CITY OF VISTA
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 27, 2022
The October 27, 2022, Special Meeting of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista was called to order by Deputy Mayor Franklin at 5:31 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, California.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT
Deputy Mayor John Franklin
Joe Green, Corinna Contreras, Katie Melendez
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT
Mayor Ritter
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
Walter Chung City Attorney
Amanda Lee Acting City Manager
Ned Vander Pol Fire Chief
Kathy Valdez City Clerk
John Conley Director of Community Development and Engineering Larry Vaupel Economic Development Director
Mike Pacheco Recreation and Community Services Director Kuna Muthusamy Public Works Director
Mike Sylvia Finance Director
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Deputy Mayor Franklin led the Pledge of Allegiance.
DISCUSSION
D1. DEPARTMENT HEAD HIRING PROCESS (CC)
Acting City Manager Amanda Lee introduced Traci Bailey, Human Resources Analyst, who provided the staff presentation.
The following individuals shared their concerns with changes to the City Manager's authority in hiring department heads:
Garry Garretson Judy Wood
Miles Sweeney, Vista Fire Fighters Association, stated his support for a new process for hiring department heads.
City Council Members and staff discussed the following:
• Funds are already budgeted for advertising and executive search firm services • Executive search firms often already have a pool of applicants to contact • Each position will have a unique set of panels; can determine panel make up as position vacancies occur
• Stakeholder groups will identify their own representative for the panel • The City Manager should be presented with three candidates to choose from
VISTA CITY COUNCIL(CC) BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT(BSD) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (CDC)
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE VISTA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY(SA)JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY(JPFA)
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
OCTOBER 27, 2022
• City Council members do not need to have a role in making the final decision • A standard process should be used for all positions • Internal candidates that meet qualifications can move straight to the stakeholder panel • Use of executive search firm services should be at the discretion of Human Resources staff • VCMA and management group should be part of stakeholder panel • The municipal code can be updated at the same meeting as the hiring policy is adopted
DISCUSSED A METHODOLOGY OUTLINING THE HIRING OF DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND PROVIDED DIRECTION TO STAFF.
CONSENSUS
Deputy Mayor Franklin thanked Fire Chief Ned Vander Pol for his dedication and years of service to Vista.
ADJOURNMENT
Deputy Mayor Franklin adjourned the meeting at 6:40 pm.
Kathy Valdez, Cit Clerk
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