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Home My WebLink About07/15/1975MINUTES ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY.OF SAN LUIS OBISPO TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1975 - 12:10.p.m. CITY HALL Pledge Roll Call PRESENT: Myron Graham, T. Keith Gurnee, Jesse Norris, Steven Petterson and Mayor Kenneth E. Schwartz ABSENT: None City Staff PRESENT: .J.H. Fitzpatrick, City Clerk; R.D. Miller, Administrative Officer; A.J. Shaw, Jr., City Attorney ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. The City Council considered their discussion on the management and administrative organization and operation of the City. Councilman Petterson submitted a preliminary report of the subcommittee review- ing the top administrative organization of the City. He stated the.subcommittee felt there should: 1) be more positive direction by the Council and less inter- ference by the Council with department heads and staff, 2) let the Administrative Officer administer and manage the City departments, 3) consider the establish- ment of a personnel director and.a labor relations officer, 4) remove the City Clerk from the financial operations of the City in order to give him more time to work directly under the City Council as an Executive Officer or as a Secre- tary and allow the present Assistant - Director of Finance to take over the financial burden of the City, and finally, the City Clerk would work directly with the Council and act as a liaison for the City Council with department ' heads and the public, keeping the City Council fully informed of what was happening in the City and to do special projects for the City Council. dealing with City operation. Councilman Gurnee reviewed points listed by Councilman Petterson suggesting that if the City Council were to adopt in general, or at least the concept of what has been presented by the subcommittee, it would be a way for the City Council to develop standards to measure the activities and performance of the Administrative Officer, the City Clerk and the City Attorney and to rate the top officials as to.their performance. He also felt that the City Council should adopt some standards for the Administrative Officer to be measured by, and further, that the Administrative Officer be relieved of the daily details so he could take an active role in the management of the City and to see that the departments operate effectively and efficiently. He continued by describing a proposed job description for the City Council Executive Officer /Clerk,.which would include functions such as: 1) Provide information to the Council for ongoing City programs and projects so the Council could make.informed decisions. 2) Provide the Council with reports on investigations or progress of projects and programs. 3) Keep the Council informed of day =to -day matters involving or affecting the Council. 4) Keep the Council informed of the activities of the various citizens' advisory committees through analysis of reports, minutes, etc. 5) Keep the Council.aware of actions and activities of other legisla- tive groups, such as the County, State, Schools, etc., that would affect the City government. 6) Make reports to the Council on .conflicts or progress in departmental organization or operation. City Council Minutes July 15, 1975 Page 2 7) Perform a coordinating function for the Council with all City departments and employees. 8) Perform special assignments as directed by the City Council. 9) Provide staff and clerical support to the Council. Councilman Gurnee then described the basic responsibilities of the proposed personnel labor relations officer as suggested by the subcommittee. Finally, he suggested that the subcommittee of the City Council should be continued with a view to improve the City organization and further with the idea to propose certain Charter changes to be made in the organizational work in order to bring the Charter more in line with today's operations. The subcommittee recognized that the City Council should adopt a policy of non - .intervention in the day -to -day operations of City Hall and City depart- ments. They felt all decisions should be made by the Council as a whole and not by individual members. The City Council discussed the various proposals made by the Council subcom- mittee in attempting to get more and better management from the existing administrative staff of the City. Councilman Norris stated that he agreed with all the proposals of the sub- committee for improving management of the City at City Hall. He did not like the title or position of Council Executive Officer as he understood the position. He felt that the job description described by the subcommittee was what he felt the City Clerk should be doing if he could be relieved of all the detail of the finances for the City. He felt if the title were left as City Clerk with additional duties as described, he would buy the proposal. R.D. Miller, Administrative Officer, questioned the promotion of Mr. Muravez to the Director of Finance position since he was still progressing through the various salary steps. He felt that he could not rely on him as he could upon the existing Director of Finance and felt that possibly the present organization could continue until Mr. Muravez had gained some experience in administration and public relations. Councilman Gurnee stated that the subcommittee did not feel that they wanted the City Council to make staff decisions at this time, but felt that they just wanted the City Council to be thinking about their recommendations which should be discussed further by the City Council as a whole, with amendments and changes. Mayor Schwartz stated that he was having difficulty in understanding the functions of the proposed Council Executive Officer as defined in light of the City's present Administrative Officer set up in the Charter. Councilman Gurnee stated that the proposed position was not a dual management role, but just,a liaison for the City Council to communicate with department heads, the public, etc., and to allow the Administrative Officer to administer and manage the departments. He felt that their investigations showed that there was an extreme lack of management, administration, and cohesiveness in the various departments of the City. It was the Council consensus that the Administrative Officer should be relieved from membership or attendance at Traffic Committee meetings, Joint Recreational Committee meetings, Park $ Recreation Commission meetings, etc., although as Administrative Officer he would have the right to attend the meetings.and to discuss the matters before the various citizens's groups. Mayor Schwartz suggested that the subcommittee should come up with some guide- lines for Council input with City department heads, borads, commissions, etc. He also felt that the position of Council Executive or Liaison should be very clearly delineated so that the Council Liaison Officer and Administrative Officer would know exactly what duties and responsibilities each officer had. City Council Minutes July 15, 1975 Page 3 The Mayor's-major concerns were: 1) The financial well -being of the City, 2) The legal status of the City, 3) Physical character of the community, 4) The social character of the community, and 5) Completion of the General Plan. Mayor Schwartz continued that the City Council subcommittee continue their study of this matter and that they bring forth more suggestions on manage- ment and administration operations of the City in order to bring it up into first -class shape so that the City Council could feel free and secure in the operation of the community. 2. The City Council adjourned to Executive Session. 3. On motion of Councilman Gurnee, seconded by Councilman Graham the meeting adjourned. APPROVED: October 6, 1975 �/��/► ..#'H - F- zpatrick, City Clerk Pledge Roll Call City Staff MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO MONDAY, JULY 21, 1975 - 7`00 p.m. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL PRESENT: Myron Graham, T. Keith Gurnee, Jesse Norris, Steven Petterson, and Mayor Kenneth E. Schwartz ABSENT: None PRESENT: J.H. Fitzpatrick, City Clerk; R.D. Miller, Administrative Officer; E.L. Rodgers, Chief of Police; A.J. Shaw, Jr., City Attorney; Robert Strong, Community Development Director; Wayne Peterson, City Engineer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. A request by the City Engineer, Wayne Peterson, for the Council to consider the acceptance of Tract 485, later on in the agenda as it was not placed on the normal agenda. The item was ordered continued on motion of Councilman Gurnee. Motion lost for lack of a second. On motion of Councilman Norris, seconded by Councilman Petterson that the request be placed at the end of the agenda. Motion carried, Councilmen Graham and Gurnee voting no. 1. Mayor Schwartz, with the approval of the City Council, made the follow- ing appointments to the various City boards and commissions for the 1975 terms. Park & Recreation Commission: D.J. Van.Harreveld Term expiring 6/30/79 Beatrice Kardel Term expiring.6 /30/79 Richard Jordison Term expiring 6/30/79 Robert Janssen Term expiring 6/30/79