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HomeMy WebLinkAboutREDsmithph1RECEIVE D DEC 2 0 201 0 SLO CITY CLERK RED FIL E MEETING AGENDA DATEI2.J2 /io ITEM #PI-# I _ hard copy :emaib n COUNCIL n CDD DIR n C rYMGR G PITDIR n ASSTCM o FIRECHIE F o ATtORNEY o PWDIR D CLERIUORIG A POLICE CHIEF D PIB a PARKSARECDIR o TRIBUNE n UTTL DI R o NEW TA 4 a HRDIR "TI-SGOtTITNE1V5°` a-COUNCIL a QTYMOR o CLERICFrom:Smith, Kath y Sent :Sunday, December 19, 2010 7 :44 P M To : Cano, Elaina ; Lichtig, Kati e Subject :Red File document ... To all , In an effort to be pro-active about the upcoming City Council appointment, I e - mailed the candidates, interviewed each of them and want to be transparent abou t the information gathered . Attached are the questions, an "at a glance" comparison and the narrative of th e interviews . Please see that this is shared with other Council Members, the candidates an d place it on the City's website if such is appropriate . Thank you for your continuing efforts as we approach this important decision . Sincerely - Kathy Smith Inquiry : Council Appointment Candidate s •What top three priority qualities/values do you consider mos t important for a public servant ? •In your life experience how have you "lived out" such characteristics ? •San Luis Obispo - like all cities - is experiencing challenging times . What would you propose as the three most important actions tha t must be considered by the current Council governing body ? I encourage you to express your qualifications and views - in a persona l interview - beyond these questions with the understanding that they will b e shared at the Council session as part of the appointment process . Thank you ... Kathy Smith Council Candidate Responses - At a Glanc e Patty Andree n Qualities/Values -Communicatio n -Big Picture/Long-Ter m Visio n -Acting for good o f the whol e Living Out Service on School Board ; Functional transparency , Board chair when majo r cuts made Dan Carpente r -Integrity -Transparenc y -Availability Family, Church, workplace , Volunteer organizations ; Human beings treated wit h Dignity, compassion Kevin Ric e -Integrity/Honest y -Intelligence/Capacit y -Team Building/Consensu s Above are Core Values o f Fire Fighter as professiona l Vital Council - Budget priorities re : Actions pensions/Measure Y -Look at revenue sources , firm them u p -Planning - Update Lan d Use & Circulatio n Elements -Staff salaries/pension s in line with economi c constraint s Restore neighborhoo d wellnes s Economic Development / Head of Household jobs -Council pro-active placin g Binding Arbitration on ballo t -Place Citizens/Taxpayers i n primary position (Fiscal Tas k Force/Property Owners Assn ) -Amend Charter Section #40 6 related to Council vacancies Council Applicant Narrative s Patty Andreen ...11 a .m . to 12 :45 p .m ., Sunday, December 19, 201 0 City Hall Conference Roo m Patty brought a written document for her own reference (offering it t o me if I so desired/I did not), What follows is the conversation asI hearditbuilt around core questions . RE : qualities and values most important for a public servant ... 1.Communication is viewed by Patty as a top skill, building positiv e avenues with public, Council and City staff . With levels and group s diverse, time available is critical in grocery stores, writing letters - dealing with hopes, fears, needs . With Council, understanding each i s different - make a braid, weaving strengths, building trust . As k questions of staff, recognizing knowledge & building confidence wit h the public . 2.Big Picture and Long-Term Vision illustrates the policy focus o f Council effort . While it is tempting to micro-manage (in school boar d experience), not the function of elected leadership . 3.Acting for Good of the Whole requires building trust as all staffer s are encouraged to share sacrifices . Some staff might have a sense o f entitlement/have vested rights/contracts . Biggest challenges a s change is inevitable ... no one is special . RE : Life Experience and having "lived out" her values ... Service as a School Board member : Superintendent was mentor who aske d questions that made her think . Was given dictum "don't close schools": building an organization that stand s together, was Board Chair when there was a 10% budget cut - $6 million . Amazing Board was cautious (previously cantankerous), built communicatio n and was unified on cuts ... had a common goal built through interactiv e process . Patty learned much about the decision to NOT close Hawthorne School whil e merging students at Teach and Bishop's Peak ... and closing Pacheco . RE : Important issues she views for Council action ... 1.Budget Priorities :Bringing pension into line,considering 3% increas e anticipated via PERS and 49% of City staff close to retirement in th e next five years . Need to replace with two-tier system . Another bi g concern ... Measure Y, up for renewal 2014 . 2.Look at revenue sources,firm them up :Essential Measure Y approval detailing more than infrastructure, creek enhancement, nut s and bolts focus . Need to go back to voters in 4 years, begin strateg y now . 3.Planning - Update Land Use &Circulation Elements :In Circulatio n element consider pedestrians, bicycles as well as cars . Begi n concerted effort to identify neighborhoods ... can shore u p transportation, cultural aspects of community living . Eac h neighborhood can identify with spirit of diverse mix . Patty sees her budget perspective and comprehensive depth of experienc e as a strong asset . Her relationship to braiding values/action synthesize s significant results . I offered to share this narrative with her before distributing to allow he r to comment . She indicated she would appreciate same ... * * * * * * * * ** Dan Carpenter ...2 p .m . to 3 p .m ., Friday, December 17, 201 0 City Hall Conference Roo m Dan brought a written document answering the questions he received i n advance . What follows is the conversation as I heard it built around th e core questions and his prepared document, RE : qualities and values most important for a public servant ... 1.Integrity is viewed by Dan as the moral and ethical standards tha t one adheres to that also reflect his treatment of other people . Th e standards indicate his church/spiritual life, his service as a cit y representative on commissions and his dedication to family . 2.Transparency is his openness about how he processes issues an d concerns . 3.Availability is critical to his commitment as a public servant . H e noted his telephone # appearing on his campaign yard signs, hi s being fully attentive at Council meetings and encouraging resident s to call him at home . RE : Life experience and having "lived out" his values ... "As a leader in my family, church, workplace and voluntee r organizations, I treat every human being with the highest level o f dignity and compassion . I'm committed to a honest offering o f openness and availability, even when circumstances are no t convenient ." We talked about his service with People's Kitchen and Prado Day Cente r and his treatment of homeless recipients with respect - as an equal . RE : Important issues he views for Council Action ... 1."Bring staff salaries and pensions into line with economic constraints ." Dan feels we need to negotiate salaries at a more reasonable level, i n line with community wages . 2."Restore neighborhood wellness ." ban views this as a mix of peopl e who work together and respect each other ... an increased sense o f community with a healthy diversity . He has a concern about excessiv e abuse of personal property that exists in areas historically fraugh t with student/family lifestyle differences . 3."Provide an environment for economic development of businesses tha t nurture head of household jobs ." ban sees fiscal health as a majo r priority. As an addendum, Dan & I discussed Council culture and the management o f Council sessions . Dan described his style/communication as direct an d concise . I offered to share this narrative with him before distributing to allow hi m to comment . He indicated he would appreciate same ... Kevin P. Rice ..2 :30 p .m . to 3 :30 p .m ., Wednesday, December 15, 201 0 City Hall Conference Roo m Kevin noted that his application for City Council appointment was a statement to call attention to voters who support a democratic electorat e process . RE : qualities and values most important for a public servant ... 1.Integrity/Honesty -serving the people with no other interests,a strong component of values from constituents . 2.Capacity/Intelligence - a person who can understand issues, is up-to- speed on current City concerns and votes on information/materials a s they are presented . One needs to be mentally astute and capable . 3.Team-builder/consensus -One who can acquiesce ... be able t o compromise in deliberations and acknowledge the other side's point o f view . RE :Life experience and having "lived out" his values ... All of the above qualities are components of Kevin's profession as a Fir e Fighter . They are core values . Fire fighters go into individual home s during a fire and are trusted to be honest about home and persona l belongings . Each must have the honesty to acknowledge mistakes to achieve the team - building required during fire and emergency medical runs . Consensus in operative procedures is critical . Five or six members are in each engin e company ... they live together ... accept diversity of personal habits, clea n up, do dishes, etc . RE : Important issues he views for Council action ... 1.Budget - Council needs to be pro-active with public to put Bindin g Arbitration up to the voters in conjunction with Measure Y . Not sur e many understood the black 4 white nature of Binding Arbitration . Council should check temperature of the public . 2.Place Citizens/Taxpayers in priority position . Focus on findings o f the Fiscal Task Force, working with the balidio to develop within cit y limits . Agrees with the sentiment of the fee initiative proposed b y the Property Owners' Assn . Feels no one in 5LO should make mor e than the California Governor - Jerry Brown - making $187,000 pe r year . City Manager's salary is considered excessive . Pay attention t o public services ie transit and the Advisory Committees . 3.Kevin's top priority is to amend Charter Section #406 that speaks t o the appointment to Council vacancies . Kevin feels his qualifications/resume are strong enough for Counci l appointment . He attends many governmental meetings in SLO and othe r cities . When offered an opportunity to review the narrative, Kevin indicated he was comfortable not doing so .