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Summary
Employee Survey: City Charter Issues – City Structure
Total responses: 46 (17% response)
Have you ever received direction or instruction from the mayor or a member of the city
1.
council
?
No: 27
Yes: 16
Indirectly, via supervisors: 2
No response: 1
If so, how did you feel about that input? Was it helpful or confusing? Did it reinforce or
conflict with your supervisor’s instruction?
Two respondents reported that input from elected officials was helpful. Others found input
unnecessary, confusing, or conflicting. All comments are noted on the attachment to this
report.
2. How are city council goals or policies communicated to you?
Twenty five percent of respondents reported that council policies are not communicated to
them. Others appear to actively search out information regarding the council’s activities.
Employees listed a variety of communication links (sometimes noting more than one
source), including:
? Through department head: 10
? Though supervisor: 14
? E-mail: 5
? Council material/televised meetings: 7
? City source: 4
? Newspaper (media): 7
? Personnel department: 1
? City-wide newsletters/memorandums: 4
? City web site: 2
? Word of mouth: 3
? Direct from elected officials: 1
Could this communication be improved? If so, how?
Twenty five percent of respondents indicated that communication is satisfactory. Others
suggested a variety of mechanisms for improving the flow of information, from more use of
e-mails to citywide meetings to ensure that employees understand the goals/justification for
council decisions. See attachment for specific comments.
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3. Do you believe that the current city structure helps, hinders, or has no effect upon your
work?
No effect: 22
Hinders: 9
Helps: 7
No response or unsure: 8
Can you suggest organizational changes that would help you do your job more
effectively?
Most comments here reflected frustration created when the demands/requests of the council
and/or public overwhelm the employee’s workload. Respondents offered a variety of
suggestions for improvement (see attachment), generally focused on mechanisms intended
to buffer staff from excessive interference.
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Attachment: Specific responses to questions
1. Have you ever received direction or instruction from the mayor or a member of the city
council? If so, how did you feel about that input? Was it helpful or confusing? Did it
reinforce or conflict with your supervisor’s instruction?
? Input was not well researched but still took precedence
? Input mostly wasn’t a problem, but did occasionally conflict with standard policy.
? Input mostly consisted of ideas that elected officials wanted to see happen.
? Confusing, contradictory and conflicting.
? Places a burden on employee to try to respond to elected officials requests and still
comply with supervisor's wishes.
? Council requests generally treated with priority – go to the top of the list, impacting
general workflow. Requests for work, research or suggestions should pass from
council through proper channels so that requests can be considered along with
current project scheduling.
? Input reinforced supervisor’s instruction
? Sometimes confusing, often helpful, but requires added coordination with
supervisor and/or peers.
? Unsettling, Awkward to try to explain that a policy may be misguided or ill
considered. Supervisor can also be confused by council direction.
? Confusing – conflicting
? Conflicted with orders from boss; derailed mission.
? Usually confusing. Micromanaging instead of instructing. City hires competent
people but ties their hands by monopolizing time in providing answers to special
interest groups and/or council instead of allowing them to perform job function.
? Unwelcome and unnecessary; at the time input conflicted with supervisor, although
long-term effect was positive.
? Performing busy work to satisfy someone’s curiosity (not a specific need) is non-
productive and a morale killer. Having elected officials and public communicate
directly with staff is unproductive; staff must jump through hoops and work is not
prioritized. Stressful working environment. Staff collecting reams of material for
citizens and council members. All they have to do is ask and then information is
presented on a silver platter.
? Individual council requests may or may not reflect wishes of the council as a whole.
? Input was all of the above (confusing, helpful, reinforcing, conflicting)
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2. How are city council goals or policies communicated to you?Could this communication
be improved? If so, how?
? Explanation as to purpose (aim or background) behind one-line goal; council should use
e-mails, letters to explain justification for goals.
? More communication through department heads to staff.
? Department meetings with council member or mayor.
? On-line newsletter for employees
? Communicate goals along with a plan to implement.
? Annual managerial staff meeting with council member present.
? More use of e-mail; monthly e-mail from mayor or administrator as to key
issues/decisions.
? Provide direct route to employees.
? Leadership missing from current administration
? Better direction from council in focusing on a few goals/priorities and in making
choices between conflicting goals.
? Improve by taking time to evaluate current practices.
? Quarterly staff meetings; more citywide meetings.
? Inform employees before news hits the media.
? Distribute copies of council documents to city departments on a regular basis.
? There is no communication…It is the fundamental duty and responsibility of
management to communicate to staff.
3. Do you believe that the current city structure helps, hinders, or has no effect upon your
work? Can you suggest organizational changes that would help you do your job more
effectively?
? Any formalized structure/chain of command would be appreciated.
? Decisions are made for political, not economic, reasons.
? Current structure does not promote good leadership.
? Requires a special type of employee who can work in the system. Have to manage the
politics.
? Too much time spent in council chores, responding to council concerns/suggestions.
? Hurts when council micromanages.
? Knowing that mayor can fire employees is unsettling. When councilors insert into day-
to-day operations, can create cloud over employees – people get nervous, morale
declines. Hard on management to feel unsupported by council.
? Council should not be allowed to interfere; city administrations should serve as a buffer
between council and workers.
? Give administrator power to hire, fire, and more directly supervise employees.
? Add staff.
? Evaluate leadership and view from the bottom. Perhaps council members could meet
with department heads on rotating schedules.
? More time for frontline people to meet with supervisors and top management. A more
integrated effort would result.
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? Council is giving more credence to public input and less to experienced and
knowledgeable staff. Staff input should be respected by council.
? I am listed as management but manage nothing.
? A strong manager is preferable to weak city administrator. Having department heads
hired by mayor creates too much confusion among departments. Department heads
should be accountable to one person (manager).
? More structure and clearer duties for advisory commissions; regular process and city
policy training for commissions; end commission meetings at a reasonable time.
? Change charter to allow for city manager and police commissioner buffer.
? Council is political and shouldn’t micromanage staff.
? Number of commissions can be frustrating and lead to conflicting voices – but this
reflects city’s unique citizen involvement.
? Isolate workers from elected officials and citizens to allow workers to perform
meaningful work in a timely fashion.
? Institute a staff ombudsman to listen to citizen input and communicate it to staff.
? Collect citizen input via surveys instead of listening to the few who attend meetings.
? Planning Department could improve communication with other departments.
? Training.
? Strong city manager.
? Structure is fine – better communication is needed.
? If the mayor and city manager do not supervise me and do not know anything about my
job, why would anyone consider giving them the power to fire me. A better
arrangement would be to have the mayor and city manager go through the department
heads that they do supervise.
? Institute mandatory drug testing of elected officials, staff, and volunteers.
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