Item M08
Board of County ~omml5510ners
Agenda Item Summary
Meeting Date:May 19, 2004
Bulk Item: Yes [J No ~
Division: Board of County Commissioners
Department: George R. Neugent
AGENDA ITEM WORDING:
Presentation on management issues facing the Board of County Commissioners and the
new administrator by the Concerned Citizens of the Lower Keys.
ITEM BACKGROUND:
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION:
CONTRACT I AGREEMENT CHANGES:
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
TOTAL COST: BUDGETED: YES [J NO [J
tJA
COST TO COUNTY: $ Source of Funds:
REVENUE PRODUCING: YES [] NO [] AMT PER MONTH: YEAR:
[J
APPROVAL:
Commissioner GEORGE R.
DISTRICT II
DOCUMENTATION: INCLUDED [] TO FOLLOW "
NOT REQUIRED i3'
DISPosmON:
AGENDA ITEM # ~
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Cormnissioners
FROM: James L. Roberts
County Administrator
DATE: May 17, 2004
SUBJECT: Report by Concerned Citizens of the Lower Keys
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Concerned Citizens of the Lower Keys approached the County Cormnissioners and
the Administration and offered to do a survey concerning County government. This is an
organization that, during the incorporation movement in the Lower Keys, did a similar survey
with an eye toward evaluating whether incorporation would be the best option for the citizens
of the Lower Keys. A return of this group to the issue of County government was welcomed by
the Administration and senior management participated openly and cooperatively. There is no
dispute that there are problems within County government that need to be corrected. However,
the document does not cover some of the attempts in the past to correct problems to place the
government in a more professional footing. It is important for the Board of County
Cormnissioners to understand some of the history that may have occurred prior to the current
Cormnissioners assuming office.
The following constitute additional information in reference to the items in the report.
1. Long Range Strategic Planning: In the mid 1990's, the Board of County
Commissioners considered establishing a long range strategic plan for the
County. The process would involve not only the Cormnissioners and the
Administration but also the public. With one Cormnissioner spearheading the
issue and with the cooperation of the Administration. the Board of County
Commissioners asked for proposals to be submitted for the development of such
a plan. Proposals were gathered and the County Cormnission then detennined
that a long range strategic plan would be either too difficult to develop or not
implementable. It then down sized the plan to cover the area of Lower
Matecumbe and to utilize the South Florida Regional Planning Council staff as
the facilitators. That was completed at minimal cost and the plan was never
addressed by the County COnmllssion prior to the incorporation of the Village.
It is true that County government is reactive and often driven by crisis and short-
term issues.
If this long range planning becomes one of the goals of the County Connnission,
it is suggested that sufficient funds and support be made available to the
Administrator to organize and implement this approach in conjunction with
experienced outside professionals. Plans of this nature are successful in
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government only if there is strong corrnnitment on behalf of the governing body
and the Administration.
2. Performance Measurement and Reporting: The goal of this section is. of course,
desirable from both the County COrrmllssion and the Administration perspective.
The Administration. because of the changes in the budget process a number of
years ago (which changes resulted in national recognition). has been attempting
to utilize performance measures more as time goes by. A few years ago, there
was a great political upheaval whereby "people who knew better how to run
organizations" created an outcry, without significant documentation, about the
size of the County's workforce and the allegation that the workforce was much
too large. The County underwent an extremely difficult downsizing and
reorganization process that was pushed by political and other considerations and
a formal professional response was not considered. The result was a down sizing
of the workforce under the County COrrmllssion from 623 positions to
approximately 490 positions. Even though there has been a minor amount of
rebuilding, in many areas of the County government staffing is still so thin that
the issues that are addressed are crisis responses. The process of ongoing and
effective reporting will require the development of additional personnel resources
and strong support by the County Corrnnission for the Administration.
3. Internal Cormnunications: I shall not cormnent on the issue in reference to the
County Corrnnission. However. it would be important to understand that. in the
not so recent past, there have been division and department meetings in which
County-wide issues have been discussed. Because of the distances involved,
there were frequent complaints about being away from responsibilities and the
travel time involved.
It is certainly appropriate that more frequent meetings of this nature should take
place. However, in order for them to be successful, it is necessary that they not
become a burden and that they deal with issues that truly affect everyone.
In reference to the span of control, as individual Corrnnissioners have discussed
previously with the Administrator. it is necessary to consider the establishment of
an Assistant Administrator position. This would free up the Administrator to
work to accomplish many of the recormnendations in this report.
4. External Cormnunications: There is no question that increased cormnunication
with the public is a desirable goal and should be pursued. That is one of the
reasons for the recent establishment of the Website Coordinator. More of the
information is making its way to the public and the press.
The 1999 effort for an Annual Report was a corporative effort between the
Corrnnission and the Administration. In fact, the Corrnnission assigned a
Corrnnissioner to participate in every step of the process. Not only the format
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but the substance was reviewed by the Connnission representative. Apparently,
for political reasons. after completion. the project was severely criticized by that
individual and the rest of the County Connnission went along with removing
funds from the following year's budget. The issue is less about the format of the
report than about the County's connnitment to providing information.
5. Compensation: The analysis is appropriate. A few years ago, the Board of
County Connnissioners, at the reconnnendation of the Administration, adopted a
compensation program based upon performance evaluation. After two years. the
Board determined that it would provide compensation increases across the
Board.
6. Career Service Council: The analyses directly represent the feeling of the
Administration in reference to employee discipline issues.
7. Connnunication and Coordination with State Representatives: The new
Administrator should work with the Board of County Connnissioners to develop
a process for County policy to be developed. connnunicated through the State
Representatives, and followed up. The process needs to be formalized.
There is no question that the Concerned Citizens of the Lower Keys have done the County
a service in conducting this analysis. The purpose of this response was to be sure that all
recognize that in the past there have been efforts to do many of the reconnnendations in this
report. It will be up to the Board of County Connnissioners and the new Administrator to look
again at moving these issues forward.
" -
--=- L-
James L. Roberts
County Administrator
JLR: dlf
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MONROE COUNTY GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT
ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A REPORT BY
CONCERNED CITIZENS OF THE LOWER KEYS
MAY 19,2004
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Interviews of fifteen key managers in the Administration of Monroe County and of the
five members of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) have revealed a consensus
of opinion that Monroe County Government has some fundamental management
problems. There is general agreement among those interviewed that these problems need
to be addressed immediately. The problems are:
1. There is no long range (7-1 0 year) strategic plan and no process for the
development and maintenance of such a plan by the Administration and the
Commission. As a consequence, the Government is reactive and often driven by
crises.
2. There is no solid basis for measuring and monitoring the performance and cost
effectiveness of the Departments and Divisions of the County Government. While
some useful data is developed in some departments, this information is not
reported above Division level.
3. There is inadequate communication, or faulty communication, between members
of the BOCC; between the BOCC and the Administration; and between the
locations, divisions and departments of the Administration.
4. There is inadequate communication between County Government and the Public.
Of particular concern is the lack of published information on the performance of
the Government.
5. The compensation policies of the County do not enable the County to hire,
maintain and reward an effective workforce. High employee turnover and hiring
difficulties are the result.
6. The Career Service Council procedure for reviewing personnel disciplinary
decisions needs to be replaced by a procedure that is fair, inexpensive, and prompt
- a benefit to both employee and employer.
7. The County needs a means to discuss and develop its positions and priorities on
issues pending before State Government agencies and legislature. It also needs
improved communication and coordination with our State Representative and our
State Senator'
The selection and installation of a new Administrator provides an opportunity for the
Commission to attack these problems aggressively.
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BACKGROUND
The Concerned Citizens of the Lower Keys (CCLK) is a coalition of representatives of
Homeowners Associations on Cudjoe, Ramrod, Sugarloaf and Summerland Keys. CCLK
is a reformation of a group that was formed in 1999 to assess the proposed incorporation
of the Lower Keys. In 2004, the objective of the group is to evaluate and report on the
management practices and processes of Monroe County Government. This evaluation
does not include an examination of the merits of particular public policy decisions or
programs, nor does it include a detailed assessment of the operations of anyone unit or
department of government. The focus is on generic management processes that are
common to all units of government and that are critical to cost effective performance.
The reswne of the individuals who participated in this study are in Appendix A.
Together, their experience includes work for government and with government, while
most of their work has been in the private sector.
The methodology of the study consisted of a structured interview of fifteen key managers
selected in consultation with The Administrator. A copy of the interview questions was
provided to each interviewee before the interview. The Interview Questionnaire is found,
along with a list of those interviewed, in Appendix B. The CCLK team was organized in
pairs to conduct the staff interviews. Prior to conducting interviews with staff, interviews
were conducted with the five members of the BOCC. Following the staff interviews,
additional meetings were held with Commission members for additional input and to
clarify any areas of question. Comments made in all interviews were and are kept
confidential. All those interviewed were open, candid and cooperative.
PROBLEMS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The problems that have been identified in this study, and which all those interviewed on
the staff and on the Commission agree exist, are fundamental and require immediate
attention. They are not susceptible to piecemeal treatment if the management of Monroe
County is to become cost effective. The job facing the new County Administrator will be
a challenging one - a challenge that will not be met unless the Commission provides the
Administrator with the resources that are needed to meet it. The new Administrator will
be obliged to find some long term solutions while dealing with a myriad of day-to-day
issues. The Administrator will need some help.
We urge that the Commissioners discuss the following problems and recommendations
with the candidates for the Administrator position. The candidates should be asked to
comment on each of them, to talk about their experience in dealing with them and, most
importantly, what resources they need to address these problems before planning for the
FY 2006 budget begins. When the candidate is selected, those resources should be
provided, a target date for completion established, and the target date should be met.
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It should also be pointed out that resolution of some of the problems requires action by
the Commission, not by the Administrator. The time has come for the Board of County
Commissioners to look not just at the job of the Administrator, but at the job of the
Commission; to look not just at today and this year, but at tomorrow and future years.
Now is the time to set a course for Monroe County, a course on which we steer ourselves
without the close and over-riding control of the State of Florida.
1. Long Range Planning
Person after person we interviewed referred to their work as "brush fire
management", "responding to people playing politics", "crisis management",
being "micro-managed", "asking permission to do anything". Planning in Monroe
County is a short-sighted one - a time consuming, repetitive annual exercise in
producing an annual budget. Even though the programs of Government are multi-
year programs - from building buildings, to training firemen, to building sewers,
to providing assistance to the disabled and the elderly -the budget addresses them
one year at a time. Even though we know that we have hundreds of millions of
dollars worth of sewers to build, hundreds of acres of land to buy, a drinking
water supply that is forecast to dry up, and a money supply from Tallahassee and
Washington that is already drying up, we still look at our problems one year at a
time.
We need a process that obliges and enables the Commission and the
Administration, together, to look out into the future - 7 to 10 years - every year.
We need a plan that enables the Commission to assure itself that each annual
budget is consistent with that plan. We need a plan that can be adjusted to
changing circumstances. And we need a plan that enables Administration
managers to manage in confidence that they are working toward shared
objectives.
The planning process we need is a "top-down, bottom up" process in which the
Commission, working with the Administrator and consulting with the public,
drafts some initial objectives and parameters and submits them to the
Administrative Organization. The Organization then develops feasible programs
to meet the guidelines. Discussions and negotiations occur, and a plan is put in
final form. It is a plan that can be reviewed and up-dated every year. And it is a
plan that will facilitate the production of each annual budget.
The new Administrator may need outside, professional help to put this process in
place. If needed, that help should be provided and a timetable established to put
the process in place in time to affect the FY 2006 budget.
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2. Performance Measurement and Reporting
There is no way for the Administrator, or the Commission, or the Public to
routinely monitor how well individual units of Monroe County Government are
performing their work. There is no way to determine if that work is being
performed more or less efficiently because of changes in policy or procedure that
have been made, or because of the investment or loss of personnel or financial
resources. There is no way to compare, through so-called "bench-marking", how
well units of government are performing in comparison with similar units of
government in other jurisdictions. There is no way to tell whether Monroe County
Government is cost effective.
Performance measurement and reporting are established good management
concepts that have been embedded in well managed public and private sector
institutions for decades. They are not utopian dreams and they are workable in the
"real world" of Southeast Florida Politics if we choose to use them and make
them work. The workload of every unit of Monroe County Government is
measurable; the amount of effort and dollars it takes to handle that work is
measurable; the amount of time it takes to complete that work is measurable; and
the results of that work are measurable. If we make these measures and report
them routinely, we will all know, including the employees, where we stand.
Today, we don't know where we stand. All we know is that we are putting out
fires, responding to phone calls, and oiling the squeaky wheels.
An effective new Administrator will want to put performance measures and
reporting systems in place. It will take someone who is intimately familiar with
these concepts and who is knowledgeable in local government practices to work
alongside the Department and Division managers in the selection of appropriate
measures and in the development of appropriate reports. The new Administrator
may need professional help to put performance measurement and reporting in
place before FY2006.
3. Internal Communication
· The communication problems of Monroe County Government begin with
the Board of County Commissioners problems in communicating with
themselves. Because you are legally constrained from talking to each other
about substantive issues that might come before you for decisions, it is
difficult for you to sense or understand what positions your colleagues are
likely to take on a given issue, what doubts or convictions they may have
regarding those positions, or what areas of accommodation or compromise
may exist. You are frequently obliged to take positions on issues in the
confinement of your regular monthly meetings without the time it takes to
fully develop and explain your position or to fully understand your
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colleagues' positions. You may even fmd that you are communicating
with your fellow Commissioners through the newspapers.
We have two suggestions. First, we think the adoption of the long range
planning process we have proposed will help. As a number of you have
said to us, it is the big problems that cause you grief; the little ones are
dispatched with great ease. The big problems should all be on the radar
screen of the strategic plan and the evolving position of each one of you
well known to each other. Second, we think that you should consider the
more frequent use of the "Workshop" to talk out the issues involved in the
big problems that are identified in the strategic plan. The hours spent in
Workshops may turn out to be time savers.
· The second big communication problem in Monroe County Government is
between the BOCC and the Administration. Virtually every manager we
interviewed expressed concern about "micro-management" - the response
of Commissioners to the complaints and petitions of constituents, the less
frequent involvement of Commissioners in the performance of work that
should be done by staff and. finally, just checking to see what is going on.
Each of you Commissioners also made note of your own departures from
"policy making" into "micro-management". You assert that you only do it
to straighten out a problem that can't be straightened out any other way,
but you regret having to do it.. Everybody agrees that it shouldn't happen
and that staff morale and self confidence is damaged when it does.
Two comments. First, the adoption of performance measurement and
reporting should reduce the need for micro-managing. Regular reports
showing performance improvement should give Commissioners
confidence that the job is being done by staff. If constituents see that
performance is improving, complaints should be reduced. Also. county
employees will have an objective measurement with which they may
assess their individual effectiveness. Our second comment. Constituent
complaints are not going to go down to zero nor are staff mistakes. The
establishment of departmental complaint procedures should be the subject
of discussions between the BOCC and the Administrator. Reducing
constituent complaints, promptly solving them when they occur, and
building staff competency are not incompatible objectives and are
objectives that can be achieved without "micro-managing".
· Organized communication within Monroe County Administration is
difficult and infrequent. Staff is spread out in offices from Key West to
Key Largo. Division heads meet as a group only once each month,
primarily to prepare for this meeting with you. Divisions and departments
perform very different functions, but they have many common problems.
They work under the same financial and human resource policies. They
work in the same environment and serve the same public. They need peer
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support on the problems that they face and they can benefit by peer review
of their decisions and programs. In addition to needing more frequent,
organized meetings of division and department heads, staff at all levels
need to know and see evidence that top management appreciates the work
that they are doing, that top management understands the problems that
they are facing, and that top management is addressing those problems.
We have three suggestions. First, Division and Department heads
including those with whom we conducted interviews in this study should
meet regularly, perhaps bi-weekly, with the County Administrator. The
agenda could include unit performance reports and problems, support
needs ( e.g., Human Resources and Information Management), policy
changes, and status/problems with new initiatives such as those proposed
in this report.
Second, we suggest that one of the qualifications you seek in a new
Administrator is demonstrated experience in, and commitment to the art of
"managing by walking around". In our view, the Administrator should be
seen regularly in the offices and with the public from Key West to Key
Largo. The Monroe County Government is not so large that the
Administrator cannot be an interested and familiar face in every office. In
fact, we believe that the Administrator should maintain an office in
Marathon and Key Largo as well as Key West and that he should work in
those offices on a regular schedule.
Third, we suggest that the "span of control" of the Administrator be
reviewed and changed, if necessary, to give the Administrator time to
"manage by walking around", to implement the initiatives proposed in this
report, and to focus on the major operational problems that are certain to
occur.
4. External Communication
The movement that led to the incorporation of Islamorada and Marathon and that
led to the consideration of incorporation by Key Largo, Big Pine, and the Lower
Keys was essentially driven by the idea that incorporation would bring
government "closer to the people". There was a strong feeling, held by many, that
Monroe County Government was too remote, too centered on Key West to care
about the folks who live in the communities outside of Key West. This feeling
still exists.
An effective way to convince people that Monroe County Government cares
about them is to demonstrate, through performance, that Monroe County is
providing timely, cost-effective services. lbis means, as we have stated, that
performance has to be measured, monitored and improved. It also means that
performance and performance improvement has to be reported to the public.
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Monroe County has to perform to win the respect and the support of the people it
serves. But it also has to report what that performance is so that the people know
that it has happened. We recommend that the County make a new beginning at the
practice of issuing an annual report. This report does not have to be. and should
not be, a glossy, expensive promotional piece as was the last effort in 1999. It
should be a simple newspaper supplement, similar to the annual report of the City
of Key West, that gives the facts and provides the evidence that progress is being
made.
5. Compensation
County job classifications and the salary ranges that apply to them are not
competitive and do not reflect the cost of living realities of the Keys. The inability
of the County to hire and retain personnel is seriously affecting the ability of the
County to get its work done. The high cost of living in the Keys, particularly
housing, may not be the only factor causing high employee turn over, but it is an
important contributor to the problem. Retaining the best employees - those who
through skill and diligence produce the best and most consistent results - is a
critical need. The lack of a program to give merit increases to those who deserve
them is an open invitation for the most productive people to look for another job
elsewhere.
We recommend that the compensation system be reviewed and brought up to
date. We also recommend that a merit increase system be put in place along with
appropriate training and guidelines for supervisors. Once again, these steps should
be taken immediately so that the impact on the FY2006 budget can be calculated.
6. Career Service Council
There can come a time when a failure to perform in a job requires that an
employee be suspended, dismissed or demoted. The decision to take such an
action, in the public or private sector, should be fully justified, be consistent, and
be documented to show that all efforts were made to alert the employee to the
need for improvement. There should also exist a means for appeal of decisions to
suspend, dismiss or demote an employee. Momoe County employees, affected by
such decisions, appeal to the Career Service Council.
The Career Service Council exists by a long standing act of the Florida
Legislature and provides an appeal process for Momoe County employees and for
the employees of some other institutional employees in the Keys. Matters taken to
the Council over the years have involved difficulties in the scheduling of
hearings, have taken up to two years for decisions to be made, and have been
expensive for the county and for the employee. The potential involvement of the
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Council has deterred County Government from taking appropriate management
actions. The County has in the past sought to be removed from the jurisdiction of
the Career Service Council and sought to replace it with a fair, more expeditious
and less expensive appeal procedure. We urge that this effort be resumed. We also
suggest that, at the same time, guidelines for taking such disciplinary actions and
documenting the actions be reviewed and made part of the personnel evaluation
training that was previously discussed.
7. Communication and Coordination with State Representatives
The relationships with the Legislature and the Agencies of Florida State
Government are a central concern. Communication and coordination with our
State Representative and our State Senator should be as close as possible. Great
effort should be made to minimize differences. Great effort should be made to
reach agreement on positions and priorities. There also should be no surprises in
the actions taken by Monroe County Government or by the State Representative
and Senator. But there have been.
We have three recommendations. First, we recommend that the State
Representative and the State Senator be consulted in the development of the long
Range Plan. Second, we recommend that they be advised when Workshops are to
be held that touch on issues in which their input could be relevant. And, finally,
we recommend that the Commission and Administrator, in advance of the
Legislative Session, obtain from the legislators a listing of the bills that they
intend to submit, the initiatives that they plan to take with the Governor and
Cabinet, and other issues of importance to the County that are likely to come up.
This information can then be used to develop positions to be communicated back
to the legislators.
SUMMARY
The members of this coalition of Concerned Citizens appreciate the opportunity
that has been given to us to meet with members of the Board of County
Commissioners and with key managers in the County Administration. We
appreciate the cooperation we have received in each one of our interviews and the
candor with which everyone has discussed their work and their problems. The
person selected to be the new Administrator will be facing some challenges, but
will face them with a team of people who are capable and ready to do the job.
The challenge to the Commission is to find the right person for the job and then to
provide the tools and support required to do the job.
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APPENDIX A
Members of the Concerned Citizens of the Lower Keys
John R. Clark
John Clark is a resident of Ramrod Key and a past president of Breezewood Beach
Estates Civic Association, He graduated from the University of Washington in 1949 and
joined the Federal Fisheries Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass. He was Assistant Director
of the Sandy Hook Marine Laboratory, Director of the Narragansett Marine Laboratory
and Senior Associate with the Conservation Foundation in Washington, D.C. Here he
was influential in the formation of national coastal environmental policy in the 1970's
and early "80's, particularly in the US Coastal Zone Management and Clean Waters
programs. He then joined the International Office of the US National Park Service where
he conducted research, planning and training projects in coastal and marine
environments. Retired from government in 1987, he is a freelance consultant and is
affiliated with the Mote Marine Laboratory. He has authored 25 books and 175 research
papers and reports. He taught graduate students in 3 universities and is currently listed in
Who's Who in America, has won several professional awards and worked in 35 countries.
Gary Falkenstein
Gary Falkenstein, a retired corporate executive, has been a resident of Sugar loaf Key for
two years and is the President of the Sugarloaf Shores Property Owners Association. He
and his wife Connie purchased their house in 1998. Gary obtained his college education
at MIT. where he received a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. His initial
business experience was with Rockwell International at their Rocketdyne Division where
he managed advance development programs for NASA and DOD and at Polaroid as
Manager of a photographic film development and manufacturing group. He then joined
American Can Company, a manufacturer of packaging films and laminates. During his 23
years at American Can he served as Vice President ofR&D, of Sales and Marketing, and
of Business development. He also was Chairman of a partially owned New Zealand
packaging business.
Marco Prieto
Consulting, Inc. He has been in the telecommunications industry for twenty years and has been
involved with the aviation industry for the last nine years. He has extensive experience working
from the vendor's side with various system manufacturers, vendors, and products. He has
served as overall project manager for all telecommunications systems at the William P. Hobby
Airport, Palm Springs International Airport, and the new Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. In
Austin, his involvement included the successful opening of this new airport, which included
MUFIDS, PBX, 802.11B WAN/LAN, Wireless Cellular/PCS, Payphones, CLEC, Shared Tenant
Services, and an extensive cable/fiber implementation project. Experience at Hobby included the
implementation of a new PBX system, with an extensive outside plant. He also managed the
implementation of a PBX and cable/fiber plant for Palm Springs and the Oakland International
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Airport. He is a graduate of Florida State University.Marco Prieto is a resident of Sugarloaf Key.
He is President of Convergent Strategies
Bill Stevenson
R. William "Bill" Stevenson and his wife Ann have owned a house on Cudjoe Key,
Florida for several years, becoming full-time residents in 2002. He is a member of the
Board of Cudjoe Gardens Home Owners Association. He spent his first 22 years in
Anchorage, Alaska working at various jobs through high school and college: commercial
fisherman, surveyor, construction worker, and bulldozer operator. As his father was in
the aviation business, he started flying as a teenager, became a commercially licensed
pilot with instrument and multi-engine ratings, and owned several aircraft over the years.
He graduated in 1967 with a BA in History from Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage,
Alaska. He spent thirty years in management or ownership in the metal fabricating and
woodworking industries around Western Michigan, primarily in the Grand Rapids area.
He also participated in various non-profit or charitable organizations over the years.
Currently, semi-retired, he is involved in a manufacturing company making commercial
furniture products in partnership with his youngest son, Brad, who manages the business.
He is a retired amateur race car driver, terrible golfer, and reformed sailboat racer.
Current outside interests include travel, reading, fishing, flying, boating and wine.
Gordon A. West
Gordon West is twelve year resident of Monroe County and a past President and Board
Member of the Sugarloaf Shores Property Owners Association. Prior to his retirement, he
directed the Management Consulting Practice of Roy F. Weston, a major environmental
consulting firm, serving public and private sector clients on organizational, management
systems, and policy assignments. Earlier he was in charge of the Environmental Control
and Government Relations Programs of the Rohm and Haas Company, a multinational
chemical Company. As an "executive on loan" he served as director of the Children and
Youth Agency of the City of Philadelphia and managed a staff of 500 persons and a $110
million budget. He holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of
Pennsylvania and a B.A. from Trinity College.
Roger Williams
Roger Williams is a resident of Summerland Key and is serving his second term as
President of the Summerland Cove Civic Association. In 1971. he started Williams Litho
Services as a one man operation and grew that business to 64 employees and $4 million
in sales. He served as President and sole owner until selling the company in 1986. In
1992, he started Color Systems, Inc. and grew that company to 28 employees and $3
million in sales before selling it in 2000. In 2000 until the present he has been engaged in
homebuilding as owner/builder in the Florida Keys.
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APPENDIX B
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
CONCERNED CITIZENS OF THE LOWER KEYS
APRIL, 2004
1. What education, training and experience prepared you for the job that you have?
2. Is the system of measurement and reporting of the performance and cost
effectiveness of the departments and divisions adequate?
3. What significant)mpediments to effective management exist and are they being
addressed appropriately?
4. Following the incorporation of Islamorada and Marathon, were appropriate steps
taken to reduce staff and costs?
5 Is the County doing an effective job of long range (beyond annual budget)
planning?
6 Are the compensation plans and Human Resource policies effective in
encouraging stability and improved performance of county employees?
7 Are the mechanisms in place to facilitate communication between County
Government and the public?
8 Are the mechanisms in place to facilitate communication within Monroe County
Government?
9 What is the proper role of the BOCC in providing oversight of County
Administration?
10 How well coordinated are the efforts of Monroe County Government and those
of the State representative and State Senator to manage relations with
Tallahassee?
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PERSONS INTERVIEWED
Board of County Commissioners
.Murray Nelson, Mayor
David Rice, Mayor pro tem
Sonny McCoy, member
George Neugent, member
Dixie Spehar, member
Administration
James Roberts, Administrator
Sheila Barker, Director Management Services
Marlene Conoway, Director Planning
George Garrett, Director Marine Resources
Peter Horton, Director Airports
David Koppel, County Engineer
James Malloch, Director Community Services
Clark Martin, Fire Chief
Tim McGarry, Director Growth Management
Ronda Norman, Director Code Enforcement
Reggie Paros, Director Public Safety
Joe Paskalik, Director Building Official
Dent Pierce, Director Public Works
Roy Sanchez, Director Fleet Management
Billy Wagner, Director Emergency Management
State Representative
Ken Sorensen
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