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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-05-06 Council Packet - Work Session, ZenorKenai City Council Work Session May 6, 1993 Doug Zenor Interview r KENAI CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DOUG SENOR INTERVIEW NAY 61 1993 7:30 P.K. KENAI CITY COUNCIL CHAXBER8 COUNCIL PRESENT: Monfor, Williams, Swarner, Bookey, McComsey, Measles and Smalley STAFF PRESENT: Freas, Kornelis, Graves, Howard, Harvey, Porter OTHERS PRESENT: Dirk Vinlow (Peninsula Clarion), Al Pease, Leo & Marion Oberts. QUESTIONS BEGAN: 7:45 p.m. QUE8TIONING: Bookey: After traveling through the community, what directions would you like to see Kenai go in regard to economic development? Zenor: One of his thoughts, based on research before coming to Kenai, tourism is something that might be good for Kenai. Having come from a couple of tourism communities and after having consulted for six months with a boating facility (part of a 1200 acre industrial park, including a brewery, cherry packing, community boat harbor, aluminum business)... economic development, having worked in it as much as he has, depends on where the community wants to go and how dedicated the council is to economic development. Lots of talk in other cities, a lot of wishing. If they look in a mirror, they would see they didn't put out what they needed to. Tourism is a hard, grueling job and doesn't come overnight. Tourism, like FAA facility, is good economic development. It doesn't have pollutants, and provides jobs. With today's communication abilities, Kenai can do that. He asked himself why there is not a ferry here. They bring economic development to a community. Maybe similar to Lincoln City where there was not a jetty. A convention center almost is an old cliche. He has seen one city (Seaside, OR) that built a convention center. It's doing very well, based on their economic development. It boils down to what the community and council want. Once that is established, it is a matter of financing, energy, etc. He thinks there are a lot of opportunities in Kenai for economic development with diversification and improvement. Swarner: What are your feelings of employees going to a conference and the city pays for the airfare. What's your feeling of the employee using vacation time at the end of the conference? Zenor: Using as an example, someone is going to Tampa for four or five days and wants to spend vacation time after? Answer from Swarner was yes, they are concerned that the city is paying for part of his vacation flight. He wouldn't have a problem if it was not a made-up conference designed specifically for it. It's a tough question and a good question. He doesn't think the city should subsidize people's vacations, but if someone has available leave time and the office is covered, an extra week or so,m piggy -backed to the conference, is not a problem. Monfor: Biggest problems with the City of Kenai and others is communication: the "runaround" problem. What do you feel your strengths are as a city manager to cut the red tape and how do you feel you would communicate to keep lines of communication to the city council, borough, state ... your plan for keeping lines open and the citizens happy? Zenor: Lots of approaches to prevent that. One of the most difficult things a person has to deal with from the outside is being moved through the runaround and that depends on the staff and how they are directed by the city manager and council to handle the situations. There are a million ways to handle it. In one city, he set up a system of records that documented any citizen who came in and asked a question. They would write their name down and what the problem is; what they were told. Later they were contacted and asked how they were handled -- "citizen contact." That proved to be a workable situation and pleased the council and gave the city manager's office an opportunity to follow up and get an idea of how responsive their people were to the citizens. He has been able to work with staff and knowing who are stronger and weaker in those areas. A "one -stop -to - everything" scenario is important to him. Staff 2 members need to be intuitive and good listeners. Training important for the people to handling people. He has handled communication generally in the community differently. The logs were there for training and use as back-up information. In regard to communication, he keeps the council informed and depends on how much they want to be informed. He has tried to do, depending on what the council wanted ... a weekly, monthly, or quarterly report of happenings of the city. He has department heads report each week of what they have done that week and expect to do next week. The council report is put on the bulletin board and goes to the news media. Staff meetings were recorded and displayed on bulletin boards throughout the city for keeping informed what is happening in the city. If news media and council are following along, then everyone is in the know. Measles: In viewing yourself as a manager, do you see yourself as a strong manager (in addition to keeping council informed with reports, etc.)? For example, if you are at a council meeting and it appears that council is fairly unanimous in heading one direction and your opinion is it's the wrong direction for the best of the city, how do you handle that situation? Zenor: Is this something that surfaces at the council meeting or is he a party to putting the matter on the agenda? It has been his experience that if it is on the agenda coming for before the council, with a lot of research being done, he feels pretty certain that the council is headed in a certain direction. If something surfaces and he sees council heading in a direction he does not feel is good for the city, he would probably suggest that a work shop be held or hold action until more research can be done. He would say his piece respectfully, making it clear and back off and leave the council to make their decision and if it is different than his way, that's the way it works. He would say his piece under the respectfully and say why he felt needs to say his piece and needs to back off and this comes with time to learn that is okay. 3 circumstances that way. A manager to know when you need maturity. It takes McComsey: If someone working under him is not working to his full capacity, how would you handle it? Zenor: There are sever ways to handle this situation. One is very common and that is periodical performance appraisal review. There are different philosophies. Some are formalities, the same form and treated the same. He feels through that process a marginal employee can be advised of their marginability. If the work doesn't change, he would explain what's wrong clearly and what it is and what they need to do to correct and then go through due process counseling or termination. It is not simple. One of his weaknesses, he expects, is his opinion, more out of people than what they expect. He expects people to be above average. Personally feels people should pull more than their weight... department heads and supervisors. He doesn't get involved with people working with supervisors unless asked. To simplify, he is not a cut throat person, but he doesn't think a person should be doing a half-baked job. You need to do 110%. Feels strongly about that. Williams: Having been exposed to the City of Kenai for a brief period of time and seeing the problem surfaced last night, do you have any comments of what you would do in that situation. Zenor: It's tough to ask a general contractor (laughter). Guess he feels he has not had the opportunity to know all of the facts of what happened when. If something was done either hastily or because of reason he is not aware of, understands, he feels very well working from both sides, a change order is authorization for a contractor to proceed. He doesn't know what lead to him knowing ahead and doing the work without the money being available. Ordinarily, if a city signs a change order, that is authorization not only to proceed, but the money is there. They are approved either by recommendation of the engineer, architect, etc. He is saying some place between when the change order surfaced and it was approved or when the contractor either went ahead without the change order being approved. He thinks the credibility of Kenai is very important. Have had a lot of projects ... a bad reputation will cost you. He felt very uncomfortable for the contractor and the council and himself and was confident if he were here it would not have happened, but can't tell why. 4 Williams: Doesn't know if you are aware of the Alaska Court System... If Kenai was standing on legal ground and a strong case, would you have a problem taking Kenai into a difficult tasks against the court system and the state? Zenor: Absolutely not. If the Alaska Court System promised and did not deliver and shafted Kenai, and put the community and contractor in jeopardy, it would be a close -to -last resort and with his negotiating experience he would hope to solve it before that. He is a pit bull fighter if needs to be. Doesn't scare him to do that. If it is what council wants to do and is the only thing left. Has to look at pros and cons of future. Williams: Don't have a problem knowing that the adversary is the attorney general? Zenor: No. Has been known to have challenged and won. Made a lot of differences to the city where he was working at the time. Bookey: With lobbying, how do you feel about going to Juneau and lobbying? Zenor: Fun, as long as plane is good to get there. No problem going. As mentioned, he has dealt with legislature a lot. More from a public works and personnel standpoint. Basic issues he personally involved with lots of different organization he mentioned. Takes a lot of credit for it. He has done personally, direct lobbying to communities regarding labor relations, retirement, zoning, etc. It is difficult in a new situation. You need to keep in touch with your legislators. Will do a lot for you if they like and respect you. It takes time. You need to keep in touch. Swarner: In regard to city responsibilities to OSHA and the safety water act. Do you start a plan when you hear or do you do something after ... EPA water requirements —What is your feeling on a regulation going into effect in another year, do you start planning at that time? Zenor: He would start as soon as he knew if it was right and if he felt it was wrong, he would start writing letters to say so. He doesn't wait for the ax to fall unless the regulation is so ridiculous. Generally, he would plan it out so that before the regulation came into 5 effect, three to six months prior, he would set a safety committee, etc. He would not wait to put the regulation in place. He would have it in place before the deadline. Monfor: In travels around the city, we are a full -service city, i.e. library, parks & recreation, senior citizens center ... they are all services that cities don't necessarily have to have. How would you feel about continued support as a city manager? How do you feel about continued support of the programs that serve the citizens of the city and others in the area? What are your feelings of continued support? Zenor: Generally, under normal conditions, he is very supportive of those services. If you take the extreme case where finances prevent or strain, it's up to the city council to decide what level of services, based on finances, are available to continue. If money is real tight, some services are really needed. If you cut the police department or library, you know what his answer would be. As far as outside people using city services... This is Alaska and he doesn't see, from his experience, that it's as tight here as in Oregon or Washington but sees it happening over a period of years from our budget and the state. It puts you in a good position if you plan now for it. Measles: If you are a city manager, coming into town, how would you go about getting to know the people and keeping in touch with the people in the community and understanding what their concerns are, etc.? Zenor: Most city managers make an extra effort to get to know the people by attending chamber meetings, services club organizations, and other community groups. He has found it advantageous to continue to do it and found periodically visiting merchants. He has gone house to house and visited business and talked with them. It is impressive of what people get out of it. One way to keep in touch. He has been very active in each community he has worked in and so has his wife. Surveys are good, but a personal visit is very important. Measles: Citizen contact ... Do you run your manager's office that a citizen has direct access to your office without appointment or without a need to specify a reason? 6 Zenor: Sure, if he is in a meeting, working on the budget, etc., he wouldn't be available immediately, but as promoted, he has an open-door policy for that kind of thing. He doesn't believe in saying, "Tell him I'm not here." He has a philosophy to meet things head on. If a citizen wants to see him, he will. Smalley: The question was asked how do you deal with the council heading in the wrong direction. If one of the department heads was heading in a direction you felt uncomfortable with, what would you do? Departments anywhere in the city. Zenor: Sit them down immediately and say what he was observing and let them give their side of the store and if continued, would be additional meetings and he would say it was not acceptable. Corrective management. Thinks if you get it out early, you are better off. He has been a nice guy in the past where it bit him hard. Not that he's a bad guy either. There is a medium mode that seems to work for him now. Smalley: As a managerial part of his department, would you be discussing it with him? Zenor: He would want to here from them and give them a chance to give their position and they can convince him. You have to listen to people. It is a responsibility of his. Need to explain why. If after explaining and they don't agree, that's too bad. Measles: Is there anything at all in your past background that we don't know about at this time, that if it were to become public knowledge without coming from him, would be a embarrassment to the council or the city of Kenai? Zenor: No. Measles: Looking around a bit, at this point, are you as interested in pursuing this job as you were before? Have you seen anything to give you second thoughts about the job? Zenor: No. Swarner: Do you use a computer or is it at your secretary's desk? 7 Zenor: Have had a computer in his office. He doesn't type letters unless he has to, but he will. The computer he's had has been used more for management analysis, access to records, etc. Williams: Do you feel comfortable gaining access to information around city hall or do you expect department heads to bring it? Zenor: He has done that. He's not a computer freak. He has been in cities where there are no computers. It was lots of work to modernize. He has done networking. He uses a computer for what it is necessary to be used for. If he can cut time and access things by computer, he will. McComsey: Do you have any specific ideas in regard to economic development, for Kenai? Zenor: Sure. Destination type economic development, i.e. resort. An outlet mall would be excellent for Kenai. Lots of things sold in an outlet mall are not in competition with other businesses, like refrigeration, tires, tv's, etc., as a Kmart might. Outlet mall makes people want to come and visit. Tourism -- He knows a lot of people in the tourism world. Some have moved on, etc. You are asking for specifics of what he would bring to Kenai. Research is a possibility for Kenai because of the livability -- a think tank. He has dealt with those types of people. He has a bit of a an "in" with that type (Ph.D's, etc.). He feels it could work because of the time it takes to get to a metropolitan area. He made a list at the motel, but did not bring it. He is blanking on them now. Monfor: Why do you think you could be the very best person for the job of city manager at Kenai? Zenor: To be brief, he sees the mayor and council at this point, heading and doing things he's very good at doing and would compliment. A bit cautious because he has been involved in circumstances similar to this to go with the flow and then all the council is gone. He feels more comfortable here. One main reason here is the solidification and tenure of the council. It makes a difference to him and family. His son asked what he thinks of the council, if they have stability. When you experience four mayors with four and three and one-half years and over 20 8 councilmembers when you have six council plus the mayor, you become cautious. You have to change directions lots of times. It is very difficult to tear things down and then build them back up. After awhile, you think it is not the most professional and ethical thing to do and it starts to wear on you. He sees himself setting, and wife agrees it's a go-getter council, that wants to get things done. Staff has good tenure. Difficult to get a good rating on the staff. Impressed with facilities they are working in, etc. Have talked with other people about the staff members out of this city and have had good ratings of the staff. Council and staff are very important. Measles: Talked about the tenure of council, average nationwide for a city manager's stay on a job is two years. It tends to be a non -tenured position in most places. We have, he believes, about 75 years of time on the council at this type and the last manager was here 12h years. Are you looking for a long-term position of city manager in one location provided all seven people won't disappear and next won't want him? Do you like to settle in one spot for a number of years? Zenor: Yes, especially with distance and logistics involved. That's part of the sole searching as well with him. It would be very disruptive for his family and wife to come for two, three, four years. What they have now and move here is considerable, like house locations, etc. Things are okay. Security is important, very important to him and family. It would be a consideration he would want to discuss before making a final decision. Especially because of the changes they would be going through. He had a chance to be city manager of big cities, but didn't do it. Turned down jobs in cities of 70,000 and fairly recently. He is not one to come for a couple of years unless something catastrophic happens. As long as he is wanted and needed and making a different, he is staying. If he is not really adding to the community, etc., he doesn't need someone to tell him he would go. He never had that happen. Smalley: We see a lot of coming and going of individuals, what does Martha think about Alaska? Zenor: It all started when we hopped on a ferry about four or five years ago and took the lower Alaska trip to Juneau, Sitka, and back to Seattle. We fell in love 9 with it. Has been offered jobs and interviewed in Alaska far back in his career. He didn't go because didn't feel right in his life. The last two days have had an impact on her. Have not had a chance to talk, specifically about Alaska and Kenai. He overheard her telling her son during a telephone conversation that it is looking a lot better to her after today. She's very tough, strong, and not intimated by cold whether, etc. She is adventurous, supportive of him and he of her. She has a very good job right now. She supervises about 20 people. People she works for that don't know they are here. They will be devastated if they move here. She's ready to give it up and ready for a rest and regrouping. Williams: You have been out of the city manager business for three or four years. Do you consider some of the things happening at the end of your last position going into a transition period if so, why do you want to come back into it now? Why out of the business and now why want to come back? Zenor: He got frustrated. He decided to change what he was doing because before he made the decision, he had an opportunity to do what would make it all right in his eyes to make the change. He left the City of Lincoln City since January of 1990. He has done (dabbled) in city management, but continually done contracting and always had projects. He misses being a city manager. He wants to get back into it but wants to pick the place he wants to go to and wants to make sure he is protected. Security is very important to him. He has not really progressed, construction -wise, because he wanted to get back to city managing. He thinks things that he got him burned out, to a degree and a number of unfair things happened to council and others. It was hard for him to take. His goals as a result of this is to get back into city management. Have been toying with it and this last time around and with family support, decided to do it. He has a lot of retirement from other positions. He would have been totally retired at 52 if he was in Washington. That's not far away. He wants to get back to get retirement. If he come to Kenai, he would want to stay until retirement to his cabin. Williams: What's Lincoln City like now? Zenor: Government -wise? Fine. His secretary was made acting city manager. Nice lady, but no education and was 10 there for five years. She worked closely with the council. They recruited nationwide and he was not in the pipeline, but they didn't get many applicants and they threw them out and hired her as city manager. Williams: How has community resolved the problems with the council? Zenor: It has not gone away. Five communities were consolidated to one. In that location, it was very difficult. In Canby, you have to live there for 25-30 years to run for council. In Lincoln City, it could be three months. He had lots of programs in place and just now they are getting done and somebody is getting the credit for them. That's fine, but people know who did it. New City Hall, water and sewer, etc. Probably ten things that are major that are being done now and he put them in place. It bothers him a bit. Those are the fun things and he got the crap. He changed the whole budget process. Was a real struggle. Council meetings are televised. That caused some problems. He is very good friends with the lady who now has the job. He had a mayor who never worked with a mayor as dedicated as he was. Ran on a platform to clean city hall. He was elected and demanded an office in city hall. He felt he was the governor of the city. He had a "kitchen" cabinet as advisors and a coronation dance. They put an office in with phone, etc. and he showed up less and less and ended as his biggest supporter. Kept him on his toes. Got to be good friends. He got recalled. People didn't know he did so much. It taught him about legislators and how to get through. He is not the best state lobbyist -- a real asset to him wherever he goes. Swarner: Do you have any questions of council? Zenor: At this point only one. It has been addressed. Does this council want to stay as a council for awhile? Does this council feel that they want to stay? It appears that council gets along. No serious problems. He can derive that no one has stated they are leaving or not planning to run again at this time. When you are a good city manager and staff and peers support you and basically the community supports, it is 11 tough to have an ugly situation. Very tough. Security, continuity, etc. very important. Leo Oberts: In Alaska, have boom and bust periods. Right now with new oil discoveries, looks like another increase. When that happens, you want to increase your business, etc. Have a problem with legislature. Today they are not Kenai friendly. The financial power is in Anchorage. Power of legislature is in Anchorage, etc. Thinks business community needs to have someone checking on them. Get busy and don't have time to talk with people. We are an old community, but also a brand new community. There is a large native population that own a lot of land in the area. Large interest in gas fields. Two local native corporations. They will need to be looked at closely here. Zenor: Was informational. If a community is going to be a "moving and shaking" community, they need to have their pulse on the legislature. Need to have them aware that you will be there and keep them informed. Oberts: Tourism is just beginning to take off. Locally has not got momentum, but will probably see an increase this year. Zenor: Economic development ideas. Some kind of interpretative center or something piggy -backing on something else. They are good economic development. Tourism needs to be more than hotels and restaurants. You need to get the tourism now or someone else will beat you to the punch. If that's what you want. Some people don't like the visitors. Williams: Seward is embarking on a program to put an aquarium for tourist ships. Big scheme. He is watching if it will go. Oberts: In business community, talk about getting "value added." Anchorage has stolen a lot of business that should have been here instead of Anchorage. Williams: Thanks for coming up visiting and applying. Have a full schedule tomorrow. Will be visiting some of the plants. Hoping you will tour yourself on Saturday. Dinner on Saturday and volunteer at the library tomorrow. Look at Peninsula. Will take all said into consideration. 12 Zenor: Really appreciates time, tours, etc. He has not normally found council doing this, being with the candidate, etc. Most of them want to interview the person and in a social setting a short time. This process has had an impact on he and his wife. Congratulations for time and effort -- both he and Martha. Martha "would have came" if she knew it was public. She didn't know it. Vinlow: open door policy. How do you view the roles of the press. Do you go to the press or do they come to you? Zenor: A two -fold question -- (1) Role of the press and (2) does he go to the press or do they come to him. (1) Had a lot of experience dealing with public relations starting with Eugene. Was in charge of all media. Learned a lot about dealing with entities, newspaper, tv, etc. If he finds newspapers to be vicious, ruthless, etc., he can work with it. But he has been in the situation where the city has been very guarded because of the media. His approach to the press: The news media is a communicator,, i.e. a vehicle for the citizens and government to communicate. There are several responsibilities of the press and those are informational, i.e. responsibility to inform the citizens what's happening; a watchdog for both sides of the fence. All in the same bowl. Thinks news media is responsible for the city to communicate familiarity. They are involved from the start and can report accurately. He has usually had a level of trust to keep informed even on confidential level so when the story hits, they can go ahead. Trust, accuracy -- stories need good press and press needs to report for the city. INTERVIEW ENDED AT 9:35 P.M. Notes transcribed by: Carol L. Freas, City Clerk 5/10/93 13