Interview Questions

On Wednesday, June 5, the commission will convene publicly to interview the two candidates for the Village Manager position.  Their resumes are here.  Each commissioner will have the chance to ask their top questions  which are first vetted by staff and legal, and then evaluate the answers.  There's no mechanism for public questioning of either the commission or the candidates so I'm throwing out my questions here.  

Financial: 

• How do you evaluate the cost of services provided to the community?   
• How do you measure the value and effectiveness of services compared to other cities?  
• What information do you think staff should provide for expenditures?  

Operational:  

• Given limited finances, how do you keep the staff motivated and on task?
• What important feedback mechanisms have you put in place in the past to ensure that performance is where it needs to be?  

Community:  

• Give some examples of how you have improved community involvement in municipal life.  
• What would your constituents - the commissioners, the staff, the public - say about your style and give some specific examples?  
• What examples can you give about police - community relations from your experience?  

Equally important, I'd hope that the candidates will ask the commission some hard questions.   

• Of the last three managers, two were fired and one is suing the village over compensation.   What does this mean going forward?   
• North Bay Village has a unique contract with the Police Chief that includes the clause "Employee shall have sole discretion in management of the Police Department and should not be interfered with in the performance of his duties."  The same contract also provides a nine month severance package to the Chief in the event that he is fired for anything other than criminal conviction.   How do you see a manager supervising the police chief given this limitation?  
• To each commissioner:  what will you be evaluating me on?  

 There are probably a hundred other questions but that's my start.   What others should they be asking?  

Kevin Vericker
June 4, 2013