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Council debate over HR hiring and staff relations highlights tensions with city manager
Summary
Council members pressed for a promised HR workshop and accused the city manager of making unilateral personnel changes; the manager denied hiring an HR person and councilmembers asked for clearer scheduling of a workshop on HR and an assistant city manager proposal.
Council members used the meeting to press the city manager over personnel decisions and the scheduling of a promised HR workshop, with one council member accusing the manager of making a unilateral change before the council could hold the agreed workshop.
A council member said the council had agreed to wait until after the election to schedule an HR workshop but then discovered what the member described as changes to job descriptions and the effective hiring of an HR person on April 1. The member described those steps as “backdoor” actions and said the council had been deprived of the opportunity to discuss the matter in a workshop. When directly asked on the dais whether he had hired an HR person, Mr. Sessions responded, "No, I didn't hire an HR person." He also said the manager had changed a job description, and the council member continued to press for a workshop to be scheduled.
Separately, council members discussed creating an assistant city manager position that could consolidate HR duties and provide backup when the city manager is absent. One council member argued the combined role could be a way to get "more bang for our buck" by combining coverage for the city manager and adding HR oversight, and recommended the idea be workshopped during budget workshops.
Several speakers emphasized that respect and collaboration between council and staff are necessary for retention and effective service. Councilmember Vanessa told the dais she would address “respect” and the council–manager relationship in her upcoming agenda item.
Council did not adopt any personnel changes or contracts during the meeting; members directed staff and the mayor’s office to schedule the promised workshop and to bring relevant job descriptions and information to that session.
