Background Candidates Please

Guest · Background Candidates Please

This is a big decesion that we will deal with for years. Please don't do the usual Edgewater process. Background the top pick and have an outside firm dig deep. Remember one of them might be close to being fired for poor job performance. It would be very easy for that Mayor to give them a good reccommendation to get rid of them. Digg deep people spend a little extra money it might just save you a lot of future problems. Just because someone looks good on paper it does not mean they are good. Look at what they accomplished other than going to school and getting certifications. What have they accomplished in life? What have they done for thier previous workplace? Why are they leaving? Talk to other employees, department heads, check prior workplaces. Look at the number of lawsuits they created or settled. DO THE RIGHT THING>

Duh

That is why Council hired a very expensive search firm to find and vet the candidates. What part of head hunting is so difficult to understand?

Guest

The search firm they hired does not do backgrounds. What if someone had a very bad gambling habit and thier personal life was in shambles. The work performance might be good for now but I don't think I would want to give them a contract. But I guess you know it all, you know best. I can't say it enough that you or we get what we pay for.

Guest

to DUH,

Your nothing but a condescending POS who thinks your smarter than the average poodle. Don't do a background and live with what you get you nitwer.

Duh

Guest
The background check has already been done. What do you think Council has been doing for the past five months. They are holding extensive interviews with the candidates all day today and a committee of City Managers from other cities are going to futher vet them. Please help this pathetic POS out and tell me exactly what kind of background check hasn't been done to your satisfaction.

Guest

Thats funny because when I called a couple of Mayors these people worked for, they never heard from anyone regarding a background. Your really getting your moneys worth. Do your own research and see for yourself.

Duh

Well there you have it. You have already conducted a background check. So who do we hire?

Kendall St

Duh pretty much sums up his mentality and i.q.

Duh

Lets see now. The candidates started a 36 in number. Run an expensive background check at this point? That would be a waste of money. Then we had 5. Run the expensive background checks now? Pretty pricey. Now we have 2 finalist. Run the extensive, expensive background checks now? Bingo!

Guest · Personnel Rules and Procedures

Just in passing, I believe if someone is employed as a personnel manager (such as a Mayor), in any capacity, that person wouldn't divulge information about personnel matters to a curious, unidentified person. It is a confidentiality issue.
So, if someone out of the blue called to ask about a former employee, such as a City Manager, and whether or not a search firm had asked about them, if I were that Mayor I would say nothing.
So, if you did indeed call, you probably shouldn't have been given any information. There are rules governing what is appropriate to say and not to say (including whether or not someone else has called to ask about an employee's job performance). Cities can be sued for giving out that kind of personnel information.
In this case, "doing your own research" would most likely be an exercise in futility because the fact is it isn't any of your business. I'm surprised you didn't hear that. I'm not surprised you were told they hadn't been contacted.

Duh

Yep, that sounds about right. I have faith in the City Council and that they are doing a thorough job.

Guest

Asking if they were contacted does not violate any agreement re: release of information documentation. I agree they would not release any other info without a signed waiver of liability.

fyi

Guest

I was pleased to find out they are doing a background on the top pick. It looks like DUH was wrong because he assumed the expensive search firm already did one to get them to this point. A vetting process only asks if anything needs to be disclosed, something Obamas people quickly discovered with his cabinet picks. A background simply finds out if they were truthful during the vetting process.

DUH - DUH - Dumb

Duh

Whatever. The point is, appropriate background investigation has or is being done. It was a dumb question to begin with.

Russ

Obviously you have not lived here for very long because if you had you would know that many things in E/W have been done by 1/2. If everything was done 100% we would not need a manager would we. I'm glad someone asked the question because it may have prompted the background.

Guest · maybe a little naive

Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 7:01 pm Post subject:

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Guest

Thank you Russ !!!!!!!!! I have lived here for the past 30 years and you are spot on. I also appreciate the City doing the right thing no matter whose idea it was.

Duh

And if you have lived here for any length of time you would know that it was the Mayors that hired Department heads, often without a background check. They would hire friends and neighbors and the like. This choice is being made by Council. If the current Mayor had her way we wouldn't even have a City Manager. If the duty of hiring a CM had been the Mayors job we probably would have a draftsman running the City.
Council has done a good job in hiring our first CM and that is worth more than a ton of TS conjecture and second guessing.

To the Future! · Bring on the City Manager!

EW residents have had valid reasons for being suspicious of their elected officials in the past. No doubt about it. However, this Council hired a good search firm and the candidates were interviewed by, (in addition to our City Council) other area practising City Managers. Within professional groups like that, word gets around about who is honest and reliable.
What do you mean by a "background check"? Background checks are classically used to discover criminal activity.
Are you saying you are concerned these candidates might have been involved in criminal activity? Or are you trying to say something else? I'm a little confused about what the "topic of concern" is on this thread.
I would like to thank our Council for doing a thorough job. I don't think they hear that enough.
I'm more than satisfied with this selection process, Enough micromanaging for heaven's sake!
I applaud your efforts and will support your choice.
Bring on the City Manager, I say. Let's get on with it!!

Guest

Background checks are not only designed to detect criminal activity, they are also a means of looking at past work preformance. The candidates would typically sign a realease of information document which authorizes an investigator to contact former employers, mayors, department heads. Just because someone has some booksmarts and credentials does not mean jack in the real world. How do they work with people and can they attract business to our City. If we hire the wrong person it's just more money wasted.

Guest · Risk Tolerance

You are having a problem with it. There is no such thing as a sure bet.

Guest

A background check is part of the contract with the search firm.
There always has to be someone who stirs trouble - no matter how good things look.
The search firm was very professional, brought in 3 dozen wonderful candidates, it was narrowed down to five, all were presented to the public and then the next day there were two interviews; council, the mayor and the city attorney and the second consisted of three city managers from Colorado cities.

Ya know - I just don't get why it was all so secretive and done so shabbily. Geez!

Jiminy Cricket · Keep on the sunny side of life!

Duh

I think Council is doing a superior job in selecting the first CM. On this issue I don't think anyone can complain but some are not satisfied with anything.

Guest

That's because ignorant things and been done in the past by people like DUH. Hopefully this time they got it right.

Stickian · Etiquette

Guest

I think a classic example of flamming is DUH and his original post. Try reading some of his/her sarcastic posts before being so quick to slam the wrong person.

Stickian

I imagine I see a lot of raw, defensive feelings in the form of sarcasm but I could be wrong. The sarcasm seems to be punching your buttons and making you angry.
DUH might want to think about checking the sarcasm because it can sound condescending. If DUH genuinely feels condescending, try to ignore the apparent attitude and focus on the content of the post. Does it contain information you didn't know about? Respond to that.
It's easy to read emotion into the printed word. Emotion that doesn't necessarily exist there.
Let's try to be a little understanding. If we can moderate ourselves, stop this sparing back and forth and just state what our opinions about the topic are without ridiculing each other, we all win.
People are always going to disagree, let's try to do it with respect and maybe even a little compassion for each other's point of view. I didn't intend to "slam" you although reading DUH's posts I can understand how you might have felt unfairly accused. I apologize. I only wanted to suggest that this personal fighting back and forth doesn't get us anywhere interesting. It's a drag. Debate, don't' fight! That's my opinion and I'm Sticking with it!

Duh

Agreed. I did not mean to offend and only responded in kind. Civility is always the best policy, even in written debate.

L Keegan · Re: Keep on the sunny side of life!

[quote="Jiminy Cricket"]

Farmer Scott · Thank you.

Ms. Keegan and those others,
It better be the correct choice or else... I know where you live.

I certainly had my favorite but, it didn't include a microscope. I have full faith and always have that this Council would do their very best...I think that's what I voted for?
Learn the past and proceed to the future. Good Job COUNCIL!!

If Edgewater's first City Manager sucks
please disregard this notice,

The Farmer

The Harlander

You have such a way with the truth Farmer Scott. Because of you we don't have junk under City ownership.

I couldn't agree with you more about Councils job performance in selecting a City Manager. Thumbs up Council.

Background Candidates Please

Personnel Rules and Procedures

maybe a little naive

Bring on the City Manager!

Risk Tolerance

Keep on the sunny side of life!

Etiquette

Re: Keep on the sunny side of life!

Thank you.