Mayor Clark called the meeting to order at 6:40 PM.

ROLL CALL: Mayor Clark, Mayor ProTem Lorenzo, Council Members Bononi, Crawford (absent-arrived 7:15 pm), Csordas, DeRoche and Kramer

1. City Manager Replacement Recruitment Process:

Tia Gronlund-Fox, Human Resource Director, was present, and indicated she distributed a copy of the City Charter dealing with the City Manager’s responsibilities, as well as copies of minutes from the Council’s goal setting meetings, a copy of the previous City Manager Evaluation form and a copy of the Interview Rating form that is used for Administrative employees. She asked Council for direction on how they want her to proceed with the meeting on December 18^th, such as questions, breaks, lunch, etc.

Mayor Clark suggested that if Council members have specific questions they want to ask, they can submit them prior to the interview session. No one will be precluded from asking any particular question to the applicant, but Council can share their ideas about specific areas or questions that they are thinking of asking.

Ms. Gronlund indicated that if Council would like to submit their questions to her, she will have them typed up and submitted to Council on the 18^th. She spoke to the City’s Labor Attorney about televising the interviews and he wanted to make sure that the candidates are advised, prior to coming in, that the interview will be televised and that no unappropriate questions are asked of the candidate.

Mayor Clark said that when the candidates are advised that the interview will be televised, he suggested that they also be notified that Novi has a limited market with their cable access channel.

Member Bononi asked if any of the resumes, other than Mr. Nowicki and Ms. Conley who are inhouse applicants, come forward by way of any Council member or Administrative representative? Ms. Gronlund replied that no applications have been received by Council or the Administration.

Member Csordas said that Council needs to pay critical attention to the questions that they cannot ask the applicant.

Mayor Clark asked Ms. Gronlund to resubmit to Council for the interview session on December 18, a copy of the Pre-employment Enquiry Guide, put out by the Michigan Department of Civic Rights.

Member Csordas asked if any consideration has been given to working with the applicants in a social setting, because the social aspects of the qualifications are critical and the ability to represent the City professionally is very important. After the first cut of applicants, a social function could be scheduled such as dinner with the Council or a City function.

Member Kramer said he received a direct mailing of a resume and did not receive an assessment from the City as to whether or not the applicant met the minimum requirements. Mayor Clark replied that he directed an inquiry to Tonni Bartholomew regarding that applicant because he did not see the name on the qualified or not qualified list. He asked that the inquiry be directed to Human Resources so they can include the name on either list in relationship to the guidelines that have been established.

Member Kramer said that Council needs to determine how much time should be allowed per interview and how many candidates should be brought in for the first round of interviews. He has indicated on his list of candidates, applicants he is interested in and some he could be interested in for the position.

Mayor Clark said they have to see how the numbers fall. If there are eight or nine candidates there may only be six that would be willing to come in for the first interview on December 18^th. If they end up with six interviews, he feels each applicant should be given a minimum of at least one-half hour. When the notices are sent out for the interviews, it should indicate that the interview will last a minimum of thirty minutes, more probably 45 minutes, but should expect some run-overs, which would push their time back. He feels interviews should be held in two sessions. Council could consider as many as twelve candidates.

Mayor Clark suggested that a telephone number or cellular phone be available to Council so when notices are sent, a telephone number can be listed as a courtesy to allow the out of town candidates to contact Council if they have a problem or delay with travel connections or air flights.

Member Csordas asked the Council to consider paying full and reasonable expenses as it relates to travel and lodging, which has been appropriate in the private sector. Possibly, the candidate can pay their own expenses and be reimbursed by the City after they submitted an expense form, or the City can make the arrangements to get the least expensive fair for air and lodging.

Member Lorenzo said that Mr. Klaver previously expressed an opinion to Council that expenses for the first interview is on the candidate and if brought back for a second or third interview, the City would pay.

Ms. Gronlund said that was typical how the City handles administrative employees, if hiring a department head, the applicant is expected to pay for the first round of expenses and if brought back for a second interview, the City will pay the expenses.

Member Kramer indicated that should be made clear to the candidates.

Mayor Clark said there will be a Council meeting on December 13 and felt that the City Manager process should be added to that Agenda. By that meeting, Tia can review Council’s choices and submit a list of the ranking of the candidates. Council can then see how many common choices there are in terms of ranking and determine which candidates to bring in for the first round of interviews on December 18^th. Council can also discuss how they are going to handle expenses incurred for the first round of interviews.

Member Lorenzo asked if there have been any new applicants that have come forward.

Ms. Gronlund replied that there was one additional application that was sent to Council on December 3^rd. Council replied that they have not received any additional candidates. They currently have a list with 27 names. Ms. Gronlund will forward an up to date list to Council.

Member Kramer suggested that the list of candidates have a date on the bottom so Council knows which list is the most current.

Member DeRoche said that sometimes the resume does not tell him everything and if Council or the Administration have had some encounters with any of the candidates or know more about their qualification, he is wide open for any input that can be offered.

Member Csordas said that since the resume is simply a piece of paper, Council may want to consider speaking to some candidates eventhough their resume may not indicate what Council is looking for in an applicant, as there may be a diamond in the rough.

Ms. Gronlund indicated that she has a concern because if Council determines on December 13^th who they would like to bring in for an interview, she will have to contact the candidates on the 14^th, which gives them only three days to make reservations and accommodations. She planned on having the ranking of candidates to Council by tomorrow, December 8^th, and have it delivered or faxed to each Council member. She would like the staff to begin contacting the candidates to schedule interviews for December 18^th.

Mayor Clark replied that once Council sees who the candidates are, Council cannot interview everyone on December 18^th. They may want to interview those applicants in close proximity on the 18^th and forward the candidates coming from a long distance to a different date.

Member Kramer indicated that he will not be able to attend the Council meeting on the 13^th.

It was the consensus of the Council to bring in six of the top twelve candidates on December 18^th for an interview. Ms Gronlund will rank the candidates and submit the list to Council on December 13^th.

Ms. Gronlund asked if Council wanted to offer the internal candidates an interview just as a courtesy, even if Council did not have any intention to interview them.

Council agreed to bring the inhouse candidates in for an interview.

Member Bononi said that she has no problem with the inhouse candidates being granted a courtesy interview but would like the candidates told that they are being granted an interview regardless of whether or not they are on Council’s top choice list.

Discussion was held regarding where the candidates will sit and will other candidates be able to observe the interviews. It was the consensus of the Council that the candidates sit at the Council table. The Mayor’s Office can be set-up as a hospitality room where the candidates will wait until they are called in for the interview. A suggestion was made to having two staff people available to give the candidates a tour of the Civic Center. On the second interview, candidates can be given a tour of the City, and a dinner with Council.

Ms. Gronlund asked Member Csordas if he planned on using the personality profiled previously discussed by Council. Member Csordas replied that the Council’s consensus was not to use the personality profile.

(COUNCILMAN CRAWFORD ENTERED MEETING AT 7:15)

Member Crawford said he did not bring in his ranking form because he has not completed his review of the applications. He will fax the form to Ms. Gronlund tomorrow. He apologized for being late and asked Council to give him an overview on what they decided to accomplish. Mayor Clark replied that Council decided to do their rankings and turn their forms in to Tia. Tia will tabulate them and see how many names they end up with that are ranked and try to set the first six interviews for December 18^th. Depending on how the names may fall in the rankings, one of the things discussed, is that some of applicants are coming in from a long distance and may not be able to attend an interview on December 18^th at such a short notice. There may be six applicants that Council will want to look at on the first round of interviews that are in the general area.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:25 pm.

__________________________ _________________________

Richard J. Clark, Mayor Tonni Bartholomew, City Clerk

Transcriber by: ________________________

Mary Ann Cabadas

Date approved: December 20, 1999