City Council Work Session
November 26, 2012
Present were Mayor Grenier, Councilors Otis, Remillard, Benski, Morgan-Allain, Higbee, Rozek, Nelson and Theberge
Others present Patrick MacQueen, Pamela Laflamme, Carl Weber, Rick Alpers from Primex, and Corinne Cascadden
Mayor Grenier opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Without objection from the Council, he changed the order of the agenda to have the School Support Guide discussion with Corinne Cascadden first.
System of School Support Guide
Corinne Cascadden reported that Berlin schools were invited by the State Department of Education to participate in the Academy of Pacesetting Districts and put the school’s administrative leadership through an exercise to identify how to facilitate improvement throughout its schools.
The guide includes demographics, enrollment trends, population trends and information about how Berlin education fares against the rest of the State and County. Poverty levels measured by the number of students in the free/reduced lunch program have gone up from 51% to 54% this year. There are 31 new students from Bureau of Prisons employees; however the total number of students is the same as last year.
It became evident that it is impossible to achieve 100% proficiency as required by the No Child Left Behind Program, therefore a new program has been developed that will measure each individual student’s growth over time. New testing in 2014-15 will be on line and the schools have been given two years to prepare. As part of this effort, educator effectiveness evaluations will be completed and a student’s achievement will be used to measure the effectiveness of each teacher. Students will have to show growth over time.
All students need to pass Algebra 1 before graduating. Ms. Cascadden reported that there is not a lot of value put on 11th grade testing because the results are used only to measure the school’s proficiency, not the students’. There is no consequence to the student “just filling in circles”.
The Guide provides an overview of schools touching on initiatives such as STEM, a pre-engineering curriculum for grades 6, 7 and 8; parent participation, Freshmen orientation with parent participation and principals getting into the classrooms. Behavior models will have a consistent discipline process with the same language throughout the school system.
Ms. Cascadden noted that Berlin was paired with Somersworth and the intent was that each school system would present their guide to the other; Berlin was the only one to finish it. Mayor Grenier asked if school employees are resisting this change and Ms. Cascadden stated that they met challenges of this exercise as a team. The Mayor thanked Ms. Cascadden for presenting the information and she left the meeting at this time.
City Manager Discussion with Carl Weber and Rick Alpers of Primex
Mayor Grenier indicated that the Council officially voted to use the services of Primex to help to find a new city manager.
Mr. Weber explained that this process starts to put together a timeline and it will identify who will look at the resumes. In the process of answering basic questions, the Council will come to a consensus about what they want in a new city manager.
The following were identified as critical issues to the city:
*The continuation of change from manufacturing to a more diverse employment base and business climate;
*The City has the lowest property values by far in the state and that is unique to Berlin and needs to be turned around;
* Infrastructure as in streets and bridges;
*The City is the largest employer;
*The City needs the right leadership to promote itself;
*The lack of jobs;
*The City is losing its young people in a shift of demographics;
*The City needs manufacturing as well as tourism (hotel) to promote growth;
*There is a need to redefine the employment mix that will work in the city;
Issues critical to the City Manager
*That he pay attention to the history and culture of Berlin in the process of developing leadership;
*The City is faced with declining jobs and increasing budgets;
*There is a high rate of people on SSI who cannot work;
*Some of the work force is not qualified for the jobs available;
*The cost of municipal employees is rising faster than the rate of inflation. The costs are out of control with the NHRS, and health insurance;
*The wealth in the community gets distributed out of state as people’s estates are liquidated;
*Budgets are difficult; the County tax is 2 to 3 times more that neighboring counties.
*Long term, how do we grow the tax base?
*Creating a new, dynamic business climate;
*Learning the bargaining units and the players;
*Adopting respect for the current culture;
*The manager needs to be very accessible and not overexposed;
*Low key and getting things done;
*In a City with a small population we face the opposite of economy of scale; we are still trying to provide a large number of services and there is an expectation of services with a smaller population;
*Political discourse on the Federal level could have a huge effect on Berlin with any cut to federal aid;
*Coordination of collective bargaining; schools, police and water negotiate their own contracts; however they come to the City Council for approval.
*Oversight of the waste water treatment project and funding;
*Gaining the institutional knowledge.
Roadblocks to a smooth transition:
*Personality related failure;
*Election November 13 in which all councilors are running at large in the city. There is a potential to have a different council with mixed direction;
*Employment contract, as the City has not had an employment contract with the city manager;
*The individual needs to fit the community;
*There needs to be an exit clause for both parties; ICMA ethics states no less than 2 years
Essential skills, experience, education:
*Common sense and practical experience; perhaps someone who has been self employed, with a background in the private sector;
*More than a basic understanding of budgeting; State experience; basic connections to state government; elected office experience;
*Prefer a Bachelors; MBA; MPA and some level of experience; community involvement; other equivalent experience;
*Minimum of four years experience;
*Mediator and conflict resolution skills;
*More than a basic understanding of municipal finance;
*Creative in problem solving;
*Grant experience;
*NH budgets;
*Flexibility and adaptability;
*An ability to develop people.
Behaviors and Values:
*High personal integrity to the job; straightforward with the governing body;
*The Manager’s goal is outcomes for the city; outward focus, not an inward focus. Success is measured by city and not individual;
*Respect for the community;
*Energetic;
*Ambitious but cautious;
*Maturity;
*Work with existing vision and move forward;
*Communication skills; receptive and has the ability to listen.
Councilors estimated an August 1, 2013 start date for the new manager.
Ads will be placed on January 4, 2013 in publications and on line with ICMA; municipal leagues of New England states and Union Leader, Portland Press Herald and local papers.
A draft of the ad will be sent to Primex by 12/14/12.
The due date for resumes and cover letter to the City Manager is February 1, 2013
It is important to put a salary range in the ad and Council conceded to $75,000 to $105,000
Ranking and scoring can be done with a subcommittee and/or professional panel. In addition to professionals, Council members Rozek, Higbee, Benski and Remillard volunteered to participate on the panel. March 1, 2013 resumes will be ranked
By the end of March, interviews will be scheduled with one or two panels. The two panel interview process works with the candidates being interviewed by parallel panels. The benefit is the Council will get a different perspective from the second panel of no more than 5. These interviews will take place on Saturdays, potentially, 3/30/13 or 4/6/2013.
The facilitated session is the same day. Following the first interview is the DISC and values assessment.
Top finalists are asked in for a second interview with the Mayor and Council at the end of April -- 4/27/13 or 5/4/13. At this time a tour of city could be done by a department head or community member. Mr. MacQueen noted that it is important to get the feedback of whoever goes on the tour.
The candidate will be given a specific project to complete.
May 6 or 13, a conditional offer is put together at a council meeting. The condition is the successful completion of the appropriate background and reference checks.
Mayor Grenier offered to do the personal phone calls for reference checks on the top three candidates. Candidates need to be assured that this is a confidential process. A new manager would be known by June 1 with a start date of August 1.
Mr. Weber indicated that it is common practice to pay for some of the expenses of candidates who come from away.
Reference checks to a candidate’s current employer should not be done until the very end. Mr. Alpers warned that research can be done by the Council but it should be from newspaper articles rather than from blogs on the Internet. He and Mr. Weber encouraged the Council to think about interview questions. Mr. MacQueen asked for a task list of what Primex will do and what the City is expected to do.
Mayor Grenier confirmed that the next time the Council will meet with Primex is in March in a non-public session to come to a consensus.
Hospital Vent Agreement
Mr. MacQueen reported that the Hospital is eligible to receive grant funds for ventilators; however the granting agency is asking for a certificate of vote from the municipality.
Councilor Rozek moved with a second from Councilor Nelson to approve the following:
Resolved: that the municipality agrees that portable ventilators, provided by the State of NH, acting through its DHHS, Division of Public Health Services for the benefit of the municipality in emergency situations, be granted directly to Androscoggin Valley Hospital to be stored, maintained and deployed as necessary; and
Resolved: that the City Manager is hereby authorized on behalf of this Municipality to approve said agreement with the State and to execute any and all documents, agreements, and other instruments; and any amendments, revisions, or modifications thereto, as he/she may deem necessary, desirable, or appropriate.
So moved, the motion carried unanimously.
There being no further business to come before the Council, Councilor Remillard moved with a second from Councilor Rozek to adjourn. So moved, the motion carried. The meeting ended at 9:25 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan Tremblay
Administrative Assistant
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