Applicants for Juneau’s soon-to-be-vacant city manager position with the City and Borough of Juneau totaled 25, and Monday night the Assembly Committee of the Whole narrowed the candidates to a “short list.”
The committee reviewed the candidates in executive session and wouldn’t clarify how many were on that “short list.” The candidates that the Assembly will consider further will be contacted and asked if they’re still interested and those who didn’t make the cut also will be notified. Once confirmation from the remaining candidates is received, the city will announce finalists to be interviewed.
The COW also defined broadly how it would like the interview process to go.
Mayor Bruce Botelho suggested a mechanism for department leaders to interview the candidates, an Assembly interview and a more informal public forum.
Assembly Member Randy Wanamaker was opposed to the idea of department leaders “interviewing” candidates, but would rather have them give a briefing to candidates about their department.
“I don’t really want the city department heads assessing someone for me,” he said. “I do want them sharing information.”
Wanamaker said last time the city had something called an “assessment center” for the candidates and he said he felt it was a waste of time. He suggested instead having a briefing session for the candidates, such as with the department leaders, so candidates can build a better picture of the whole city.
Botelho, in giving ideas for what information they want to get from candidates, suggested having finalists complete three or four assignments where they would write up a briefing memo for the Assembly and then discuss it with them.
Assembly Member Johan Dybdahl liked the idea, but suggested having them incorporate the Assembly’s Top 10 goals.
Assembly Member Jesse Kiehl and Wanamaker felt that three to four such assignments may be too much for their purposes, but felt that some sort of exercise would be valuable.
The public forum also was clarified more. It would be a “League of Women Voters”-style forum where candidates would be asked questions and required to respond. Botelho said it would test the ability of candidates to think on their feet, public speaking skills and how they respond under pressure.
Assembly Member Mary Becker suggested they also have a reception, so that those who aren’t necessarily coming with an intent to ask a question can visit with candidates.
The Assembly formed a subcommittee to draft options for assignments for the candidates. Assembly Members Carlton Smith, Wanamaker and Kiehl will serve on it, with Smith chairing.
The COW also recommended the Assembly form a committee to decide further details on a budget survey. The League of Women Voters of Juneau drafted a proposal to conduct another citizen survey on the budget. With a projected $7.5-million deficit over the course of the next two years, the Assembly wants the information to make budget decisions.
The League proposed changing the normal format of the survey from telephone to mailings. A representative of the League said telephone surveys are no longer reliable for their methodology because of how cellular telephones have transformed behaviors. One problem is that cell phone numbers are not listed in the phone book and those who do not also have land lines would not be contacted. Another problem is that phone companies gave people the ability to move their number with them. So just because a number has a Douglas prefix, for example, doesn’t mean that person actually lives in Douglas anymore.
That’s a problem for surveying because they’re trying to get a certain percentage of respondents per area of Juneau.
Instead, the League wants to mail out surveys, which will reach every Juneau mailing address instead of a limited group of phone participants. The proposed survey mirrors a 2008 survey, which featured questions on budget priorities, demographics and other financial considerations. Those questions change by next week’s Assembly meeting as a small committee works through the questions for the survey. The committee consists of Assembly Member Karen Crane, who will chair the committee and is chairwoman of the Assembly’s Finance Committee, and Assembly Members Kiehl and Smith.
Kiehl was concerned about the processes the League would take to avoid duplicity — as the mailings will also hit mailboxes of businesses.
“They aren’t going to be able to keep people from answering more than once,” said Kim Kiefer, deputy city manager. “Unless you send it to a specific address and track it, we wont be able to keep people from stuffing the ballot box with their comments.”
Kiehl also was concerned about there being an inherent bias in mailing surveys, since he believes a limited demographic tends to respond to mailings.
The League is working with a volunteer from Anchorage — Steve Hamilton — who has a background in statistical surveys, the League said. Kiefer said results will be recorded as they come in, and if staff or Hamilton notices specific sectors of Juneau haven’t responded in sufficient percentages, the League can send out a public service announcement asking for more responses.
Wanamaker asked for more background data on the survey the city had McDowell Group perform regarding the pool. He said he remembers that being cheap and fast and wanted to know more about the methodology used back then.
Kiefer said she didn’t remember offhand, but it could be added for research for the subcommittee.
The cost of the League’s survey is proposed at just under $10,000 and results aren’t expected back until April. Wanamaker said he felt that was too late for the Assembly to use effectively with the deficit.
Smith wanted to know more information on the methodology that will be used in the League’s study.
The League representative said they can have Hamilton address their concerns as early as Tuesday.
The COW voted 8-1 to move the survey to the subcommittee to review the questions and methodology and forward it to the Assembly as its acting body. Wanamaker was opposed, saying the motion was premature.
• Contact reporter Sarah Day at 523-2279 or at sarah.day@juneauempire.com.
Comments (11)
Add commentTalk
Hope the new guy only talks out of one side of his/her mouth !
New Manager
It would be valuable if the CBJ Assembly devised an evaluation process that yields a list of candidates who are likely to add value to the management of our local government. The exercise where potential candidates write a memo addressing how they would address select problems seems to be a peculiar activity that may or may not demonstrate actual administrative skills and in any event gives an advantage to a candidate with local knowledge and familiarity with local issues even if that person doesn't have a genuine solution or skills necessary to solve problems.
Having department heads interview the potential Manager candidates reinforces the status quo and probably doesn't assist the Assembly with figuring out whether or not a candidate has the kind of administrative and managerial skill sets our local community needs.
This review process appears to be more concerned with personality and comfort zone decision making than ascertaining whether or not Juneau will wind up with a manager qualified and capable of making the kind of hard decisions that are required.
City Manager Replacement
I would like to know if the new City Manager hired will have the "negotiated" pay package that allows them to draw an Alaskan PERS retirement check while also being paid by the CBJ, this assuming that they are eligible for APERS benefits? Rod Swope is currently able to draw his APERS Retirement check while still receiving his CBJ paycheck. Pretty sweet deal. How many other CBJ employees can double dip like this? I for one would like to see this practice end.
Every address in Juneau does
Every address in Juneau does not need to receive some silly survey and then have 3% get returned. How much is the League of Women Voters going to profit from this exercise?
Good grief - I thought the assembly members were elected by the voters to represent them. No?
It sounds more like cya so the Assembly can blame it on the residents when cuts start happening. Time to man-up and make the hard decisions they were elected to make.
It's not like this deficit is any big surprise.
Kiefer
Just hire Kim Kiefer already and save money. She is the best candidate hands down.
OK Magic
What is the basis for your conclusion. Might be so but show us your reasoning.
City Manager
I would like to see the next Manager find a better balance between serving the people of Juneau and operating the organization called "The City and Borough of Juneau". Just as the USSC has ruled that Corporations are people the City seems to operate on the assumption that the "Borough" is a citizen whose needs always supersede the interests of the actual "people" who live here.
The present Manager and his minions seem to enjoy "bulldozing" individual citizens interests instead of working with affected citizens to attain the objectives of the City Assembly.
The Assembly majority has allowed and encouraged this but the Manager has been at the controls of the "bulldozer" to the detriment of the sense of 'community' (small c) here.
Its a done deal
The whole Swope retire, vacation, change his job to pers exempt (yet pay the perks on his check for a fat 45 thousand dollar per year raise) was another under the desk deal. Kim Kiefer would not be qualified to be a city manager if she had not been gifted acting city manager status. She seems to be deeply entrenched in the good ol boy favor repayment network that has been ignoring the needs of the Juneau taxpayer / voter for years. She was also second in charge for the entire turn Juneau into a park regime. I would like to know her views on the city's supposed unforeseen budget shortfall. It is less about less money coming in than it was over estimating revenue growth, and spending the money before it came in.
Watch the mayor continue to do whatever he wants to the citizens of juneau. He did tell us they could just appoint Kim without even advertising the job. Out of 25 applicants, mayor will need to do some sweeping under the carpet to keep his planed agenda being crammed down the throats of voters tired of his misrepresentation of voter needs.
KNOW WHAT U R TALKING ABOUT!
To Hellofromaukebay:
If U did any research about Mr. Swope's pay, YOU WOULD KNOW he's not double dipping. He is excluded from PERS. IT'S IN THE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS!!! Before you start throwing stones about salary, figure it out first!
Swope has been a solid leader for the city and has well outlasted most City Managers and the begrading of people that don't do their research and know facts before they post to the Empire.
To Randy Wanamaker:
You were present at the Assessment Center that was ran at your and the Assembly's direction. You and the assembly decided how you wanted to assess the potential candidates. If it didn't work, or as you stated, "was a waste of time," you and the assembly are to blame. The Assembly directed the entire process. From the recruitment... to the decision to ask Swope to come back....
To to citizens and residents of Juneau:
It isn't easy BY NO MEANS to lead the city business and make hard but fair decisions on behalf of the 31,000 some odd residents. Don't judge lest ye be judged......
To everyone:
The BEST decision is Kim Kiefer. She is fair, she listens to everyone involved and is impartial. She is a great leader and would be the best person to fill the shoes of Rod.
Kim has been city mgr
Kim filled in admiraly when Rod left. She knows the ropes so just hire her.
What do you call it?
To responsible_alaskan
What do you call it when someone who draws a salary for a city funded position, "retires" and leaves for a short time and starts drawing a retirement benefit check from the State of Alaska, then returns to THE SAME POSITION at the same salary. My research shows that he is essentially being paid twice for the same job he had been doing before. Hence the term "double dipping". The fact that his position is "exempt" from PERS only means he is no longer contributing into the PERS system for any further accrual of service benefit. The APERS is severely underfunded now, the fact that his position has been "exempted" from paying into the fund certainly does not help. The "Public Documents" I saw confirm what I am saying. Where would you like me to send you a copy?
The reason I posted my comment originally was to highlight the "past practices" of the current CBJ Administration. You be the judge if you want this type of "cronyism" to continue.
What do you call it?
To responsible_alaskan
What do you call it when someone who draws a salary for a city funded position, "retires" and leaves for a short time and starts drawing a retirement benefit check from the State of Alaska, then returns to THE SAME POSITION at the same salary. My research shows that he is essentially being paid twice for the same job he had been doing before. Hence the term "double dipping". The fact that his position is "exempt" from PERS only means he is no longer contributing into the PERS system for any further accrual of service benefit. The APERS is severely underfunded now, the fact that his position has been "exempted" from paying into the fund certainly does not help. The "Public Documents" I saw confirm what I am saying. Where would you like me to send you a copy?
The reason I posted my comment originally was to highlight the "past practices" of the current CBJ Administration. You be the judge if you want this type of "cronyism" to continue.