05/05/2003 Memo Regarding Interference with Personnel Meeting

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TO: 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.