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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-02-26 Board of Selectmen Handout - Part 31,00 Morrissey Boulevard ?A Boston. MA 0212 > -3393 EDWARD J. COLLINS, JR. CENTER FOR PUBLIC MANAGEMENT P: 617.287.4824 UMASS JOHN W. McCORMACK GRADUATE SCHOOL OF POLICY AND GLOBAL STUDIES F: 617.287.5566 BOSTON UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON rnccorrnack.umb.edu /centers; cpm collins.centeK-vumb.edtj To: Town of Reading Board of Selectmen From: Richard Kobayashi, Senior Associate February 14, 2013 This is to provide guidelines and information for the BoS as it proceeds to evaluate candidates. Special Note: since the BoS is the appointing authority and interviews with the candidates are not preliminary in nature the interviews must be conducted in public session. Overview: • The BoS should interview all recommended candidates, all are qualified and each serves as a measuring stick for the others. • We recommend that at least 75 minutes be scheduled for each interview. This allows sufficient time for give and take during the interview and creates a conversational atmosphere. • On arrival candidates will need to be greeted by a designated person and except for the first person will need to be seated in a waiting area. • It is a good idea to allow a ten - fifteen minute break between interviews. • Candidates should be interviewed on a single day or at special single purpose meetings. Saturdays often work well. Interviews should not be spread out over long periods. If multiple meetings are required they should occur over not more than two or three sequential days. • The three candidates can be interviewed in one day on a schedule like the following 8.AM Organization 8.30 Interview #1 9.45 Break 9.55 Interview #2 11.10 Break 11.20 Interview #3 12.35 Lunch — Sandwiches to be brought in 1.50 PM Interviews finished — Discussion, if appropriate. • It is usually a good idea to ask candidates (except the first one) to come 10 minutes early, so the schedule can be accelerated if interviews take less time than planned. • The BoS might consider whether it is appropriate to have selected citizens or staff ask questions. If so appropriate time needs to be allocated. If this course is followed the same questions must be asked by the same questioner of each candidate. • Similarly the BoS must ask each candidate the same questions — this does not limit follow up questions. • Candidates should be asked an initial open -ended question along the following lines. "Tells us where you are in your career and what has drawn your interest to the TA job in Reading. • At the end of the interview candidates should be asked two questions: 1. We have hit you with a lot of questions in a short time, do you have any questions of us, 2. We have several competitive candidates can you tell us what you would bring to the Town that would be distinguish your candidacy from others. Suggested questions There isn't time for all of these questions and there is some overlap. These questions are to be considered a menu and, of course, the BoS is free to formulate its own questions. Main point: the questions should tie into the Profile to the extent possible. 1. (This is a warm up question). Mr /Ms. xxxxx, Please tells us about yourself and in particular how your experience and training qualifies you to help Reading meet the challenges described in the Profile. Possible follow up — What about the Reading's Town Manager job has drawn your interest? 2. Reading is a complex town it has a population that expects a high level of service delivered efficiently. What in your background specifically can provide evidence that you have the experience to serve as Manager in Reading? Possible follow up — Citizens expect a high level of service, but also expect the Town to be managed in a financially prudent way. Public perception of financially prudent management is important. How do you think the town should communicate with the citizens so that they have confidence that the Town is being managed in prudent way? 3. The Town is a complex organization and we are fortunate to have skilled Department /Division heads. What is your management style in working with Department /Division Heads and staff? Possible part 2 of question: Department /Division Heads are the people responsible for direct service delivery what is your experience developing Department /Division Heads as effective leaders of their organizations and as a team. 3A The Town Manager's powers are strong and well defined in Reading. How would you exercise these powers. 3B. The role of Town Manager is highly visible and responsible to a Board with an ever - changing membership. How do you deal with that kind of work environment? Have you ever been in a situation where your contract has not been renewed or you have been asked to leave? 3C. Have you ever terminated anyone, Have you ever discharged a person that you hired? 3D. The person appointed to the Town Manager position will follow a well- respected long term Manager. What approach would you take if you were appointed. What would you do in your first 100 days in the job. 4. Like most municipalities money is tight in Reading. What in your experience provides evidence that you can play a leadership role in the financial planning process, a process the Town believes is essential to maintaining its service delivery capability. 6. A municipality is a direct service organization; residents make judgments about their town based on the services they receive. What have you done to improve services and the perception of town services? 7. The Town is on the edge of the Route 95 circumferential highway, but has much less land near the exits than our neighbors like Burlington and Woburn. Consequently the Town's commercial tax base is modest. What is your experience in fostering economic development and how would that experience help Reading as it pursues its somewhat limited options for development that will enhance the Town's revenue stream. 8. Education and Schools are very important values in Reading, in your previous jobs what has your relationship /role been with the Schools in particular the School Committee and the Superintendent. Reading has virtually all of its educational service provided by the Regional School District, an independent entity. How would you manage relationships with the regional school district? 9. Our citizens expect their public officials to be available and accessible to them. How do you interact with citizens and what concrete actions have you taken in your previous jobs to improve direct services and communication to citizens. Possible follow up question — What is your day -to -day interaction style with citizens. 10. Boards are sometimes not unanimous on the direction the Town should take. How do you manage in a context where there is a majority on an issue, but nevertheless there is a strong minority view on a Board of Selectmen or in a Town Meeting? 11. Even though Reading has a balanced budget the current period of economic stress is placing pressure on the Town. If current trends continue the Town may face the need to sustain service levels with fewer people. What in your experience prepares you to manage in this kind of environment? 12. Reading is blessed with many interested and capable citizens who are interested in serving on town committees. What is your experience working with citizen committees and what do you feel is the Town Manager's proper role with citizen committees appointed by the Board to address specific issues. 13. Some people have observed that there are two kinds of City /Town Managers: those that are principally managers and stewards of the organization and those that play a civic leadership role as well as the role of organizational leader. In this context what kind of a Manager would you be in Reading? Closing question We have hit you with a lot of questions in a very limited time frame, it's only fair that before we close to ask if you have any questions for us or want to make a closing statement Key Items No questions related to a person's marital status, race, family, sexual orientation, etc. can be asked. All questions must be job related. 2. Questions should focus on how the person's knowledge and experience would relate to the Reading context not to highly specific situations in Reading. 3. It is important to make the candidates comfortable. The interview is not an inquisition. it is a conversation. To the extent possible the BoS should try to get a feeling for the personal style, management style and experience of the candidate. 4. The Chair should both open and close the interview. The Chair may need to manage the length of the responses and facilitate follow up questions. 5. All of the candidates have put considerable energy into their efforts and all are contributing to Reading's selection process, even if they do not become finalists. 6. Consider taking notes to record your impressions of the candidates. 7. It is usually helpful for specific members of the BoS to ask one of the set questions. Other Matters The Board need not make a decision based solely on the interviews. It can call candidates back for additional conversation, and it can authorize one or two members to conduct follow up conversations to clarify certain matters. It can also (with the permission of the candidate) have a delegation visit the municipality where the candidate is working currently. Candidate: Date: Interviewer: Town Manager Interview Questions 1. Please tell us about yourself and in particular how your experience and training qualifies you to help Reading meet the challenges described in the Profile. Follow up — What about the Reading Town Manager's job has drawn your interest? 2. This is a complex organization requiring working with a number of different groups such as political entities, departmental leadership, citizens and citizen groups, how do you do that? If you are appointed to the position of Town Manager you will be following someone who has been here for over 26 years and who people are used to dealing with. Describe what you would do in your first "100 days" as Town Manager in Reading. 4. Education and Schools are very important values in Reading. In your previous jobs what has your relationship /role been with the Schools, in particular the School Committee and the Superintendent? Follow up - Can you give an example of how you have worked with the School Committee and the Superintendent in your current or previous role to address an issue or problem? 5. We're interested in how you manage a budget process and how you make decisions. How have you worked for consensus when developing a budget, and when do you make a decision that may be unpopular? Can you give us an example? Follow up - Reading has established planning for Capital Improvements as a priority. Please tell us how you think about capital planning and the role you hope to play leading these efforts. 6. Our citizens expect their public officials to be available and accessible to them. How do you interact with citizens and what concrete actions have you taken in your previous jobs to improve direct services and communication to citizens? Follow up — Describe a situation where you had to address a difficult issue with a resident and you were not happy with the way you handled it. Follow up — What is your day -to -day interaction style with citizens? Additional Comments: