03-1-02 thru 3-02 Executive Staff Retreat

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e e Stephen Barr . Identify a rising star on the management level. - James Eastep is the new Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation. . Describe why this person stand out from the others. - James stands out because he is new to the City. All of the other managers in the dep& huent have been public servants for many years (average 17 years). - His background is in parks maintenance, with over twenty years in the commercial landscape and design business. He brings a wealth of experience to the table, but that experience i.; fairly one- dimensional. He has used his knowledge to make some needed improvements to the City in the area of grounds maintenance methods and procedures. James has excellent public relation skills and works well with people. He is willing to learn new things and to expand his knowledge of parks and recreation areas beyond parks maintenance. . Describe what areas you want this person to improve in. - James has limited experience as a public servant. He needs to develop a sense of the interaction between the administrative and political realities of a public servant. As public administrators, we use a framework of rules, policies, procedures, ordinances, laws, as well as relationships with peers, superiors, and political entities to accomplish our tasks. Developing a balance between the administrative effectiveness of a decision with the potential for political fallout is a learned art. - James needs to work on his computer skills, particularly in the areas ofMS Word and Excel. With hard work he can improve his writing skills in composing written correspondence. . Describe what you plan to do to continue this person's growth. - James needs mentoring in several areas. The first order of business is getting a handle on the myriad City policies and procedures, from personnel and purchasing, to council agendas, etc. James will enroll in some computer classes to improve his skills in that area. I plan to work with him to get him up to speed on the nuances of public administration. With additional training and experience, James can become an even more valuable member of the executive staff and the La Porte community.