Title
Consider/Discuss/Act on City Manager's Recommendation in Relation to the Administration and Structure of Certain Boards and Commissions
Summary
MEETING DATE: June 21, 2011
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
CONTACT: Jason Gray
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
· Act upon the City Manager's recommendation in regards to the administration and structure of certain Boards and Commissions.
ITEM SUMMARY:
· In March of this year, the City Council requested that I perform a review of the organizational structure of certain Boards and Commissions of the City.
· The Boards and Commissions addressed by this recommendation include the Boards and Commissions with direct influence over the expenditure of a variety of tax dollars.
· It is my recommendation that we make a few minor modifications to the way in which we administer these Boards and Commissions in order to better collaborate and ensure a higher level of communication between and among the City Council, City Manager, the appointed Boards and/or Commissions, and the staffs of the Boards and Commissions.
· Changes to the current methodology include the following:
o Require that any Board or Commission which has a direct reporting relationship with any staff members seek the formal input by the City Manager prior to any personnel-related actions (hiring, performance reviews, discipline, and termination) for any member of the staff that reports directly to the Board or Commission.
o Abolish the current Council Liaison roles. The current appointment of Council Liaisons to the different Boards and Commissions presents several operational challenges, and in my opinion, is counter-productive to the Boards and Commissions operating at the highest possible level of alignment with the Council's stated goals and priorities. The Liaison structure as it is currently deployed puts a single Council Member in the role of attempting to provide some level of input and/or direction to the Board that may or may not be consistent with the general direction of the Council as a whole. Boards and Commissions tend to appropriately weigh the input of a single Council Member as the direction of the Council as a whole, despite the recommendation from that Council Member that it is his or her own opinion and not that of the Council as a whole.
o Create a regular monthly reporting structure for the Board or Commission Chair to report directly to the Council one their activities and to seek the direction of the Council as a whole on items that are pending before the Board or Commission.
o Create a directive for regular (at least bi-weekly) in person communication between the City Manager and the staff that report directly to the Board or Commission to encourage continued high-level communication in regards to joint projects and economic development prospects.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
· This issue has continued to be a high-priority analysis for me since I began service to the City in March.
· The Council may approve this recommendation, provide alternative direction at your discretion, or table.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY:
· There is no financial impact to the City or Boards and Commissions based upon this set of recommendations.
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
· I have spoken with the McKinney Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, the McKinney Community Development Board of Directors, and several members of other affected Boards and Commissions (McKinney Convention and Visitor's Bureau and McKinney Airport Development Corporation) and believe that each supports the recommendations.
· If you approve of the recommendations, we will draft a joint policy of the City Council, Boards and Commissions to commemorate the action to be brought forth to you in July.