Travis County Commissioners Court
October 30, 2007
Item 23
Christian, I think we have no choice but to call up your item now, although your favorite two members of the court are not present. 23 is to preview and take appropriate on action on search for new executive manager, planning and budget, including a, job be description, be b, recruitment flyer, c, criteria and questions to help select executive search firm, and d, other recruiting strategy issues.
>> my two favorite members be of the court are not here, but my three favorite members of the court are.
>> [ laughter ] you may remember two weeks ago you addressed the transition plan securing a new executive manager. Since that time the committees that the court established have met twice to review strategies, issues. And what have you before su the result of the committee's work and staff work subsequent to your discussion of two weeks ago. What you have is the job description for the executive manager planning and budget, a recruitment flyer that is intended to be provided to potential executive search officials to explain what the intent is of the search, be and and to have the search firm that is secured utilize the information in that recruiting brochure to put together a true brochure that then is used for recruiting purposes. And then you have scrooit criteriaand questions to help st the executive search firm. Andky go into as much as detail as you would like. The job description is pretty standard issue. The only -- it's been in effect for quite a number of years. It has been provided through the human resources management department and their database, as we discussed earlier, the qualification requirements have been broadened to provide a wide net of individuals that would be considered qualified to do this job. I can go into as much detail as you would like.
>> Commissioner eckhardt and I were part of the little subcommittee that worked with you and hiewnl resources on -- and human resources on these. Commissioner Gomez, any questions about the job description or comments or recommendations?
>> I haven't had a chance to look at them. I just got them. I need to look at them a little closer.
>> okay. We didn't get this over to you as part of backup? I apologize if we didn't.
>> is there anything that y'all want me to look at specifically? Anything unusual?
>> no. On the job description we basically used the same job description that got us christian smith. That in and of itself raises opposition from a whole lot of people.
>> [ laughter ] but we made just a few changes to that one to try to update it. So what we have before us is really a sort of revised old job description that we used. I do think that the wording is such that it is -- it enables us to cast a broad net in search of a good pool of candidates. And to be honest, I think that probably the more significant issue is following up on the executive search firm. The recruitment flyer was language that we thought we could use to sort of embellish the job description to tell a little bit more about Austin-Travis County, central Texas, some of the amenities here, really stressing the positive more than anything else. And saying a little bit more about exactly the kind of person that we're looking for. Not another bureaucrat or technocrat, but a collaborator, communicator, hopefully not somebody be exactly like christian smith, but with with his positives, positives plus, I would say. Toirks do better and build upon.
>> now, I didn't say that.
>> I did.
>> all right.
>>
>> [ inaudible ].
>> what the Commissioner is referring to is five tier two's and height 11's. It's something I passed along as an observation.
>> I think the only material change I think in the job description was the inclusion of the corporations, right?
>> in term of duties performed, the corporations as well as the investment portfolio was added and then the qualification requirements were broadened in essence not to say you had to have specifically have done this job in the exact same or similar setting, but it was broadened to talk about progressively responsible public or private executive level experience in large and complex organizations. And then responsibility for planning and developing and implementing strategic and technical goals and object betives and then to prefer a broad based and distinguished level of high level experiences in multiple settings in budget, finance or strategic planning. It was a little more narrowly giend. Defined.
>> there were a few stylistic changes. Changes.
>> comments?
>> [one moment, please, for change in captioners] and then also talking about salary levels and also the process that the court wishes to follow with respect to interviews and what have you. That is all in this two-page criteria and questions, which then we have identified -- we've identified four firms that have a robust experience in recruiting similar jobs in various locations around the country. And would meet the criteria of having conducted at least 10 successful searches in the last two years of comparable positions.
>>
>> [inaudible].
>> well, the time line --
>> on their successful search as far as finding someone to fill those vacancies, what kind of time line did they have?
>> well, that's what we're asking, Commissioner. In the criteria and questions, as part of the r.f.s., we would ask of them what is your qilgness to conduct a search over a three-missouri period, we will ask them will there be an extra fee for a short search. We will show them what a short search would look like from a schedule standpoint and also a regular search. And then to ask the firm whether they have any observations about the wisdom or feasibility of a short search. A short search may have a cost. It may have two different kinds of costs attendant. One is a financial cost, but it also may have a cost in terms of quality. In terms of the extensiveness of the recruiting process. What this does is articulate the intent of the court to get a final candidate by March, but also asks the search firms what do you think and what does this really mean. And I have no idea at this point what the response of these search firms will be.
>> would the selection process that christian just described that I guess you all have talked about, is that an informal one that requires an anexemption from formal competition? What we want to do is bring the exemption order.
>> I was just going to ask, it sounds like you have to have the exemption order in order to really meet the time line that we're looking for, right?
>> correct. It will take us three months if we go through the formal process.
>> there will be an informal process that allows some competition and us an opportunity to learn more about potential firms before selecting one.
>> yes.
>> I mean, if that's a need for a motion, I mean I would move approval of --
>> the other thing would be questions to ask.
>> yes.
>> let me just tell you what I've done. I've taken what christian has given you all to approve and I've stuck it in your documents. When you all make all your final comments, Commissioner Gomez has a chance to look the at it and you give me final comments, I'll change whatever you all change and then solicitation, and then we'll send it to the select firms that we want to send it to.
>> I guess what I'm hearing is what I really wanted to put my arms around is the experience that we're looking for as far as the short search is concerned and what signals will they send us especially if the conversation was brought up, discussion was brought up about having someone coming in and short search that were not as qualified as opposed to those that would be in a longer, regular search. You know, if there's track record coming in that they have gotten persons that are not qualified as such in a short search, then, of course, I don't want to go that route. I want to make sure that whoever we get in the short-range scenario is also a person that is super qualified. I don't see how we can get from around that.
>> and there may be a
>> [inaudible] between those two, between doing things quickly and doing things well.
>> well, but the --
>> the pool of applicants. I don't think necessarily it's the quality of applicants, it's the pool. The less time --
>> the point is well taken and I think that the subcommittee has talked about a two-pronged approach to answering that question.
>> okay.
>> one is to do the r.f.s. And put this questionnaire out into the professional world to ask their opinion of a short search, and two is to call various entities and individuals who have recently done searches and ask them their perspective so we can get theirs as well as a client's perspective. And then we can pursue this on a parallel track. One is moving forward as though we're doing a short search just in case we are and I think we are, and the second is evaluating the benefits of that short search against the detriments of it so if we need to extend the search, we know that --
>> the door is left open.
>> right.
>> and I don't disagree with that, I just -- it's just whoever, in my opinion, if there is an exemption that's applicable in this process, that's applicable in this bro ses, I want to make sure they are able or capable of providing us with the best pool of applicants I guess in the short term. What kind of track record they've on got, in other words. That's what I'm after. I'm after their track record that would indicate they are able to handle short-search criteria.
>> Commissioner, I know you want to get a new executive manager planning and budget by March 1, and you have made it very, very clear. I don't want you disappointed because you want a real good one and you want it done quickly. And I don't -- and I hope you are not disappointed. I just want to raise a little red flag that says, gosh, it might take an extra month or two, and as long as you are not disappointed and get cranky, then everything is okay.
>> if it does, that's what Commissioner eckhardt was referring to as far as that little door still be left open on a parallel chart and that's the door she was basically referring to.
>> yeah, and I'm not sure if Commissioner Davis has already made this motion or not, but I would move that we approve the criteria and questions to help select the executive search firm and along with that exempted from competitive bids.
>> second.
>> in chatting with alicia perez, she has a good suggestion on the -- a sentence in that criteria and questions document that rather than say Travis County's practice has been to pay up to 10% above mid-point for the position, which technically is not a good sentence, to say -- and her suggestion, which I thought was an excellent one, Travis County practice allows paying up to 10% above mid-point for the position. That would be a -- it's a accurate statement and it also then signals your maximum and obviously you will be looking to have a fair and proposalry.
>> I'm incorporating that into my motion.
>> and I'm accepting it.
>> any more discussion?
>> one other thing in here, the court is prepared to pay one-half of relocation expenses. You need to be sure and read it and make sure --
>> and we will come back with you for a budget because also, this is for everyone, but especially Commissioner Davis, I don't want to pick on you, but the sooner you get someone, the more duel salary expenditure that you have because I'll still be here. And so there is going to be an expense the sooner you get somebody and the both of us are on the payroll. So we need to show you that budget impact.
>>
>> [inaudible].
>> I understand that.
>> that's what we're looking for. There's no use short changing ourself with that. Quite frankly, that is exactly what I would like to see.
>> I just don't want you to have sticker shock. So when you see the budget, you go oh, my gosh, you go oh,, yes, that's right.
>> that's a comment from one of your least favorite Commissioners since somebody told me upstairs you were sucking up to the two when three of us were gone.
>> he's a collaborator. Not a manipulator.
>> any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank you.
>> and the final -- the draft, is that acceptable?
>> we already did that one. We're moving faster than you ever expected.
>> I know.
>> so we'll have an exemption order plus other recruiting strategies back on next week? Okay. Have it on just in case.
>> thank you all.
>> thank you.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 18:30 AM