HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-04-06 Council Work Session MINUTES
OF THE WORK SESSION OF THE
EDINA CITY COUNCIL
HELD AT CITY HALL
APRIL 6, 2010
5:00 P.M.
Mayor Hovland called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. in the Community Room of City Hall. Answering rollcall
were Members Bennett, Brindle, Swenson, Housh and Mayor Hovland. Staff attending the meeting was Ceil Smith,
Assistant to the City Manager.
Mayor Hovland said the purpose of the meeting was to interview two consulting search firms that may potentially
assist the City in hiring a new City Manager.
The Mayor reported that he and Ceil Smith had conducted an in person interview of Dean Kovack of the executive
search firm of Kovack&Associates. The Mayor also indicated he had a telephone interview with Beth La Breche of
La Breche Murray regarding the potential use of their service on the public input phase of the process.
The City Council conducted interviews of the two firms selected from five firms that had submitted proposals for, or
expressed interest in, assisting the Council in finding a new City Manager. The firms interviewed were Keystone
Search and Personnel Decisions International. Mayor Hovland explained each firm would have fifteen minutes to
present their proposals after which the Council would have thirty minutes to ask questions relating to methods,
timelines, experience, etc. He added that Personnel Decisions International would be presenting via conference
telephone.
Rebecca Yanisch and Mike Frommelt of Keystone Search presented their firm's proposal for the new City Manager
search. The Council questions included: method of gathering public input and guiding the public phase of the
process, how to balance desired public process with statutory data privacy requirements, who would lead the
search team, how would a targeted search be conducted, how would applicant qualities be analyzed, overcoming
the challenge of limited public sector salary and attracting top candidates, whether psychological testing was
included in their fee, and did the firm have adequate public sector experience to undertake the task as well as the
ability to handle all facets of the process.
Harry Brull, Personnel Decisions International, appearing by conference telephone call made his firm's proposal for
the new City Manager search. The Council's questions included: did PDI's past searches make the firm too
connected, how to handle the challenge of public sector salary cap, who would do the work for PDI, what would be
the best structure for the public process input phase method for moving candidates from a panel to the Council,
managing the privacy and the private assessment data on candidates, timeline for the process and whether PDI
was the only firm which could provide a complete service on all aspects of the search.
After the interviews and questions were finished for both firms, the Council had a discussion about whether a firm
should be retained which could conduct all elements of the search or whether consultants should be hired to handle
individual phases of the search. The Council concluded it wanted to use a firm which could handle the process
from beginning to end. The decision then needed to be made regarding which firm could best serve the City in its
search for a new City Manager. The Council came to a consensus that Personnel Decisions International was the
only firm interviewed which would provide a full and complete search comprised of a profile phase that included
public, staff, and Council input; a recruitment phase; a screening phase; an evaluation phase; a finalist assessment
phase; and a six-month performance review and that PDI was very qualified to assist in the search. The cost for
PDI was also determined to be the most competitive. The Council determined to address retention of Personnel
Decisions International at its Council meeting that same evening.
Mayor Hovland adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Ae
C I ssistant to the City Manager
Minutes approved by Edina City Council, May 4, 2010
James B. Hovland, Mayor