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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff ReportCity Council Staff Report February 4, 2014 ITEM Staff Report: Response to the December 3, 2013 direction by the City Council to bring forward recommendations related to the facilitation of a City Council Retreat, including possible dates and format. BACKGROUND On December 3, 2013, during a regularly scheduled meeting, following discussion of a properly agendized item, the City Council of the City of National City directed staff to bring forward recommendations related to the facilitation of a City Council retreat. The purpose of this report is to provide a proposed outline for the development of the retreat, to provide a recommendation for a facilitator, and to discuss scheduling options. DISCUSSION Developing the Retreat Given the information provided by the City Council to date, as a starting point possible agenda topics include: a. Communication among Council members — how to effectively share and receive information to get to a more tangible outcome b. Goal setting to address key, resolvable issues In conferring with subject matter experts in working with boards, commissions and City Councils, it is common practice to engage said body in the development of the agenda through a facilitated process. This can be accomplished through one on one interviews with each member. The purpose of the interview is to: a. establish rapport between the consultant and the session attendees; b. gather data about "current reality" and the "desired state", c. enable the consultant to design a session that meets the attendees' needs. Page 2 Staff Report — Response to the December 3, 2013 direction by the City Council to bring forward recommendations related to the facilitation of a City Council Retreat, including possible dates and format. February 4, 2014 Once the interviews are complete, a draft workshop design can be created by the consultant, with the design vetted in advance of the retreat. Facilitators As discussed at the meeting of December 3, 2013, there is an interest in conducting the proposed retreat in Spring, 2014. Given the timetable, the type of body (City Council), and the general topics provided by the City Council, a list of three facilitators skilled in this area are provided to you for consideration. Biographies are provided as an attachment. Scheduling The nature of the retreat lends itself best to an environment that is casual, allowing for dialogue and discussion: a session outside of a normal business meeting, in a more relaxed environment. Based on the pre -work to be done, such a retreat could be conducted in mid -March to late March or the month of May, based on your preference. If the direction is to move forward, staff can work with the facilitator and the Council on the actual scheduling. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the following: 1. Select a facilitator from the list provided 2. Direct staff to work with the selected facilitator in developing designing the retreat based on the process outlined above FISCAL IMPACT Based on the above, the cost is estimated to be $6,800 Attachments: Facilitator Biographies a. Frank Benest b. Ed Everett c. Gary Winters THE CENTRE G FOR ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS Frank Benest Until August 2008, Frank Benest served as the City Manager of Palo Alto, California. He is a noted consultant and trainer on rightsizing public organizations, entrepreneurial government, civic engagement, leadership development and succession planning. Prior to his appointment in Palo Alto, Frank served as City Manager in Brea and Colton, California. He has a doctorate in management from Brigham Young University; a Masters in Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach; and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University. Frank is a Credentialed ICMA Manager. Frank is Past President of the California City Managers Department and past Vice President of the International City/County Management Association (IGMA). Frank teaches at Stanford University and has been inducted into the National Academy of Public Administration. Frank currently serves as the ICMA Senior Advisor for Next Generation Initiatives and Co - Chair of the Cal-ICMA Coaching Program. THE CENTRE FOR ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS 8950 Villa La Jolla Drive, Suite A204 • La Jolla, CA 92037 • Tel: (858) 534-9119 • Fax: (858) 534-9147 • tcfoe.com THE CENTRE GO FOR ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS ED EVERETT Ed is a nationally known expert in the areas of Community Building and Civic Engagement. Ed has 34 successful years of experience in local government, including 24 years as a city manager. Ed was awarded the ICMA's highest award: "Award for Career Excellence" in 2007. Ed is the Senior City Strategist for Nextdoor: Connecting neighbors, Strengthening Neighborhoods and Building Community.. He is a Senior Fellow with the Davenport Institute of Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at Pepperdine University. Ed has a degree in Economics from U.C. Davis and a graduate degree in Urban Affairs from Princeton University. He currently resides in Redwood City. THE CENTRE FOR ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS 8950 Villa La Jolla Drive, Suite A204 • La Jolla, CA 92037 - Tel: (858) 534-9119 • Fax: (858) 534-9147 • tcfoe.com THE CENTRE GO FOR ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS GARY WINTERS Gary Winters has over twenty-five years experience helping leaders become more effective. He's the author of five books on leadership and management, including To Do or Not To Do — How Successful Leaders Make Better Decisions, What Your Boss Never Told You — A Quick Start Guide for New Managers, and Managing Friends and Former Peers. His blog, The Leadership Almanac, explores the practical side of leadership, from how effective leaders create compelling visions to how they sweat the small stuff, from how they make tough decisions to how they navigate difficult conversations, from how they inspire to what makes them perspire. He is the former director of the Management Development Center at SDSU and past president of the Organization Development Network of San Diego. His public sector clients include over sixteen cities, nine water districts, three state agencies, three federal agencies, and over a dozen other organizations including counties, boards and commissions, school districts and universities. Mr. Winters's leadership training programs, which focus on practical, effective solutions, have been attended by over 40,000 people. He has been an executive coach to CEOs, general managers, mayors, city managers, department heads and others. His consulting practice focuses on: • Working with leaders one-on-one as an executive coach • Facilitating small groups including: team building, executive retreats, leadership seminars and workshops • Designing and Implementing whole system interventions His content expertise (in alphabetical order) includes: • Conflict resolution • Decision -making • Employee surveys • interpersonal communication • Leadership development • Strategic planning • Team building strategies THE CENTRE FOR ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS 8950 Villa La Jolla Drive, Suite A204 • La Jolla, CA 92037 • Tel: {858j 534-9119 • Fax: (858) 534-9147 tcfoe.com