07-18-2017 Workshop Agenda The City ®f CityCommission
venturaAi Workshop Meeting
July 18, 2017
_,
Following Commission Meeting at 9:00 a.m.
19200 west Country Club Drive Aventura,FL 33180 Executive Conference Room
AGENDA
1. ACES Residency Grandfather Policy (Mayor Weisman)*
2. Recommendation to Appoint Members to the Youth Advisory
Board (City Manager)*
3. Colin Baenziger & Associates - City Manager Search Process*
4. City Talks Program (Commissioner Mezrahi)*
5. NALEO Conference Update (Commissioner Landman)
6. Adjournment
Y Back-up Information Exists
This meeting is open to the public. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, all persons who are disabled and who
need special accommodations to participate in this meeting because of that disability should contact the Office of the City Clerk, 305-466-
8901,not later than two days prior to such proceeding. One or more members of the City of Aventura Advisory Boards may be in attendance
and may participate at the meeting.Anyone wishing to appeal any decision made by the Aventura City Commission with respect to any matter
considered at such meeting or hearing will need a record of the proceedings and,for such purpose,may need to ensure that a verbatim record
of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. Agenda items may be
viewed at the Office of the City Clerk, City of Aventura Government Center, 19200 W. Country Club Drive, Aventura, Florida, 33180, or
online at cityofaventura.com.Anyone wishing to obtain a copy of any agenda item should contact the City Clerk at 305-466-8901.
CITY OF AVENTURA
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Commission
FROM: Eric M. Soroka, ICMA-CM, C' -ger
DATE: June 27, 2017
SUBJECT: ACES Non-Resident Informa •
As requested at the June Workshop Meeting, below is the information related to non-
residents attending ACES in the 2017/18 school year.
Grade Non-Residents
K - 2nd 0
3rd 10
4th 3
5th 10
6t" 12
7th 12
8th 21
Total 68
Percentage of student enrollment 67%
EMS/act
CC01703-17
CITY OF AVENTURA
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Commission
FROM: Eric M. Soroka, ICMA-CM ' I . ger
DATE: June 29, 2017
SUBJECT: Recommended Youth Advisory Board Appointments
The City received sixteen applications for the newly created Youth Advisory Board. On
June 28, 2017, The Mayor, City Clerk and I interviewed the applicants. We were all
impressed with the quality of the students and it was a very difficult decision to select
just seven board members. Below is the recommended applicants for the Board and we
included three alternates to participate with the Board.
NAME GRADE
SCHOOL
Sofia Korn 10 (entering)
Krop Senior High
Mayrav 11 (entering)
Lapidot American
Heritage
Nathaniel 12 (entering)
Manor Krop Senior High
Dawson Miller 12 (entering)
David Posnack
Eric Perczek 11 (entering)
NSU University
School
Rebecca 10 (entering)
Richmond- Le Lycee
Parks International
(homeschool)
Gabriela 9 (entering)
Sartan Krop Senior High
.k'
Emily Briskin 9 (entering)
Krop Senior High
Valerie Hanz 11 (entering)
Katz Yeshiva
High School
Brittany 12 (entering)
Steinfeld Krop Senior High
Draft Project Schedule-Aventura City Manager Recruitment
As of 06.30.2017
Phase I: Needs Assessment/Information Gathering
July 18, 2017 CB&A attends the City Commission Workshop to obtain input.
July 24, 2017 Colin Baenziger meets with City Commissioners one-on-one and other
suggested stake holders to understand the job and its challenges.
July 28, 2017 CB&A submits the draft of the full recruitment profile to the City for its
review. Comments will be due August 4th.
Phase II: Recruiting
August 7,2017 CB&A posts the full recruitment profile on its website and submits it to the
appropriate publications. It is also e-mailed to over 13,400 local
government professionals.
August 25,2017 Closing date for submission of applications.
Phase III:Screening,Reference Checks and Credential Verification
September 25,2017
CB&A forwards its candidate report and materials to the City. These will
include the candidates' resumes,the candidate introduction, and the results
of our reference, background and Internet/newspaper archives checks.
October 3, 2017 City selects candidates for interviews.
Phase IV: Interview Process Coordination and City Manager Selection
October 10, 2017 City holds reception for the finalists.
October II, 2017 One-on-one and full City Commission Interviews and decision.
October 19, 2017 City Commission selects new Manager
November 7, 2017 City Commission approves Employment Contract
Attachment A: Search Methodology
The following search methodology has been refined over the past nineteen years and now is
virtually foolproof. We will integrate your ideas into the process. Our goal is to ensure you have
the right people to interview as well as the information you need to make the right decision.
Phase t: Bl/irnuation Gathering and.deeds_Issescment
Task One:Needs Assessment
An important part of the recruiter's work is selling the community to the very best candidates
(including those that are not actively looking for the next job) while also providing an accurate
portrayal of the community and the opportunity. In order to do this, CB&A must first determine
the needs of the client and the characteristics of the ideal candidate. Our approach is as follows:
• Compile background information from the jurisdiction's website and other sources.
• Interview the Mayor and Commission, other key parties (such as City staff) and
stakeholders(such as community groups,business owners,residents, government officials
and property owners). Our goal is to develop a strong sense of your organization, its
leadership, its short and long term expectations,and its challenges;
• Determine the characteristics of the ideal candidate. These will likely include experience,
longevity, education, personality, demeanor, and achievements as well as other items the
Commission and stakeholders consider important), and
• Determine a reasonable compensation package.
We will also finalize the timeline so candidates can mark their calendars well in advance and will
be available when the Commission wish to conduct the interviews.
Task Two: Develop Position Description and Recruitment Materials
Based on the information we gather, CB&A will next develop a comprehensive recruitment
profile. We will provide our draft for your review and comment. We will then meet with the
Commission to discuss the results of our interviews and the resulting recruitment profile. Your
suggestions will be incorporated, and the final document prepared. A sample of our work is
included as Appendix B. Other samples can be found on our firm's website under the "Executive
Recruitments"/"Active Recruitments"tabs.
Phase II: Recruitment
Task Three:Recruit Candidates
CB&A uses a number of approaches to identify the right people for this position. We say people,
and not person, because our goal is to bring you six to ten excellent semi-finalists, all of whom
will do the job extraordinarily well and who are so good you will have a difficult time choosing
Attachment A: Search Methodology
among them. You then select the top three to five people to interview and ultimately choose the
candidate who is the best fit with you and your community. The approaches we use are:
• Networking: The best approach is diligent outreach. We will network with our colleagues
and consult our data base. As we identify outstanding candidates (many of whom are not
in the market), we will approach them and request that they apply. Often excellent
candidates are reluctant to respond to advertisements because doing so may alienate their
current employers. When we approach them, their credentials are enhanced rather than
diminished. We also use Linkedln as a source of candidates.
• Advertising While we will seek out the best, we will not ignore the trade press as it often
also yields strong candidates. We intend to advertise through organizations such as the
International City/County Management Association,Florida League of Cities,Florida City
and County Management Association and so on. We will also post it on our website,
www.cb-asso.com. We generally do not use newspapers or generic websites because while
they produce large numbers of applications, they generally do not produce the type of
candidates our clients are seeking.
• Email: We will also e-mail the recruitment profile to our listsery of over thirteen thousand
managers and professionals who are interested in local government management. One of
the advantages of e-mail is that if the recipient is not interested,he/she can easily forward
the recruitment profile to someone else who may be interested.
Phase III:Screening anti finalist Selection
Task Four: Evaluate the Candidates
Based on our most recent recruiting efforts, we anticipate receiving resumes from sixty to one
hundred applicants. We will narrow the field as described above and present information on
candidates to the Mayor and Commission. This process requires a mixture of in-depth research
and subjective evaluation.Our process is as follows.
It should be noted that selecting strong candidates is more an art than a science. While we consider
standard ranking factors and the elements of the job, ultimately the most important factor is who
we believe will be a good fit with the City and the community. Typically forty percent of our
finalists are women and/or minorities.
Specifically, our efforts will involve:
Step One. Resume Review. CB&A will evaluate all resumes and identify the eight to
fifteen high quality candidates.
Step Two. Screening Interview. Our lead recniiter, and possibly other senior
representatives of the firm,will interview each of these candidates. Using what we learned
in Phase I and our experience as managers and recruiters, as well as our unique ability to
assess candidates, we will determine whether or not to consider them further.
Attachment A: Search Methodology
Step Three. Prepare a Report. We will prepare a written report summarizing the Results
of the Recruitment and the top seven to ten candidates. We will forward our report to the
Commission.
Step Four. Evaluate the Best Candidates. We will develop materials and background
investigations for the to five to six candidates. For those that remain in consideration,
CB&A will:
• Ask the Candidates to Prepare a Written Introduction: We will ask the
candidates to prepare a written introduction to themselves as part of their
preliminary background checks. This is done for several reasons. First, it allows
the candidates to tell their own story and balance the negativity that is so often
characteristic of the press. It also allows the City to evaluate the candidates written
and communicative skills.
• Candidate Disclosure Statement: We will ask candidates if there is anything
controversial in their background that we should be made aware of prior to further
consideration. While it is unlikely that we find anything not previously publicized
in the press,we believe redundant checks offer superior security for our client.
• Interviews of References: We tell the candidate with whom we wish to speak.
These include current and former Commission Members, the municipal attorney,
the external auditor,staff members,peers,news media representatives,the director
of the local chamber of commerce,community activists, and others who know the
candidate. We also attempt to contact some individuals who are not on the
candidate's list. Typically we reach eight to ten people and prepare a written
summary of each conversation.
• Legal Checks: Through our third party vendor, American DataBank, we will
conduct the following checks: criminal records at the county, state and national
level; civil records for any litigation at the county and federal level;and bankruptcy
and credit.
Search the Internet and Newspaper Archives: Virtually every local newspaper
has an archive that provides stories about perspective candidates, the issues they
have dealt with, how they resolved them and the results. These articles can also
provide valuable insights into the candidate's relationship with the public and the
governing body. Of course,not all news sources are unbiased and we consider that
in our evaluation. This step is conducted in order to quickly discover candidates
with problems in their backgrounds and eliminate them.
• Verification of Education: We also verify claimed educational degrees to assure
the candidate is being totally forthright.
Attachment A: Search Methodology
• Verification of Work History: We verify employment for the past fifteen years.
The goal in conducting these checks is to develop a clear picture of the candidates and to determine
which best meet the criteria established in Phase 1. Each of the avenues we pursue adds a piece of
the puzzle. We will crosscheck sources, search for discrepancies, and resolve them when we find
them. When sensitive or potentially embarrassing items are discovered, they are thoroughly
researched. If we conclude the situation is damaging or even questionable, the situation reported
to the City,with the City's concurrence,the candidate will be dropped from further consideration.
Note: We firmly believe that all background work we have outlined above should
he completed early in the process. That way the client knows the individuals to be
interviewed are all lop performers and do not have anything embarrassing in their
pasts that might come to light after.selection. 1t also means that once our client has
made a selection, it can move forward promptly, negotiate a contract and make an
announcement
Task Five: Preparation and Presentation of Candidate Materials
For the selected candidates, CB&A will compile the information we have developed into a
complete written report for each recommended candidate. Specifically, this information will
include: the candidates' resumes, introductions, references, background checks and Internet /
newspaper archive search results. A complete sample candidate report is included as Appendix
C. We will also provide some advice on interviewing, a series of questions the elected officials
may wish to ask (as well as some areas that it is not wise to get into), and some logistical
information. The preceding information will be forwarded to you electronically.
Task Six: Finalist Selection
Approximately a week after the City has received the candidate materials, CB&A will meet with
the elected officials to discuss our findings and make a final determination concerning who will
be invited to interview. The City will then select four to six candidates to interview.
Task Seven: Notify All Candidates of Their Status
We will notify the finalists by telephone and give them the opportunity to ask additional questions.
We will also provide them with information concerning the interviews and travel if necessary.
CB&A will inform those not selected of their status. Part of the notification will include advice
concerning the candidates' resume and/or cover letter so, even though they were not selected to
go forward,they will have gained something valuable from participating in the process.
Attachment A: Search Methodology
Phase II .: Coordinate the Interview Process and City Manager Selection
Task Eight: Coordinate the Candidate Assessment Process
Prior to the interviews,we will recommend an interview/assessment process for the City's review
including means to evaluate the candidates' communication skills, interpersonal skills, and
decision-making skills. As part of the process, we will recommend the City Commission observe
the finalists in a number of settings. We will also recommend you invite the finalists' spouses so
they can spend time in and evaluate your community.
Day#1: The finalists are given a tour of the community by a knowledgeable staff member
or resident.
Later, that evening, the Mayor and Commission host a reception for the candidates. The
purpose is to observe how the finalists respond to a social situation. Your next City
Manager will, after all, represent your local government in numerous venues. It is thus
important to know how the individual will respond in a social setting. The reception also
serves as an ice-breaker whereby the Commission Members and the candidates get to know
one another informally.
Day#2: Beginning at approximately 8:00 a.m.,the Mayor and Commission as a group will
interview each candidate one at a time for approximately an hour. Part of the interviews
may include a PowerPoint presentation so the Commission can observe the candidates'
presentational skills.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., each candidate will interview individually with each elected
official for approximately 30 minutes. These meetings provide the Commission Members
with an opportunity to assess how the candidates might interact with them on an individual
basis. It is very important to know if good chemistry exists. Ultimately, Managers succeed
and fail based on their interaction with the Commission and the one-on-one interviews are
an excellent way to test that interaction.
Task Nine: Debriefing and Selection
Once the interviews have concluded,CB&A suggests the City Commission Members adjourn and
hold a meeting a day or two later to select the next City Manager. Although the selection can be
made the same day as the interviews, this decision is quite important and we recommend you take
some time to consider what you have seen and heard.
In terms of the final selection, we have developed a simple methodology that moves the elected
body quickly and rationally to the desired outcome. Once the selection has been made,CB&A will
notify the finalists of their status. Candidates are eager to know and we feel it is important to keep
them informed.
Attachment A: Search Methodology
Communications: We will provide weekly reports about the status of the search, in writing or by
phone, depending upon your preference. At significant milestones we will make the reports in
person. We are also available at any time, day or night, to address any questions you have along
the way. To do so, we will provide you with our cellphone numbers and you should feel
comfortable contacting us whenever you have a question whether it is directly related to the search
or, for that matter, anything else related to local government We want to be responsive and to
assist in any way we can.
The City's Obligations
The City will be responsible for providing the facilities for the interview process, coordinating
lodging for candidates from outside the area, and making arrangements for the reception. The City
will also be responsible for reimbursing the candidates for all expenses associated with their travel,
meals,and incidentals for the interview weekend.
The City should also plan to provide the following information, if it is not available on the City's
website, to each of the finalists: the current year budget, an organizational chart, the latest
completed audit and management letter, any current strategic and long range plans, a copy of the
City Charter, any job descriptions and other materials defining the role and duties of the City
Manager,and any evaluations of the organization completed in the last year.
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CITY OF AVENTURA
OFFICE OF THE CITY COMMISSION
MEMORANDUM
TO: Eric M. Soroka, ICMA-CM, City Manager
FROM: Commissioner Gladys Mezrahi
DATE: July 10, 2017
SUBJECT: Discussion on Establishing a City Talks Program
Please place on the July Workshop Meeting Agenda a discussion on developing a City
Talks program for the City.
CITY TALKS
A series of talks geared towards bringing the community together. Topics that are
actively engaging. Personal interaction with families.
Details:
• Expert speakers with topics that help us engage with the community
• The new trends and how they contribute/affect our community
• One talk every 2 or 3 months
• Open to all residents, including children 13 and older (encourage families)
• Location - City library or Commission Chambers
Some of the topics:
• Cyber Security
• Bullying
• New trends for jobs and development
• Climate Issues
• Social Media Ethics
Thank you.