HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 09/07/2004 - RESOLUTION 2004-106 APPROVING THE POSITION PROFILERESOLUTION 2004-106
APPROVING THE POSITION PROFILE FOR
THE CITY MANAGER EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROCESS
WHEREAS, on July 6, 2004, the City Council adopted a process to be used in conducting
its executive recruitment for the City Manager position; and
WHEREAS, a key step in that process is the development of a position profile which will
be used in the creation of recruiting materials for candidates; and
WHEREAS, the executive search firm met with a wide variety of interested parties on
August 18, 19 and 20, 2004 to receive input on the issues to be highlighted in the position profile;
and
WHEREAS, the executive search firm has drafted the attached position profile for Council’s
review and approval.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS that the position profile attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, and incorporated herein by this
reference is hereby approved by the Council for use in the recruitment process for the City Manager.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 7th
day of September, A.D. 2004.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO
City Manager
Recruitment Profile
September 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS . . . . . . . . 1
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ABOUT THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER . . . 3
Appointment, qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Powers and Duties .................3
Absence of City Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Removal of City Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES AND PROBLEMS . . . . 4
From the Mayor and City Council Members . 4
Added to the list by Citizen Advisory Group
Members..................5
Added to the list by Executive Leadership
Team Members..............5
Added to the list by Individual Employees . . 5
QUALIFICATIONS......................7
Minimum Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Areas of Special Expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Preferred Management and Leadership
Experience.................7
Management and Leadership Style . . . . . . . 7
Professional and Personal Characteristics . . . 8
TO APPLY ...........................8
Fort Collins Honors and Awards
Ranked 29 th best place for business
and career - Forbes Magazine 2003
5 th Best Economy Nationwide -
Policom Corp. 1999
ICLEI 5-Star Award for efforts to
reduce global warming and pollution
2002
Ranked 10 th on “Best Cities to Have it
All” -A& E Network 1999
One of Top 10 Places to Retire -
Money Magazine 2000
3 rd Best Place to Raise a Family -
Reader’s Digest, 1997 Special Edition
City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Page 1
CITY MANAGER PROFILE
Slavin Management Consultants
Mountain Ave. Trolley
Lincoln Center
ABOUT THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
Fort Collins was founded in 1864 and incorporated as a
statutory town in 1873. The present City Charter which
authorized a council-manager form of government was
adopted in 1954.
The City has an estimated 2003 population of 130,566.
Colorado State University (CSU), with 25,000 students, is
located in the City and is its largest employer. Students and
staff at the University are a significant factor in the City's
economy. Larimer County is seated in Fort Collins.
Known as "The Choice City,” Fort Collins is a place where
people choose to live. It is situated along the eastern base
of the Rocky Mountains, anchored by the northern edge of
Colorado' s Front Range and just fifty miles from Denver.
The City is seen as a mecca for energetic, motivated people
attracted to the diverse career, recreation and education
opportunities the region holds. The U.S. Census Bureau
has determined that Fort Collins residents are among the
nation' s best educated. Residents tend to be youthful and
they earn a higher than average median household income.
Fort Collins is a progressive city with a warm and
welcoming small-town flavor. It has the amenities of a large
metropolitan area without the hassles of big-city life. It
offers a wide variety of unique shops and restaurants. The
City has long valued arts and history. Its performing arts
centers draw national names while museums and galleries
nurture and celebrate the region's heritage and artistic
endeavors.
Rocky Mountain National Park and the Poudre Canyon,
with its wild and scenic river, help preserve that wide-open
feel of the West. Within the City limits are miles of trails
for biking and hiking and first-class recreation facilities
from swimming pools and skating rinks to parks and open
spaces.
Fort Collins is home to an increasingly diverse community
of businesses in the high-tech, telecommunications, biotech,
publishing and manufacturing realms, among others.
Hewlett-Packard Company, LSI Logic, Agilent
Technologies, Eastman Kodak, Woodward, Hach Company,
Celestica, Waterpik Technologies and Anheuser-Busch have
facilities within the region.
Fort Collins has an average of 300 days of sunshine per
year, low humidity, moderate winters, and a mild year-
round climate. The area receives approximately 18 inches of
rain and 55 inches of snow per year. The average high
temperature during the summer months is 85 degrees. In the
winter months, it is 42 degrees.
Fort Collins has an excellent public school system and
plenty of opportunities for higher learning and continuing
education. Its Poudre School District (PSD) was nationally
ranked a "Gold Medal District" back-to-back years by
Expansion Management magazine.
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
Fort Collins’ City Charter prescribes that the City is
City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Page 2
CITY MANAGER PROFILE
Slavin Management Consultants
ordinances. The City Manager also administers the
operation of all the departments and divisions of the City.
Basic municipal services provided by the City include parks,
recreation, planning, police protection, public
transportation, library services, water, wastewater,
electricity, public works (including street maintenance),
storm drainage and municipal court. The City operates four
utilities: water, wastewater, stormwater and electric
through the Utilities Service Area. Fire protection is
provided by the Poudre Fire Authority. There are 1,640
full-time equivalent employees (FTE’ s). The total budget
for Fiscal Year 2004 is $345,725,004.
Elementary, junior high and high schools in the City are
provided by Poudre School District R-1. Fort Collins and
the City of Loveland jointly operate the Fort Collins-
Loveland Airport.
Gas service is provided primarily by Public Service
Company of Colorado. Trash collection is provided by
private contractors.
City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Page 3
CITY MANAGER PROFILE
Slavin Management Consultants
ABOUT THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER
Article III of the Fort Collins City Charter establishes the City Manager position and specifies the following:
CITY MANAGER
Appointment, qualifications
The Council shall appoint and fix the compensation of a City Manager, who shall be the chief executive officer and head
of the administrative branch of the City government. The City Manager shall be appointed on the basis of his or her
executive and administrative qualifications, with special reference to actual experience in and knowledge of accepted
practice in respect to the duties of the office. Prior to appointment, the City Manager need not be a resident of the City,
but during his or her tenure in office the City Manager shall reside within the City.
City Manager’ s Powers and Duties
The City Manager shall be responsible to the Council for the proper administration of all affairs of the City and to that
end shall have power and be required to:
(a) appoint and, when necessary for the good of the service, remove all heads of service areas and employees of
the City except as otherwise provided by this Charter;
(b) prepare the budget annually and submit it to the Council and be responsible for its administration after
adoption;
(c) participate in discussions of the Council in an advisory capacity;
(d) prepare and submit to the Council as of the end of the fiscal year a complete report on the finances and
administrative activities of the City for the preceding year and make written or oral reports to the Council when
required by it as to any particular matter relating to the affairs of the City within his or her supervision;
(e) keep the Council advised of the financial condition and the future needs of the City and make recommendations
to the Council;
(f) enforce the laws and ordinances of the City;
(g) perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this Charter or required of the City Manager by the Council
not inconsistent with this Charter.
Absence of City Manager
To perform his or her duties during temporary absence or disability, the City Manager may designate a qualified
employee of the City by letter filed with the City Clerk. If the City Manager fails to make such designation, the Council
may by resolution appoint a qualified employee of the City to perform the duties of the City Manager until he or she
returns or his or her disability ceases.
Removal of City Manager
The Council shall appoint the City Manager for an indefinite term and may remove a City Manager by majority vote of
the Councilmembers. If a City Manager is removed by this method, at least thirty (30) days before such removal takes
effect, the Council shall by majority vote of its members adopt a resolution stating the reasons for the removal, which
resolution may also provide for interim suspension. Upon such removal or suspension by this method the Council shall
cause to be paid to the City Manager any unpaid balance of his or her salary for the current month and the salary for the
next calendar month.
City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Page 4
CITY MANAGER PROFILE
Slavin Management Consultants
OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES AND PROBLEMS (Not
Prioritized)
From the Mayor and City Council Members:
< Development of an economic sustainability program for
Fort Collins to include at least the following components:
maintenance of a successful business community,
environment management, existing land use policies,
property rights, public service delivery, future residential
growth, current revenue projections and the development of
new revenue sources
< Fort Collins is a “ Star Community” which has earned
national leadership recognition in many areas
< Revenues have been declining and will worsen if a
movement to remove sales tax from food is successful
(would reduce General Fund by $6 million)
< Community values have a strong environmental focus
< Build a more collaborative Executive Leadership Team
consisting of members who genuinely view the City as a
whole
< Great opportunity to evaluate and make warranted changes
to existing municipal services, programs, processes,
resources and the organization in face of the need to do
more with less
< Establish action plan and process to diversify the City’ s
workforce to reflect community demographics
< Ensure that municipal codes are consistently enforced
Citywide, including the rental housing codes
< Advancement of the Mason Transportation Corridor project
< Important water supply issues - - immediate possibility of
increasing the City’ s water supply through reservoir
expansion
< Establish and administer a citywide employee relations
policy which:
• ensures fair, equitable and consistently administered
human resources standards, policies and procedures
• establishes a “ mutual trust” based foundation to begin
the new Police Department employee collective
bargaining process
• effectively addresses and enhances citywide employee
morale
• attracts and retains excellent employees at all levels
Finances
T Fort Collins' unemployment rate
is 6.3 percent
T The City/State has a combined
sales tax rate of 6.8 percent
T The residential property tax rate
is 7.96
T Moody’s assigned Fort Collins a
Aa2 rating in 2004
T The City's adopted biennial
budget totals $438 million for the
year 2004 and $450 million for the
year 2005.
Budweiser Brewery
City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Page 5
CITY MANAGER PROFILE
Slavin Management Consultants
• New “ Life Style” Center and renovation of existing Foothills Mall retail development
• Improve the budget by making it an easily understood policy setting and performance measurement tool for the City
Council
• Possible loss of the Poudre Valley Hospital to Loveland
• Develop a closer relationship between the City and Colorado State University
• Establish more cooperative and effective regional relationships in an effort to better address and resolve regional
issues such as land use, the environment and transportation
Added to the list by Citizen Advisory Group Members:
Many of the items provided by the City Council were also mentioned by the Citizen Advisory Group. The following
items are in addition.
• Devise a strategy to encourage more active community involvement from the City’ s minority communities
• Fort Collins is a demanding community which has come to expect excellence in both basic public services and
quality of life amenities
• The twenty-year growth forecast for Fort Collins anticipates a population of 190,000.
• Need to find a more creative financing mechanism to fund capital needs
Added to the list by Executive Leadership Team Members:
Many of the items provided by the City Council were also mentioned by the Executive Leadership Team. The
following items are in addition.
• The next City Manager needs to assist the City Council in establishing a long range “ vision” for the City
• The organizational culture and executive leadership style needs to be changed to free Service Area Directors to
manage by eliminating current “ control points”
• The State is considering cutting personal income tax
• As the City reaches “ build out” it is now beginning to look at “ in fill” rather than new growth
• Uncertain impact of the recent sale of Foothill Mall
Added to the list by Individual Employees:
Many of the items provided by the City Council were also mentioned by individual employees. The following items are
in addition.
• The City Manager and Executive Management Team should establish a genuine two-way communication conduit
between the City Council and employees at all levels of the organization
• The City’ s management culture should be optimistic and include the concept of “ leadership by inspiration”
City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Page 6
CITY MANAGER PROFILE
Slavin Management Consultants
Fort Collins City Hall
City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Page 7
CITY MANAGER PROFILE
Slavin Management Consultants
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Requirements
Education and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree
(Master's strongly preferred) in Public Administration or
related field combined with significant experience as a local
government manager or assistant manager in a diverse and
complex community comparable to Fort Collins. Experience
in a community with a major university would be a plus.
The successful candidate must clearly possess and apply the
superior management and leadership knowledge, skill,
ability, commitment and energy needed to achieve the City
Councils goals.
Areas of Special Expertise
< Budget and finance
< Outstanding manager and strong leader with keen
analytical skills and the ability to effect structural and
cultural organizational change as needed
< Economic sustainability; understands critical
community components and value and how to balance
them - - particularly important to Fort Collins are
environmental, business and growth interests
< Strategic thinking and planning
< Analytical
< Employee relations
< Master negotiator
Preferred Management and Leadership Experience
< Experience with a community like Fort Collins with
similar demographics, values, goals and issues
< Experience with the council/manager form of
government
< Experience gained in a community with a major
university
< Experience gained in a community which provides
utilities
< Experience resulting in an understanding of Colorado
type water laws and issues
< Experience gained in a community with some services,
such as fire, provided through independent authorities
< Experience gained in a community with collective
bargaining
< Experience gained in a community which provides public
transit services
Management and Leadership Style
With the City Council
< Provides strong, direct, clear, open, honest, unbiased,
forthright, respectful, non-manipulative and candid
information to the City Council; is a full participant in
Council discussions and not reluctant to say what is on
his/her mind; not a “ yes“ person
< Develops, presents and supports creative ideas and
alternatives
< Builds a trust-based relationship with the Mayor and
each Council Member through which all members
receive even handed and equal professional support and
through which a direct information exchange between
Council Members and staff is encouraged
City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Page 8
CITY MANAGER PROFILE
Slavin Management Consultants
To apply please send your resume by October 27, 2004 to:
Robert E. Slavin, President
SLAVIN MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
3040 Holcomb Bridge Road, Suite B-1
Norcross, Georgia 30071
Phone: (770) 449-4656
Fax: (770) 416-0848
e-mail slavin@bellsouth.net
All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national
origin, political affiliation, age or handicap.
< While focused on the whole, stays informed and
current on issues -- effectively delegates responsibility
and authority and does not overly control or micro
manage
< Encourages involvement, listens and captures the best
talent in the organization; sets high standards and clear
goals and expectations; then allows staff to produce at
their highest level
< Provides the best thinking of staff to the City Council
< Encourages employee development at all levels - is an
advocate of staff development
< Regularity visits employee work areas to directly
communicate with employees
< Is supportive and respectful of quality staff at all levels
in the organization - - shares credit for organizational
successes and accepts responsibility for mistakes
With the Community
< Builds and maintains effective and productive working
relationships with Colorado State University, Poudre
School District R-1, Larimer and Weld Counties,
neighboring cities, Poudre Valley Hospital, the state,
and the community’ s leaders
< Is accessible and visible in the community and, at
times, may be called to advocate for City Council
policies - - careful not to preempt Council’ s policy
setting role
Professional and Personal Characteristics
< Exceptional communicator and negotiator with strong
collaboration, conflict resolution, negotiating and
problem solving skills
< Continually evaluates the organization and makes
changes to improve the quality of service and the
efficiency of the organization
< Solicits ideas, shares information freely, listens, is
flexible enough to change his/her mind and is not
overly controlling
< Visionary and innovative
< A change agent, interested in cooperative solutions
< Self confident without being an egotist
< A strategic thinker and planner who understands
community economic sustainability and how to balance
competing priorities to achieve it
< Technically strong, knowledgeable of current “ best
practices” and able to explain complex issues in
understandable terms
< Decisive and able to make tough choices
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL
ITEM NUMBER: 21
DATE: September 7, 2004
STAFF: Rick DeLaCastro
SUBJECT
Resolution 2004-106 Approving the Position Profile for the City Manager Executive Search Process.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The final draft of the Position Profile for the City Manager’s position is being presented for Council
approval. The final profile includes information gathered from Council members, Citizen Advisory
Committee members and staff by Bob Slavin of Slavin Management Consultants. This document
will be used throughout the City Manager recruitment process.
< Even tempered, non-confrontational, respectful and
diplomatic
< Accepts and thrives on challenges
< Fiscally responsible and realistic
< Politically astute but apolitical
< Honest, intelligent, energetic, non biased, forthright and
even handed
< Strong public service ethic
< Capable of effectively balancing his/her professional and
personal lives
< Assertively assists the Council to work collaboratively
and to reach consensus on issues
< Works for the entire Council and will not become overly
influenced by any member or faction of the Council
< Enthusiastically implements City Council policy
direction without regard for personal or staff
recommendations or preferences
< Understands and adheres to the role distinctions between
the City Council, the City Manager and staff
< Has a “ can do” attitude with a commitment to results
and the ability to achieve them
< Responds to Council requests in a highly responsive and
timely manner
< Keeps the Council well informed without miring them in
detail
With the Staff
< Creates a strong team-oriented bond among the City
Council, the City Manager and the Executive Leadership
Team which reaches the entire organization and fosters
organizational cohesiveness
< Leadership - creates a results focused and collaborative
work environment and earns the respect of the workforce
governed by a six-member Council and a Mayor who are
elected by the voters. Members of the Council are elected
from six districts within the City. The Mayor’ s term is two
years; the Council Members serve four-year overlapping
terms. The Mayor is limited to three terms. Council
Members are limited to two terms. The next council
election is scheduled for April 2005. At that time, the
Mayor and three City Council seats will be decided.
All legislative powers of the City are vested in the City
Council. The affirmative vote of the majority of the
Council present is required for the enactment of any
ordinance.
The Council appoints all boards and commissions, the City
Manager, the City Attorney and the Municipal Court Judge.
The City Manager is the chief executive of the City and is
responsible for the enforcement of the City's laws and