DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the Special
Executive Committee Meeting

July 18, 2012

DRAFT

SPECIAL

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

MINUTES

July 18, 2012

The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 6:00p.m. at the Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Chairman Larry Anderson called the meeting to order. Members present were Marlene Allen, Ken Andersen, Julia Fauci, John Gudmunson, Paul Stoddard, Pat Vary and Ms. Tobias.  Mr. Newport was absent.  Others present were Ray Bockman, John Farrell, Charles Foster, Jeff Metzger, Sr., John Hulseberg, Riley Oncken, Steve Reid, Anita Turner, John Emerson, Bob Brown, Jeff Whelan, and John Acardo.

It was moved by Ms. Tobias to invite Mr. John Hulseberg to represent the Finance Committee since Mr. Newport was not present.  The motion was seconded by Ms. Vary, and it was carried unanimously to allow Mr. Hulseberg to sit in for Mr. Newport.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Moved by Ms. Fauci, seconded by Ms. Allen, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda.

POTENTIAL CHANGE TO THE COUNTY CODE REGARDING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S POSITION

Ms. Tobias said that we talked about this issue at our June Executive Committee meeting but we decided that we could not make a change in the middle of our interviewing process.  She felt that this was a good time to review the language and modify it so that it opens it up to more candidates potentially.  We were not thrilled with the quality of the candidates that we had interviewed so this may allow us to change the code.  The current language says that you have to have a Master’s degree and ten years’ experience in administration, five of which must be local government.  She would propose a Master’s Degree in Business or Public Administration from an accredited institution and a minimum of nine years of progressively responsible professional experience in the management of local government affairs, at least five years must be on an administrative level.  Or, a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in the management of local government affairs, at least nine of which must be on the administrative level.  She said that the  nine years  means deputy administrator or a department head.  She took this from the International City/County Management Association guidelines in terms of what they require for people who don’t have a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.  If they want to become a Certified Manager that is one of the requirements that they must have.  That is the current proposal for this evening, she said.

Moved by Ms. Vary, seconded by Ms. Fauci, to accept these changes.

Mr. Stoddard moved to make an amendment to the motion that they add to the ten years, that the successful candidate, if they don’t already have the Master’s Degree, agree that they will pursue that degree and get it in three years.

Ms. Tobias said that it is very difficult within this program because it is full time for two years. 

Mr. Hulseberg said that he could speak on that since he is a student in the program right now.  He said that it would take about 4 years to finish on a part-time basis.

Ms. Tobias said that another possibility would be to ask the candidate to go through the Credentialed Manager process and if they pass the test in all areas they will get credentialed right away.

Mr. Hulseberg said that in the Northern Illinois University Program they give part-time students six years to complete their degree. 

Moved by Mr. Stoddard to amend his motion to include now 4 years instead of 3 years.  Seconded by Mr. Gudmunson.

Mr. Bockman said that it is a good program and he went through the program in two years while he worked full –time.  He would not recommend it now.  When he took the classes, they were able to take it on the weekend and you had 16 hours of classes every third weekend.  It was insane and he would not recommend it.

Mr. Hulseberg asked if the county would be paying for this degree? 

Mr. Bockman said that this is a significant amount of work to add to someone’s schedule while they are doing their job as county administrator.

Mr. Oncken asked what happens if they don’t finish it by four years’ time?  Do we get rid of our administrator then?

Ms. Fauci said that we could also say that if they don’t finish the degree within the four years we would then reduce their pay until they do finish the degree. 

Ms. Vary said a compromise would be for the candidate to get credentialed. 

Mr. Stoddard said that the point he was making to get the degree within so many years was if they have been doing the job for ten years, there may be new things that they have missed that may show up in a Master’s program. 

Mr. Bockman said that he has often told younger people entering the profession that education was what they paid for and experience is what employers pay for.  He thinks the key thing that you are looking for here is someone’s resume that suggests to you that a.) they’ve done similar things and that they have done them successfully over time, and b.) that the job is a good fit in their career progress, it makes sense for them and you.

Mr. Hulseberg said to Mr. Stoddard, that’s what the ICMA Credentialed Manager program is nice for, because the candidate has to do 40 hours a year of continuing education that will be nice and they will be bought up to speed on anything that is changing. 

Mr. Stoddard said that he could see that.

Ms. Vary asked Mr. Stoddard if he would be willing to modify his motion?

Mr. Stoddard said that he would say to get the degree or get credentialed and take that as a friendly amendment. 

Mr. Gudmunson said yes he would second the friendly amendment.

Mr. Stoddard repeated the motion as follows:  “ if not ten years, nine of which have been in an administrative role, and if they don’t currently have a Master’s degree, they will pursue the Master’s degree or pursue the Credentialed Manager Certificate.” 

Ms. Fauci asked how much time are we going to allow the person to get credentialed, within a year?

Mr. Bockman said within a year should be fine.

Ms. Fauci then said how long do we make it for a master’s degree, within 5 or 6 years?

Mr. Stoddard said about 5 years then.

Mr. Gudmunson will accept this as a friendly amendment. 

Mr. Oncken said why don’t we say whoever we hire is required to get credentialed within one year. 

Mr. Stoddard said to withdraw his amendment and start all over again.  Mr. Gudmunson agreed to remove his second, too, and start all over again.

Mr. Stoddard said that he would like to propose an amendment to the motion to say, that whomever we hire be required to get credentialed or to become credentialed within a year and we would encourage them to pursue a Master’s Degree. 

Mr. Stoddard said that he will keep in the statement “with ten years’ experience  and that within five years they get their Master’s Degree.

Mr. Gudmunson seconded Mr. Stoddard’s motion.

Mr. Stoddard said that the motion that is on the table right now is if the person we hire doesn’t have a Master’s Degree, they will pursue it within five years. 

Chairman Anderson called for a roll call vote on the amendment to the motion.  There were 5 yes votes and 4 no votes, motion carried.

Ms. Fauci asked who is going to pay for the Master’s Degree?

Chairman Anderson said that it will be the responsibility of the hired person. As Mr. Bockman said this is a very high-paying job and it is the responsibility of the candidate.

Chairman Anderson asked if there was any other discussion on the amendment to the main motion?

Ms. Vary said that we are going to be taking time away from the person we hire from their job.

Chairman Anderson said we are now voting on the main motion as amended. 

Chairman Anderson then asked for the roll call vote for the motion as amended.  There were 6 yes votes and 3 no votes, motion carried.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: PERSONNEL.

It was moved by Ms. Allen, seconded by Ms. Vary, and it was carried unanimously to go into closed session to discuss personnel, by a roll call vote.

It was moved by Ms. Allen, seconded by Mr. Andersen, and it was carried unanimously to return to open session by a roll call vote.

CHOOSING A SEARCH FIRM FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S POSITION.

It was moved by Ms. Allen, seconded by Mr. Gudmunson, and it was carried to recommend the hiring of a search firm for the county administrator’s position.  There were 5 yes votes and 4 no votes. The no votes were Mr. Hulseberg, Ms. Tobias, Ms. Vary and Ms. Fauci.  Motion carried.

After a brief discussion it was moved by Ms. Vary, seconded by Mr. Gudmunson, and it was carried unanimously to hire Voorhees Associates, LLC, out of Deerfield, Illinois, in the amount not to exceed $19,900.00, and to forward this recommendation to the full board for approval.

Mr. Hulseberg asked for an amendment to the motion to include that Mr. Bockman would stay on until the end of the year until this transition was all finished.

Mr. Bockman asked how long were you thinking?

The committee said about 2 or 3 months past your original date of the end of September 2012.

Mr. Bockman said okay.

The motion was seconded by Ms. Fauci, and it was carried unanimously as amended.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved by Mr. Stoddard, seconded by Mr. Andersen, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________

Chairman Larry A. Anderson

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