city. We are facing some very big decisions and projects right now. I also happen to know that H.R. is up to their ears in H.R. work. And so I think and I know just from talking to colleagues in other jurisdictions that there are a number of very good search firms out there to choose from. And I think that this will and of course, if we go this route, the private search firm is going to work with our H.R. department. So we certainly tailor the kinds of communications that are sent out. But I know that these firms have, for instance, very extensive databases and and contacts, and they can cast their net wider than I think we would be able to do from here. So I am very pleased that we've selected a very competent interim city manager for the time being, but it's still one of our major tasks that this council needs to take on and soon. So I would follow staff's recommendation there. Thank you. Are there any other member comments? Brody I have a slightly different take on it. I guess. Councilmember Ashcraft is correct this is probably the most important decision will make and. I don't want us to rush into this. And I still believe, like a lot of people here, we are a unique city. I mean, we have our unique challenges with the base conversion and with our position as an island and traffic and egress and. And such. And. I guess my worry is that, you know, we're going to get a cookie cutter city manager because that's kind of what the search terms go out. And we didn't get a cookie cutter last time. And we were blessed that we we had him for the time that that he was here. Wish it was longer, but it is what it is. So, I mean, I'm wondering. Is it? I like the idea of interviewing the potential search firms and kind of talking to them and seeing how they'll understand Almeida's culture and, you know, our specific issues. And because I don't really want to have a cookie cutter search for this. And even if it's two months and we get the budget and all this going on, but, you know, this this is our mark on the city. You know, all all of us. Well, it's going to be our. Our city manager. Well, let me speak to that just a little. Once a for us, if we select a search firm and I'm if our department so recommends a firm, what would happen? The next step in the process is that they would go and then come to you and get guidance on what you are looking for. And they would actually have a process in open session where you would talk about your candidate profile, what you're looking for. And that's what they do. They are in the business of doing that, communicating with the governing body and with staff to find out exactly what you need. And so. I don't if they. Were just going to get a cookie cutter city manager, I don't think they'd be in business long because their job is to heed to the wishes of the folks who hire them. So I think that that's going to be taken care of in the process. If you go out to like a bid process, frankly, that's not normally done. And I'm not sure who would respond. I'm not sure that you would actually get people responding to it and then coming for a question and answer session. And then because of the nature of the public process, you would actually have to do the interviews in public. That would be an interesting procedure. I've never seen that done. I swear. Let me ask a question. When we hired the finance director, did we use a search firm? We did not. Did we? No. Yes, we did. Yes, we did. We did. And what about the assistant city managers? We did not. City managers. Is there anything that would prevent you as the head of h.r. In dealing with a search firm would do. As I explained before, I think the major challenge that we would have as an h.r. Department is in the. Outreach and. In the database. I don't have a database of city managers. I can't pick up the phone and ask people if they're interested in coming to work for the city of alameda. We do civil service processes. We do a whole different type of recruitment. When you're talking about executive recruitment. You're calling on a firm that have these people on the line. They've been talking them for years, and usually they know exactly who's looking. They know exactly the kind of person who would want to come into a city of Alameda and they're going to use their networking capabilities. You know, when there's an opening, you know, I'll get calls or letters and because they'll know who to target. And I can't do that. And we really want that capability. Four days ago. What thought have you? Let me say two things. The first thing is, you know, the question that council member Jim Odey raised was a great question. But by the same token, I thought the response by city staff person was a great response as well. So there was a great. Perry interesting there. I wanted to note that. The second point I want to raise is. So what thoughts have you given the you the the search firm working with a committee not of council members but of should we so decide community members. Is that is that would that happen within the framework of the decision? Absolute. Well, not in this decision. What typically happens is in the process of selecting a city manager first, you know, they'll go out, they'll beat the bushes, they'll get all the letters of interest and the resumes and all that. And they'll come forth with it with a big pile of folks, and then they'll do an initial screening to really figure out who are the most qualified candidates with the the candidates who are the most qualified. Then you're going to be able to pick panels and do panel interviews. And those are your community members, your executive management, and you can pick whatever panels you want to really screen these folks into to going forward in the process and sifting out exactly who you want. But what a search firm will do is they'll put out the pretty brochure after getting guidance from you and what you're really looking for. And then they're going to beat the bushes and they're going to get, you know, 150 applications probably. And then they're going to go through them and they're going to, you know, they're going to vet them. And we really rely on these kind of that kind of professional vetting and they'll, you know, make the phone calls. Sorry to interrupt. Sorry. At 11 p.m.. Okay. We have a motion to continue past 11. I moved to you. Them. All of them favor. I passes unanimously. Thank you. And just continue. And then once he gets into the panel interview stage, that's when staff really helps the firm quite a bit because we're going to help put together those panels and we're going to be scheduling them and then we're going to get all this public input and then it gets really sifted down into who you really , really are looking at based on the scores. And this is just a matter of like a winnowing that that big pool into a smaller pool. And for the initial stages, that's what an executive search firm is so good at. So I'd like to speak real quick. I agree with member Otis comments in regards to how important this is as a council that that we know how important a decision it is. And my most recent experience on the school board was when, when our prior superintendent was brought in, it was, we used to search firm, but most recently we we did it internally. And I personally like the internal process and then then council really does own it. But we but my experience has been you work with H.R. to craft what you're looking for specifically. But then nowadays with social media, it gets out there and and times have changed, I think. And it allows, you know, anyone that is interested to respond when it's posted publicly like that. And then it comes. And what we did on the school board is we set minimum requirements. And if every candidate that met the minimum requirements that we as a board decided that we got to read the the resumes, cover letters and decide who we wanted to then interview, as opposed to leaving it to a search firm to narrow it down for us. And personally. I agree. It is one of the most important decisions that will be made. And I would like I would prefer that we do it internally and then have a council of as much say, you know, where we decide who we're going to interview from the entire pool of resumes that meet the minimum requirements that we decide are important but that we work as the Council. Is just. Hearing your comments as an alternative idea. Keep in mind that you can also ask a firm. They can do the brochures. And the outreach. And then you can ask to look at everything that's submitted. I mean, you can still do that. I think it's the the outreach that we just don't have the internal capabilities for. And in terms of setting the amcu's interest or the minimum qualifications. Again, sifting through 100 resumes, again, our staff is really, really. Booked up right now. And so I'm not sure that we're going to be able. To so personally then I would be interested in someone that does this really as little as possible. I really think that they can they can decide where they're going to post. I mean, with our input, we can help come up with ideas of where to post. And that is very easy nowadays with social media and the internet and people I think really do know. Executives know where to look. But then I would want to hire someone that does as little as possible. We come up with the minimum requirements as opposed to having someone that really is owning it. That's my concern. Yes. Member, I. Guess to kind of maybe add to that and see if those concerns could be alleviated. Is is the proposal that you would just go out if we said, we want you to hire somebody, we don't care who it is. Then you would just go off and do it. I mean, could we say. Pick somebody and bring them back here and let's talk to them. And if we don't like them, I know it's still kind of the interview process, but I'd really like to really to meet the person who's going to be doing the search for us and ask them questions and have them hear from us what we're looking for and have them hear from the public, you know, so they can get a flavor of of our culture and our city. And if that doesn't work well. We could decide, well, maybe we want to go with it. You know, go back to you and say, okay, bring back a different search firm. Or we could say. Okay. We don't like the search firm idea now that we've heard it in more detail. We want to go internal or just have them do, as the mayor suggested, the minimal amount of of work. And then we can do the. I don't know. I just. I'm a little uncomfortable just saying, go off, pick somebody and then we'll hear from you in however many months it is when there's a, you know, a list of finalists. Wouldn't work that way. Again, the the process would be is we'd get into go into a contract with a search firm, and then they would immediately come back and then engage in discussions with you on your candidate profile and find out exactly what you're looking for, how much involvement you want to have. And then it would be a very much of a one on one relationship with them. And you know what you need. I guess the weight of this responsibility is is heavy in on this. So but I appreciate I just worry that we're going to do it. I want to make sure we do it right. Anderson Madumere. Rascoff. At the same time, I first of all, I think we need to heed staff saying that they don't have the wherewithal and the the capability of doing this search. I think we would be selling ourselves short if we simply relied on social media. I think there's some really competent firms out there, and I think we'll see that when we do look at maybe a couple of them, but once we select them and you know, let's cross that bridge when we come to it. But the idea that we have them do as little as possible. I mean, let's get the our money's worth out of the contract that we enter into. We can always make our decision. And I, I do appreciate the that the mayor came from the school board. The city is not the school board in. And I think the school board chose an excellent superintendent and he'd worked there before because I met him when he was the assistant superintendent. So, you know, whether social media was a major factor, I don't know. But I think that this is an opportunity for us to see just what's out there and to, you know, find out what we might not even know about what the potential is. And, you know, at the end of the day, we want to do what's best for the city. Okay. Member de soccer. I'll just say quickly. I think our city staff, Stephanie Sierra, has outlined a process for me at least. She's answered questions that I had. I think her main value proposition proposition tonight, what I'm hearing is that you need a search firm because of their professional capabilities, which go a long way in attracting the right set of candidates . With regard to professional capabilities, what that means is the glossiness of your brochure, the wording that you use, the the channels through which you deliver your marketing materials, including the various social media outlets readily available to us. By the same token, maybe there are some social media outlets that we're not very well aware of. So I think the core proposition you're making about going with a professional in my from my vantage point, I buy into and also the way in which you outline it that. Once you're working with a professional service, that it's flexible in terms of how you engage the city council as well as the communities. I hear that as well. So thank you. I swear. I agree with the comments that I don't want. This Council will lose the opportunity to vet all the applicants. I think it's very important. The. We understand that. And I think in front of that, I think it's very important that we have established some parameters of what we want and whether glossy brochures should the way people. Or looking for jobs. Still look for jobs. I, I have a hard time in, in today's state, so I don't know that we need the the 20,000 plus. Firm, and I'm the only reason I'm considering having a professional help is that from your statement, as you don't have enough people to execute this, even if you felt confident that you could go to the League of California Cities newsletter or wherever you these things are posted these days and and do it in a timely manner so that we can get some recruits in here to interview. I was only saying glossiness as an illustration. But I keep hearing brochures. I don't know that nobody uses brochures anymore, but. Oh, absolutely. It's it's it's very much. But I think to use brochures having gone through the process. Did Riverside have a nice one? But I do. I think where I'm adamant is that I don't want them screening the applicant for us. I think it's very important that we get a shot at looking at whether it's a subcommittee or whether our council that we do the sifting and we do it against the criteria that. Also can share. And then the individual criteria that we have as as council members on our own, because we all have to work with each other and we all have to the person will have the pleasure of reporting to all of us. So in regards to choosing the firm I have, I would like to have more than one meet with us so that maybe two, maybe three that we get to choose who it is. I'm concerned if only one firm comes and talks to us and then we just take that one. And in regards to a color brochure, I actually I don't know if they mail them out to possible applicants. I don't really think it's necessary. I think really you can post anything nowadays and it gets distributed in regards to and I agree with Vice Mayor that we should be determining, seeing, seeing the applications. I think that's very important. And in regards to if we're going to have a subcommittee, actually, but I would not support that. I would think all of us would want to be involved in this decision. Unless someone does not want to be there, that's up to them. I personally would think that, you know, if we all want to be should we should all be included. And Member De SA. One final question for now. Now, when we went about hiring at the time, Debbie Kurita as the city manager, I think this was in 2004. I can't remember. We as a council also went down to the day of Santa Ana. Does the budget contemplate those, those or any related kind of costs that are kind of. Different. And then perhaps, uh. Considered. I'm sorry. I don't understand why you went to Santa. Oh, we went to go and interview people who. Worked with Debbie Kurita on the front. I mean, we went down to meet community members in Santa Ana, right? Mm hmm. Yeah. So I thought it was very helpful. I just need to know. I mean. Well. Could I just remember? I'm still struggling with this because it's kind of a big decision. Yeah, I think the mayor could speak for herself, but I didn't interpret her comment about social media to say we would advertise on social media. I think her comment was people will know about this because of social media. And yet we didn't use a search from last time and we got lucky and we were really blessed. The school board is maybe the school board, but it didn't use a search firm. For the current one. And I think everyone thinks he's amazing and the perfect fit for that job. And there was not that agreement with the previous superintendent who was selected by a search firm. So. I'd really like to hear from one of these or two of these or three of these. If you think it only needs to be one, I guess I could go with one. I prefer more. But if they don't want to do a dog and pony show, then maybe, maybe we don't want to hire them. But I'd like to hear from them and just see what they have to offer before making the commitment that we're going to go with a search firm or that particular search firm. But. I may be in the minority there and may be outvoted, but that's just my hunch. So in regards to members comments, can I hear from the other members if they would be agreeable to having more than one firm? That's what you're saying. Members of your your your group there. Okay. Member Ashcroft. I'm. I think that I. You know, I think there's more than one good firm out there. I think Mr. Garbrandt is extremely capable. If, you know, why don't we let her go out and beat the bushes and see what she finds out? But yeah, we could we could certainly consider more than one if you can do it in a timely fashion. What I would propose is we maybe a. As for me, I saw this week agenda as a meeting where if I can get two or three folks to come up and talk about their experience, I can try and do that. And if I can't, I'll let you know. But I'll put out my feelers and I'll say, Hey, in this council meeting, this item will be agenda ized. I'm not sure if they'll want to be paid for their time or not. But we can see who's available to do that, I think. I think that there are some of them are in our base in Sacramento, actually, most of them are based in Sacramento, though, come to think of it, it may be difficult for them to come to an evening meeting and they might want to be compensated, but. That might be fine. Did you want to make a comment and attitude? Maybe I don't. So are we. And remind me, what were you just looking for? A recommendation from staff. So. Well, some. Some direction. And tell me which direction you need me to go. And that's fine. I can. What I can do is I can call some search firms and find out whether they're amenable to coming to a council meeting and discussing a little bit about their process so you can feel more comfortable about them, kind of look them in the eyes and all that good stuff. And I can see how successful I am doing that. I think. And then as assistant city manager, former deputy. One of them. Thank you, Madam Mayor. So I think I know, for example, of one particular firm who's in Southern California who's excellent. In fact, we tried to use her for our finance director position and she was completely booked. I'm on an h.r. LISTSERV and so i get a lot of traffic about who are good, you know, good folks to use. My only concern about the about what Mr. Trauger Brant has. I'm sorry. Your Brent's here just like sorry to call you Stephanie is that you might exclude people who are not local and then that just I mean it maybe that's okay with you. But I know, for example, that this one in particular is an excellent firm and they are from Southern California. And so you might by requiring them to show up, you might exclude them from your possible list of folks. Uh. And Brody, you. Know, I mean, if if he can't buy an airplane ticket from L.A. to. San Francisco or Oakland to make a presentation to get a 20 or $28,000 bid mean. No, no. I mean, that's kind of how it works. You, you know, go out and. I don't know. That's just my thing. So my take on it is it's, you know, we've got still one more item. So is that we've agreed that we're going to go with an outside search for Miss Garrabrants. Sierra is going to contact a couple of them and see about getting them here for presentation. I don't think it's productive to make judgments about what they will and won't respond because we haven't even contacted them yet. But I think I think we'll know more when we know more when we hear back. But I think this is a good first step to take in. So and just so I understand, we're not talking about a special meeting, just an agenda item on. The agenda item. Yeah. Thank you. And and hopefully it would be early so they could just come and right on. If you get, if you ask eight people and none of them say, you know, I'm not going to do that. Then we'll know. And maybe then we'll know that we we have to give you direction to pick one and just bring one back. I don't know. I just. I want to close, just like the mayor and the vice mayor want to see every applicant. You know, I don't want to close off any doors on how we do the selection. Too soon. That's all. And then in regards to a subcommittee of council, we want to give her feedback at this point. I don't think we're going to be able to agree on who that is. So so I think we're in agreement that we would all want to be included in the process. Were there any other issues that you had wanted? Feedback? No. That gives me some direction on how to move forward. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. And then. I am seven. He manager, hasn't he?