HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-05-2003 Memo Regarding Interference with Personnel MeetingTO: TMayor Peterson and Council Members
• ��FROM: Ron Moorse, City Administrator
DATE: May 5, 2003
SUBJECT: Concerns Regarding Council Member Interference with Personnel Meeting
On Thursday, May 1, 2003, the City Administrator provided an update to the Council on a personnel
matter. The update included advising the Council that the City Administrator would be involved in a
meeting regarding the personnel matter early Friday morning, May 2. Council memberNygard missed
that update because he left the worksession early.
On Friday morning, May 2, Council member Nygard called the City Offices to talk with the City
Administrator. As the City Administrator was in the meeting regarding the personnel matter, Council
member Nygard spoke to Denise Leskinen, Administrative Support Assistant. She told Council
member Nygard that the City Administrator was in a meeting. Council member Nygard indicated he
needed to speak with the City Administrator immediately. Ms. Leskinen interrupted the meeting to tell
the City Administrator that Council member Nygard wanted to speak with him. The City
Administrator indicated he could not be disturbed unless it was an emergency. Ms. Leskinen relayed
this information to Council member Nygard. When this information was forwarded to Council member
•Nygard, he indicated that if he was not allowed to speak with the City Administrator on the phone, he
would come up to City hall. Ms. Leskinen indicated the City Administrator could not be disturbed.
Mr. Nygard then came up to City Hall and insisted that he be allowed 'to talk to the City Administrator
or he would interrupt the meeting. Ms. Leskinen then talked to Lin Vee, City Clerk about what to do.
Because there were members of the public in the lobby area, Lin Vee, City Clerk, escorted Council
member Nygard outside to explain that the City Administrator was in a meeting regarding a personnel
matter, and could not be disturbed. Council member Nygard indicated that if Ms. Vee did not get the
City Administrator out of the meeting, Council member Nygard would interrupt the meeting himself.
Ms. Vee then interrupted the meeting to tell the City Administrator that if he did not talk to Mr. Nygard,
the Council member would come into the meeting. To prevent this, the City Administrator left the
meeting . The City Administrator told Council member Nygard that he was in a meeting regarding a
personnel matter. Council member Nygard indicated he needed to talk to the City Administrator.
To avoid a discussion at the front counter, and to try to get back to the meeting as quickly as possible,
the City Aministrator met with Council member Nygard in the City Administrator's office.
The reason for Council member Nygard's need to meet was his concern about how Mr. Jabbour had
been allowed to participate too much in the discussion of the Big island Access issue at the worksession
the previous evening. The City Administrator listened, and concluded the meeting as quickly as
0 possible, so that he could get back to the meeting regarding the personnel matter.
• It was very unfortunate that the meeting regarding the personnel matter was interrupted. All continuity
of the previous discussion was totally lost when the City Administrator returned. It is also unfortunate
that Council member Nygard determined that his need to immediately discuss his concerns regarding
the worksession superceded the importance of allowing the City Administrator to continue his meeting
uninterrupted.
Both Council member Nygard's insistence on interrupting the City Administrator's meeting, and his
conduct in relation to the administrative staff are of concern. According to City Ordinance, an
individual Council member may not provide direction to staff (i.e. insist that the City Administrator
interrupt a meeting, or demand to participate in a meeting of the City Administrator) unless a quorum of
the City Council have authorized such action. The communication channels between the City
Administrator and Council are very open. The City Administrator always tries his best to accommodate
requests by Council members to meet. But this needs to be a two -way street. There are times when it
is not possible to meet immediately with a Council member. All Council members need to respect and
be considerate of those times
While two different administrative staff advised Council member Nygard repeatedly that the City
Administrator could not be disturbed, he would not be put off. He indicated he was a Council member,
and he was going to talk to the City Administrator. This put the administrative staff in a very
uncomfortable position. The administrative staff did very well in trying to deal with him in a
professional way, trying to maintain the decorum of the office. But they should not have to be placed
• into that position by a Council member.