HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 10-14 PreMeridian City Pre-Council Meeting October 14, 2003
The Pre-Council Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:00
P.M. on Tuesday, October 14, 2003, by City Council President Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Tammy de Weerd, Cherie McCandless, Bill Nary, and Keith
Bird.
Members Absent: Mayor Robert Corrie.
Others Present: Bill Musser, Gary Smith, Brad Watson, Anna Powell, Doug
Strong, and Pauline Skeggs.
Item 1. Roll-call Attendance:
X Tammy de Weerd X Bill Nary
X Cherie McCandless X Keith Bird
O Mayor Robert Corrie
De Weerd: It is October 14th
. It is 6:00 and I will open the Pre-Council Meeting
with roll call attendance. Thank you.
Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda:
De Weerd: Item number two is adoption of the agenda. The revised agenda
does everyone have that? It was revised on October 13, 2003 to reflect item
number three as discussion with Aspire On. Do I have a motion to accept the
agenda?
Nary: Madam President.
De Weerd: Mr. Nary.
Nary: I move we accept the revised agenda as published.
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: Okay it’s been moved and seconded to approve the revised agenda.
All those in favor say aye. Okay all ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES
Item 3. Discussion with Aspire On:
De Weerd: So we’ll go ahead and open the discussion. Pauline I don’t know if
you or Phil want to start us off.
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October 14, 2003
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Skeggs: Council Members as you were aware when we did strategic planning
this was part of Challenge Number Three in our strategic plan was to implement
a career development program for employees. Aspire On was chosen for that
project. What they’ve done to date is they’ve worked with Department Heads,
supervisors, and employees to develop a customized training program that will
integrate the city’s values, goals, strategic plan and objectives that will help us
with on growing growth and retention. Through the process, they’ve identified
core and technical skills, knowledge and competencies for each position within
the city. They’ve provided an analysis for leadership that Department Heads can
use to identify current and future competencies that will support the city’s
organizational objectives and strategic positioning as the city grows. The
outcome of this project basically was to provide a training toolbox and outline
those training needs that the city can move forward with. Phil is here and Josh is
here today to kind of give you an overview of how they developed the whole
program and how it came about. Then I’ve also got Department Heads here also
that are in support of the program and the outcome that some of them may want
to kind of just solicit their input to you as well.
De Weerd: Thank you Pauline. I would like to thank the Department Heads for
joining us tonight. I’ve heard good things from most of you and the ones I
haven’t heard from that’s why I said most. It sounds like it’s a very positive and a
team building experience. We do appreciate that you joined us here tonight. I
apologize this should be more of a workshop format. It’s definitely not the most
casual sitting up here looking down at you all. Phil if – I’ll turn it over to your
capable hands.
Stiffler: Thank you. Madam President and Council Members. First of all, I
guess I do feel like I keep preaching to everybody. I don’t like the classroom
settings sometimes you might find that I might turn to these people because I
feel bad that I’m kind of – my back to them. As Pauline had indicated what the
purpose in kind of being here tonight is more of a work session to be able to
discuss what we have done at your actual direction. Something we’re very proud
of and something that I would hope that you would be proud of. It was at the
direction of this Council and I will tell you from cities we’ve worked within the
regional northwest we’re very pleased to have had the opportunity to
collaboratively work with a Council who is more future what I would call it more
forward focused. In a way of looking at what needs to be there for the needs of
the future. I think the end product that is not an end product of Aspire Ons it’s an
end product of the city’s. That end product is something that would not have
been accomplished. I would have to tell you as us consultants coming into begin
with without the support of the people behind me as well as the entire staff of the
city it would not have been possible. Most of you who have not had an
opportunity to know me but I’m sure some of the people here would say I’m not a
normal patronizing consultant so I hope you take that with sincerity. I feel my
obligation is to be honest and candid with you when you hire me and I am honest
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October 14, 2003
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and candid with that now. It’s not a patronizing statement and I mean that very
directly. As a result, we would like to give you a little bit of an overview and there
have been some other side benefits out of that because of the participation that
we received. I think it also demonstrates some of the enthusiasm that the staff
and the leadership saw in the whole process to help position the city for the
future. I would tell you that I have to – I set a couple of sheets there in front of
you. I know one of them you might look at it and you go the thickness of is it
says executive summary. I would tell you that the first three pages are really the
executive summary. There is an attachment A so which is an attachment A that
when you get an opportunity to look at it it has a more detailed description of the
overall toolbox. Plus, I believe you were all provided three ring binders that
actually has a composite of the whole process. I would suggest to you that
obviously I’m not going to sit here tonight. That’s something I think has
ownership in and obviously the staff here and the leadership team has all been
provided that. I would note that you will see all the detail that actually is covered
by the overall project. Again, it is an executive summary I want to warn you that
I’m not going to be going through that whole thing in detail but I’ll be glad to
answer any questions. If you would look at the screen up here and I’m going to
kind of – I think you can hear me I’m going to step back a little bit so that –
De Weerd: Well Phil if you can take the microphone because this is needed for
public record.
Stiffler: Sure. Thank you. If you look at the screen here actually when we were
first asked to respond to part of the desired project that the Council had come up
with this is kind of an overview, which is kind of interesting. Josh flip it over to the
– I know it doesn’t fit the screen here but kind of looking at the end results here.
We made a comment when we met with the leadership team that it’s very
appropriate – it’s not going to happen. Over here on the right hand side, what it
really gets down to is this little box here says training toolbox. You have your
charts there that you’ll see the other end of that has to do with – having to do
with an overall training process that’s actually there. They have their pictures
there Josh so I mean I don’t want to – anyway, if you look at the chart that’s there
the colored chart, it’s the same as up here on the screen so you would have a
copy of it. If you look at that on that needs assessment side one of the things
that many times organizations look at when they try to look at developing what
you might consider more of an integrated training program for the overall future
sometimes we keep saying let’s actually have a needs assessment. That needs
assessment sometimes would be very candid becomes bifurcated or it’s not quite
as integrated as it needs to be. I think that as you had outlined the project very
detailed as it came out of your strategic plan it was very natural to say wait a
minute let’s make sure we get all the input that’s important there. The process
that’s gone on from the time that we were actually given the project has allowed
us to actually go through all those four boxes there. I would have to say those
included interviews with all the leadership the senior leadership group, other
members within their staff and in some cases allowed us to actually have overall
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meetings with some of those individual employees in different levels in the
organization. It was very important for us to be able to validate and verify part of
the surveying nature that we did really look at identifying what are the really
position requirements and what looks at the needs that are actually there? You’ll
notice another place that’s down there it’s on leadership assessment one of the
things that’s very important. This is something as our experience has been
working with other cities and utilities is when you actually do work with those
entities it’s like a buy in from leadership and I know that part of the group is
sitting here tonight. Without a buy in from leadership from initially in the project,
the success of that and particularly to the accountability for you as a Council and
to the citizens we actually have put that piece in there. Which we felt was very
important from the onset that if you did not deal with that up front you would not
have the kind of commitment and support that really needed to be there. Not
only in actually getting the data but importantly being able to have some of the
support of that immediately to the ongoing development of those individuals as
well. That’s why you see that piece there with regard to the leadership
assessment. In addition to that, you’ll see there – in addition, after we gathered
all of the information we asked each department to sit down with us and bring
different representatives from their departments at different levels, which this
would include. It would not just be a supervisor it can be anyone – and this
included whether it was at the Wastewater Treatment Plant it didn’t matter where
it was at to get their input. Also, starting to get their buy in to understanding what
was actually happening and how this would impact their (inaudible) performance
and accountability too as well as their idea of their career development and
training. As a result, you see that we ended up in that center section there as
that position competency descriptions. You’ve lost it all together? The position
competency descriptions you will also see that we were able to actually facilitate
some foundational leadership training. Also, in concocter with this, which is the
time maybe to mention this, the Council did approve and as you’re aware of we
did have some leadership team sessions with the leadership team. As a result, it
was kind of complimentary at the time. I think that I would let them speak to that
but I think it was very important and timely having to do with part of the
challenges and opportunities (inaudible) challenges and opportunities that the
city faces growth wise to be able to get those people in a very communicative
engagement type of process not only in this but for the ongoing development and
mentoring of their people. Also for them to be able to engage in that kind of
discussion. As a result, the two end products there you would look at and
sometimes the reason – if we would have the screen up there right I would say
look the two end products as Pauline had mentioned the training toolbox and a
training and development system. We kind of said we could go to the end and
say this is the result we need to achieve and how do we best go about achieving
that end. As a result, that actually is the part that you would actually see to go to
your full three ring binders you’re going to be able to see all the detail on that. In
addition to the fact, that we’ve also outlined if you’ll see in item three in your big
three ring binder there’s an ongoing residual benefit in that three ring – that talks
about how this needs to be maintained and ongoing as that residual ongoing
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benefit to the city. Not just a what I call sometimes and I apologize for it but I call
it sometimes – this was not a cookie cutter approach. It’s not a cookie cutter
approach it’s intended to be a flavor of the day. It’s intended to be something
that’s ongoing to the benefit of the employees and their performance and
accountability for the city. I will tell you there are not a lot of cities around that
have this. I think you should feel very proud of it. I think in response to any of
the citizens in looking at kind of what’s going on you’ve made a major step of
laying a foundation. Again, I maybe summarize we’re very proud to be part of
that. The other piece that actually was not required and I don’t think Josh can
flash it up there but if you go to the second page this is actually presently – this is
presently on the internet for the city. We didn’t connect up to the internet tonight
but as you would – this was not part of the immediate requirement that you – that
was part of the project. By the purpose of not just handing out three ring binders
in detail, we wanted to have something that would be ongoing and have a benefit
that could be accessed not only by staff, leadership but also accessed in actually
by virtue of the public information related to those positions. It allows a lot of
other benefits out of it. As a result, we’ve taken the data that was gathered and
rather it being lost it’s there and can continue to be updated. As a result, if you
look at these two pages – I’m going to get rid of this for a sec. If you look at
these two pages, you’re going to see that the one page – my mike came apart.
Berg: You’re trying too hard just slip it on.
Stiffler: Has this ever happened?
De Weerd: Just slip it on.
Stiffler: Thanks Will.
De Weerd: You’re trying too hard.
Stiffler: The page that you see that if you go to your second sheet actually
shows the City of Meridian by departments. Then you’ll see at the very – at
those functional areas you’ll actually go down you see the very bottom one says
organizational competencies. What happens if they and actually if you get a
chance I would invite you to go to the website and go through this. You’ll actually
– we’ve just pulled a sample of a page. If you go to the next page, we just used
the Fire Department. You would go to the Fire Department, you would identify all
the positions within the Fire Department, and in turn, if you went to firefighter
you’re going to see an identification of all the technical skills presently required
by that position. I would tell you even from a risk assessment – all the other
issues of keeping track of what you need to have and updating this with regard to
technical competencies. It’s very important. Actually, I know that Kenny is not
here tonight but Bill is here I know within law enforcement and everything the
capabilities of being able to keep that updated on an ongoing basis is very
beneficial. Secondarily you’ll see down at the very bottom of that page it says
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soft skills level one. What we were able to do is we’ve identified four levels of
soft skills related to all positions within the city. We’ve identified the requirements
for those so therefore you have a combination of looking at positions and being
able to look at the technical skill requirements as well as the soft skill
requirements. Therefore, by looking at those are what are required for the
position we have the ability to identify gaps and look at those training needs that
are very specific which allows for a lot more efficient basis within that. I would
then now invite you to kind of look at the executive summary for a second. The
goal as Pauline had indicated was relative to actually identification of we would
refer to as an ongoing training system. Well I would have to tell you we’ve
parleyed those words a little bit on the cover here because we really believe that
it hast to do with the performance system. I believe accountability and the way
those words are there is that we believe that accountability for those people in
public office requires that has to do with that ongoing performance. You’ll see
this performance system foundation and that’s the reason it’s referenced as
such. On page two, I will share with you because I guess I’ll take a little bit of a
sidetrack. If you read my little quote up there from Walt Disney, I don’t know of
very many people. Sometimes you think wait a minute some consultant comes
in from a management standpoint and he gives a quote from Walt Disney they
kind of go wait a minute. Well if you look at the success of Disney it may have to
say as that probably Walt Disney was probably one of the more futuristic forward
thinking-positioning individual you would find. That quote is one that I use a lot
because I like it because it really has to do with the ability of leadership and
management to help to allow people to succeed, perform, and basically be able
to have the kind of success that’s there. A quick little story about that. I don’t
know if any of you have ever heard this but Walt Disney was favorite for certain
things. Back when actually when he was actually developing it actually was the
Donald Duck character. He would go into his graphic design people’s offices
after they had left for the day and what he would do is he would go through the
garbage cans and he would pick pieces of paper out of the garbage cans. The
people would walk in the next morning and he had pulled the pieces of paper
out. What he had done is he had pinned them up in their little cubicles and he
would say – all he would leave on it was a little note don’t throw away the good
stuff. What he was trying to do was maintain that creative innovative side of
them. As a result that’s how Donald Duck – they said Donald Duck had been in
the garbage can several times by one of the actual designers. Within that, if you
look at page two, I would like to just cover two segments of this. That being if
you just prior to the first set of bullet points there I would say the combination of
kind of the collaborative effort and the opportunity to work with the staff and with
the leadership I guess I would just like to summarize a little bit what’s the
completion and what’s it really mean. As a result, you do have comprehensive
position definitions. I think you’ll find the materials will make it a lot easier in the
future for actually identifying roles and responsibilities also in job descriptions. It
is a foundational kind of database of information. The tool now that it’s on your
web base format allows for easy access, easy updating. There’s an
accountability that I’ve actually portrayed to the leadership and with Pauline and
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everybody to keep that database up to date. Secondarily it actually allows for
identifying those particular gap priorities as it relates to performance level within
the organization. The toolbox itself actually will – actually allows the ability to
identify the very specific training rather than and I might call it sometimes the
piecemeal type of efforts that allows for a secondary piece. You could actually –
you can actually have the opportunity to take people in similar soft skilled leveled
positions across different department lines and put those people in a room
together within the kind of workshop that allows for a more focused perspective
training at the same token better interaction communication and engagement
with those people. Lastly, that last piece there, the talent management system
outline that we’ve identified as a workshop actually becomes kind of an actual
introduction piece to actually more of an integrated overall performance
management process. Therefore, you get some secondary benefits and that’s
the next bullet. I think that those bullets mean that I would assume that the
Council would look to the accountability of managers and supervisors to be able
to have the tools to be able to perform their functions and maximize the efficiency
and productivity of the staff. That’s what this leads to. Secondarily I have not
seen the numbers specifically here but I know that most of the cities and entities
face issues having to do with succession planning. Succession planning is not
just when someone retires it’s kind of succession planning in having someone to
be able to step into that position with the city’s growth. Also, the overall kind of
benefit of this is more the ongoing results. Overall, I would say that it again
repeats itself to the point of more that accountability and performance. As
Pauline had mentioned it would be very nice if you look at even that website. I
was a patrol officer in the Police Department and I’m anticipating that I would like
to be a lieutenant. I can go to that website and I can look at the technical skills
or those requirements that I need to actually attain to be considered for that
position. Secondarily, all those soft skill issues reference everything that has to
do with customer service, how people interact, and how they engage those
people becomes part of it. It’s not separated from it it’s part of it and that’s
another element which I think in today’s world is very important with regard to the
people that actually are in the public employment. Overall, this will allow for
further improved what I call kind of engagement and communication within the
city. On page three, I’m going to summarize to this extent. I think it’s very
important and we have tried to by virtue of sitting down and reviewing the overall
end product with the leadership team and kind of that of analysis we have tried to
prioritize what we think are actually part of those toolboxes – the toolbox that’s
been identified. That’s very important on a stepped basis meaning that we
realize that the city has limitations. They have to look at how can we do the
things financially and fiscally responsible to try to look at developing the people.
I guess we would like to say there’s a nice game plan to it. The game plan
becomes like building blocks. We’ve identified and you’ll end up seeing in the
attachment more the detailed of that overall toolbox. The one observation that
starts in this first bullet I would have to speak to is that we were provided
obviously and we’d asked for information reference to the strategic plan what the
city was doing. We did diligently do that. We think it’s important for us to have a
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thorough understanding if we’re going to do our job. As a result of that one of
the things, that we noted as a gap and this is for the (inaudible) reason for the
response. As we discussed around the city talking with a lot of the employees
about the direction and future for the city, we routinely kind of quizzed having to
do with where they felt about values. Reference having to do with the strategic
plan and the values that the city had actually identified. We found that the –
there was not a real good common understanding of what those values really
meant. In some cases they had been posted in different departments, people
were aware of them. There had been some discussions but as you’re aware, we
believe that part of that whole understanding of what shared values really mean
to any entity let alone to a city in today. I say values reference both ethics and a
lot of the values and what really is represented by behaviors and actions in
support of that. I believe that that’s one area that we would be – we would not
be doing a professional job if we did not bring that to your attention. That I would
say that I think it’s very important we establish we would actually recommend a
priority to actually look at having that kind of values kind of process. Basically
become part of the overall city and continue to the point that employees have a
good solid understanding of not just what a value is if we said it was integrity or –
what it really means reference their behaviors or actions in their positions. It’s
very difficult to hold people accountable without communicating expectations and
communicating what those actual behaviors and actions represent. If you look at
the slide and actually I’m skipping past one. There’s a slide that’s actually – it
says values to performance. We have actually had the opportunity to actually be
a process of installing values processes in two cities three public utilities. I would
tell you that one of the things that it really – somebody I had – I sat in front of a
City Council in the State of Washington when they were first talking about their
values process. One of the City Councilman said to me wait a minute Phil that
value stuff that’s just that feel good stuff. We don’t want to dance around the fire
we want to talk about really looking at what it really means. After our discussion
we had all the City Council Members in – they were all participants in our values
process. We’re not trying to tell people they don’t have values nor am I implying
anyone here. It’s a process of aligning those values to give meaning within their
performance of their positions and accountability is part of values. I think if
anything that we have actually experienced we’ve had a good dose of it
obviously in the Boise area of a lot of issues. These values are so important that
I would say to you I think it’s one of the higher emphases within tying in your
overall strategic planning process, the development of your people and bringing
that all is part of an integrated process. It’s important and it should be reaffirmed
on every possible opportunity they can. That’s why you see our recommended
bullet reference the overall value side. I think this chart – we developed this a
little bit as a result of trying to actually sometimes the pictures worth a 1,000
words of trying to be able to and you see all these arrows. They all kind of go
wait a minute these arrows all go to – they all connect. Well, the important point
is they do need to connect. I think that you’d see and say wait a minute
somebody asked me at one of the city’s well what about customer service?
What about meeting the citizen’s needs? I said that’s the enhanced relationships
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both internal and external. That’s on that very right hand side. You would like to
think that all the employees are operating in that manner credibility of leadership
its all a piece of it. It really is in those two squares of values to a performance
process. Now I’ll ask you to flip back the one page. I wanted to emphasize
tonight you will actually see in Exhibit A you’ll see a more detailed description of
everything to do with kind of the overall toolbox and recommendations. I also felt
it was important for us to prioritize to you the Council what we saw. I would
emphasize a shared values program as you look at development efforts going to
the next year I think that is something that’s paramont at least in your
consideration. Number two is what happens, I think that in the discussion of with
the leadership group, and also watching and going around we ran into managers
and supervisors who would openly say geez Phil I’ve never really had any
training in that. What I mean by that is is that I don’t mean that in complaining I
mean it in the context that the City of Meridian with the history of growth is no
different than a lot of other entities which the opportunity as sometimes I’ll use
another city as an example. I was in a huge Parks and Recreation Department
of a city in Washington and I was meeting with a gentlemen who had 26 direct
employees and 16 part time employees. He was a head of more the – would be
more like Elroy’s position here in the facility side and looking at the park
maintenance side. The gentlemen had been with the city 25 years and all of a
sudden, the city had grown. What he said was he said well why I was originally
made supervisor was because I knew where all the parks were. I knew where all
the shutoff valves were and he said I was made a supervisor but nobody ever
told me I was going to have to deal with personnel problems and how I was
going to do that. You know what and he wasn’t saying he just Phil he said how –
kind of help me. In a way why I say, that is that and again that opportunity and
why we put manager supervisor and I use the word foundation there. We’re in a
world today hat sometimes engagement, issues, and conflict particularly with
personnel issues are not ones that anybody really likes. They sometimes may
tend to avoid. It’s very difficult if they don’t feel they’re prepared to know how to
do that. I think that that’s why from the standpoint to lay the foundation that’s a
very significant – it’s kind of where my grandfather used to say where the rubber
meets the road. It’s kind of that level that has to do with the rest of the staff and
the communications. Communication goes both up and down in an organization.
The overall toolbox we’ve identified we’re very highly emphasized in the manager
supervisor foundation. We think that’s something that if you look at prioritizing is
something that really should be addressed because it will have an impact on the
overall performance of the city. Lastly, the performance coaching mentoring, as
it would apply to actually all the leadership and all management within the
organization is very important. You’ve installed a new performance appraisal
system. You have a lot of challenges and opportunities you’re looking at
expectations with employees. You’re looking at monitoring that performance.
Well I’d say that part of that is we have a large utility in Washington and I just use
as examples because I want to use it. They kind of determined that they were
not going to have managers doing performance reviews until they got a drivers
license on knowing how to do them. That was their determination. I believe in a
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way in retrospect for the benefit of the employees and looking at trying to
maximize the action return on that asset as that employee that has to do with
actually having the capability to do the kind of performance coaching and
mentoring that are really necessary. I don’t want – I’ve tried to overview these as
kind of three priorities as an observation I guess from a consultant who used to
have hair who’s been in this business for 25 years that I commend the city. I
believe – we’re actually very proud of your website. I think Anna said to me she
said you just want to show that to a bunch of other people. I acknowledged I
said yes I would I think you should be proud of it and I’m proud of being part of
that. We didn’t really create it we got the information from you folks. I would say
our view as a role as a consultant is a collaborative one and that’s the way it
always should be. We should not be coming in here and saying you need to do
this. I’m doing this in a collaborative basis on giving you that input based upon
the information that we’ve been able to gather. The last page in here is actually
it says there’s a little matrix on integrated culture transformation. I’m not going to
go through that in detail. I will tell you from our experience of looking at
organizations facing the growth that you have and looking at staff and trying to
look at the development of that staff there’s an ongoing culture kind of change
that’s always very important. Part of that has to do with the capability to
continually deal with change. When you see the toolbox, you may see
something that you normally don’t see from consultants. You’re going to see a
toolbox element that has a reference to something called resiliency. Resiliency is
also that capability actually to deal with those issues that need to be there and
being able to bounce back but also resilient by having that kind of strategic
planning that you’ve started here and being able to continue that in that way.
With that, I would only go back to page four. I apologize for switching you back
and forth but page four of the executive summary there’s a little quote there and I
guess I feel that I need to share it with a lot of the public entities that I work with.
I would suggest that – I was at a conference and I know some of you made some
conferences that actually are attended by city managers, Council people around
and one of the definitions has just – there’s a little comment being thrown out
there I guess a buzz word talking about city excellence. I have one city as a
client that their goal is they want to be the best run small city in the United
States. One of their people said no we want to be the best-run small city in the
world. Now you need to define what best run means but I would have to say this
in the private corporate sector we’ve heard a lot about such things as sick sigma
and quality and all kinds of things. Excellence is what you define it. Excellence
in the idea of providing the services to the citizens in doing what is necessary
planning for the future and those kinds of things. If any of you haven’t had a
chance, I’ll share with you that I think that this comes out of a book that’s quoted
there. The book was actually written by a gentlemen who used to be the
chairman and CEO of Allied Signal formally with GTE. Excuse me General
Electric. I’ll have to tell you that it’s kind of like it’s not the feel good textbook it’s
down and dirty. If you go through his track record, he’s weathered the storm.
This wasn’t an Enron it wasn’t an MCI and it wasn’t some of the other things. I
would have to tell you that I think any organization that looks at trying to position
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October 14, 2003
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and being able to meet the challenges of the growth that the city faces here are
ones that can allow the people, strategy and operations to be executed. In
summary I believe that the process that you charged us to be a part of and
through the opportunity of working with your staff I would have to say to you that
you should be proud as a city that you have something that is a very foundational
piece. It’s one that you can build on as a stepping-stone to the success I believe
for the city. With that, I would like to answer any questions. I apologize for all
the data but I also wanted you to get a chance to see it all. I would invite you to
look at the website. I think it is important.
De Weerd: Okay Council do you have any questions?
Nary: I guess Madam President I would like to hear from the departments if you
didn’t mind on their view.
De Weerd: All right Chief. It was the Walt Disney thing that brought you up
right?
Musser: That was it. Madam President Members of the Council I would like to
just provide my two cents worth for the work that Phil has done through Aspire
On on this. At least from the leadership core trying to bring your Department
Heads together within the city and everything else it’s been a wonderful
experience for us. I think we have a lot more cohesion now as Department
Heads too which is important for all of us you know meeting a shared vision and
carrying it forward in attempting to you know get our employees to buy into
where we need to go as far as the city in general. The other aspect is I think it
will really loan itself to making the appraisal process much better because there
has been a lot of confusion at times in terms of well how does this really apply to
where we’re going. How can we tie it in and if we take it back to our values,
define those values and those types of things to make it a little bit better
understood on their part then I think we’ll have a much better buy in. Then we
can set those expectations and then hold them to those expectations from our
perspective. It sends another message out too not just to the employees but it
will also send a message out to the community that we’re interested in growth
not only in our people that we have but also in the community itself. That we’re
all going to be accountable for it so I would applaud the efforts that we’ve had so
far and the encouragement of the Council and Mayor Corrie to having Aspire On
come in and sit down and meet with us because I think it’s helped. The short
time that I’ve been a Department Head anyway I’ve noticed a big change over
the way things used to be as I sat outside and watched some of the interaction
that was going on between Department Heads in years past. That’s what I
would have to add on that. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you Chief.
Powell: For the record Anna Powell, Planning Director.
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 14, 2003
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Nary: Raise your right hand.
De Weerd: I need to swear you in.
Powell: I would like to emphasize what Bill said about the Department Heads of
the coordination and just the team problem solving we’ve been doing is just
markedly different since we met together and worked together. It’s been a huge
difference in those. Even as Bill said even in my short tenor as Department
Head, it just has been very noticeable. The other thing I wanted to comment on I
took all the Aspire On soft skills and technical skills and I incorporated those into
all the new job descriptions. I can just really see how the kind of triumvirate of
the job description and performance evaluation and the strategic plan if they all
center around a common language or a common set of values that it’s just going
to be a tremendous tool for increasing staff capabilities as well as output. I’m
looking forward to that I think it would be a good common thread amongst the
three.
De Weerd: Thank you Anna. Well good, we have consistencies we get all the
newer Department Heads. We so look forward to the more veteran ones. Doug
I’m sorry.
Strong: Madam President Members of the Council I just -- maybe to put in my
two cents worth. Obviously, I have not been here a long time either but I’ve
worked in a lot of other systems both city, state, county and that kind of thing.
Everywhere that I’ve been, where there’s been effort to develop team building
the agencies have worked more efficiently. In the seven months or so that I’ve
been here I’ve seen the Department Heads that we have in the city now work
together toward goals that weren’t necessarily within their department. I think a
recent example that I’ve used before is for the Park Department to acquire a one
ton utility truck. We have one now and the staff person usually nets like a proud
peacock around town with his new old truck. It was a collaborative effort to get
that and it started with the budget process when you said we can’t – we’re going
to have to cut this out of the budget but it doesn’t mean that we don’t think it
matters. That was passed on down through the Department Heads and became
successful for us to get something that helps us do our job more effectively. It
didn’t need to be a new one it just needed to be something that helped us do it.
There was a lot of interest and empathy from other departments to get us there.
I think this process helped get us there as well because it brought us together as
a team and we worked on common goals, common efforts and we talked about
individual concerns like getting a one ton utility truck which in the whole scheme
of things didn’t seem like much but it became an issue that we all addressed. I
was very pleased with the outcome of what it did for us at the Park Department
but more collectively what I saw happening with the city as a group and different
departments. I appreciate being able to come in and jump into something that
was already in process. Thanks.
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October 14, 2003
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De Weerd: Thank you Doug. See your team is cheering you Gary.
Smith: Thank you.
Powell: Cheering or (inaudible).
De Weerd: That was cheer.
Smith: Council Members Madam President as a Senior Department Head I
guess you could say in this process I’ve noticed a degree of excitement of
Department Heads. New enthusiasm. I think the team building effort is just
wonderful. As Bill has mentioned and Doug and Anna we have come together I
think as a group as a Department Head for the City of Meridian. It’s of course on
no small efforts of Phil and his team that we are where we are. I think it’s given
us some guidelines for not only our own development as Department Heads but
also for the development for our employees as employees and to help them in
their city endeavors. Also in their development as individuals and I think that’s
what I’m looking forward to is to see that begin. In some cases some
departments that it just continues. I know in Chief Musser’s position in the Police
Department they seem to have more involvement in supervision it’s because I
think the way that they’re structured. In the past, I’ve talked to Bill about hey
share some of your experiences with us. In a lot of instances we’ve gravitated to
the Department Head status by I don’t say default but attrition there you go that’s
the right word. Again, I really feel excited about it because there is some new
enthusiasm. There is new energy in our new Department Heads and I can
certainly sense that and am appreciative of it for your allowance of Aspire On to
present and of the work that they’ve done to date. The values as Phil has
mentioned I think are the foundation for us to succeed. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you Gary.
Skeggs: I’ll be really short. Madam President and Council Members what I’ve
seen in working with this whole project because I’ve kind of been coordinating it
with the Department Heads is that it has brought us to come together to work as
a team. Where before we were not working together as a team and we may not
have been listening to each other. Now we’re listening to each other and
actually, we’re working together. We’re even able to resolve issues among
Department Heads where before if one Department Head had an issue with
another one they may not have told that person but told another Department
Head. Now they’re going to those Department Heads and saying you know we
have an issue can we work together to resolve it. It’s also going to give us some
tools that our employees will be able to look at to see where they can grow to
develop and to accel in their own positions. What we’re excited about is whoever
becomes Mayor next year we’re going to bring them as part of our management
team and bring them on board. Let them know what we’ve learned and get them
Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting
October 14, 2003
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up to par for they can be able to be working with us and bring them along with
what we’ve already learned going through this whole process. I’m really excited
about that because we’re all excited. We’ve discussed that whoever becomes
Mayor we’re going to just get them right into it and they’re going to be part of our
team. I know that Department Heads have put a lot of work and effort into this.
Employees have put a lot of work and effort and they’re excited about it that the
city values them enough to put something in place that will help them to develop
their skills and talents. I know also Stacy she gave a testimonial or something to
you. She sent a testimonial to Phil that he could actually read on that too. I think
that this is just going to allow us to continue and to grow and to be able to bring
the vision to the city of what we anticipate down the road. I’m really excited
about it.
De Weerd: Thank you. That island syndrome is no longer huh?
Stiffler: Since Tammy mentioned that I would have to say and I know this sounds
like it said earlier I’m not a patronizing consultant I’m not. I don’t want it to sound
and stand in front of the Council you’re saying wait a minute you just got these
nice opportunities and some of the comments from the leadership I have to tell
you they mean a lot to us sincerely. They mean a lot to us because I again I
think that Pauline just mentioned and I think that Gary kind of reiterated too this
has been with a lot of cooperation from a lot of people and looking at it in a very
positive fashion. I do want to compliment the leadership team in this idea. I will
tell you that we first had part of our initial discussions I believe there were quite a
few silos, islands, and other things. Those of you that ever get an opportunity to
be in one of my team leadership sessions might find this different than the typical
team building you might be involved in. Because Phil forces everybody to talk
tries to look at the idea let’s hit things head on. Let’s look at what really needs to
be done. I will say this as a compliment to the people sitting behind me and I
did. I did receive an email from Stacy yesterday and it made me feel good. She
said – I’ll have to tell you she said Phil I’m not going to be there but she said I
want you to know the support and how strongly I feel about the positive things
having to do with just that communication engagement amongst the leadership
teams. I will see in a very short period of time, Josh who I – I need to say one
thing. I did not introduce and I apologize Josh Grant who works for my firm has
done a lot more of the leg work than the gentlemen standing in front of you. Out
of I guess proper respect for one of my team I feel bad that I didn’t introduce him
to begin with. He’s had the opportunity to work with all the staff. What I say as
far as the leadership team itself we’ve gone through sessions we’ve gone
through processes like this. I have some clients we’re still fighting the battle two
years later of trying to get the Department Heads and the people to work
together. I know from the discussions I’ve had in a very short period of time
there’s a lot of enthusiasm, passion and I think when Doug talks about the little –
when he told me the story I smiled. I have to admit I smiled and I was very
pleased about it. I think that at least saying get the maximum out of it this is one
leadership team that’s taken it very seriously and I commend them and I
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October 14, 2003
Page 15 of 15
appreciate that. I guess that even makes the dumb consultant look pretty good.
Thank you again and we again appreciate the opportunity to be here and would
respond to any other questions at some future date too. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you very much. Thank you Pauline for pulling this together.
Any other comments or questions by Council?
Bird: I have none.
De Weerd: Well then we could adjourn well – a little bit early before our 7:00
start of the regular agenda.
Nary: I move to adjourn.
De Weerd: Do I have a second.
McCandless: Second.
De Weerd: It’s been moved and seconded to adjourn the Pre-Council Meeting. It
is 6:50 all those in favor say aye. All ayes motion carried. We’ll reconvene at
7:00.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:50 P.M.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
APPROVED:
/ /
ROBERT D. CORRIE, MAYOR DATE
ATTESTED:
WILLIAM G. BERG, JR., CITY CLERK