Town manager receives an “exceptional” grade
Fort Myers Beach Mayor Larry Kiker joked that with a few more points he might have been “outstanding.”
But, Town Manager Terry Stewart graciously accepted the rating adjective of “exceptional” during an evaluation of his job performance by Council members on Monday evening. He recorded 428 out of a possible 500 points in the cumulative scoring grade. “Exceptional” was defined as “generally exceeds Council expectations.”
“I’m getting ready to start my 44th year in government, and I’ll tell you that this is the best and most effective Council and mayor that I have ever had the pleasure of working for,” said Stewart. “That is one of the things that has made it so easy for me to work hard and satisfy your expectations.”
The evaluation form featured a rating scale for nine different categories and devised weighted standards (numerical value on each category to give them a level of significance). The categories and weight for each included supervision (10 points); leadership (10 points); execution of policy (5 points); community relations (15 points); administrative duties (5 points); intergovernmental relations (10 points); Town council relations (25 points); planning (5 points); and financial management/budget preparation (15 points).
Council unanimously approved the manager evaluation then unanimously adopted the format to be used on an annual basis. This is the first chance Stewart has been evaluated since he signed an employment agreement with Town officials on Jan. 3, 2011, and took office with an interim contract on Feb. 1, 2010.
“This is the first time that I know in my six years that Council has put together an evaluation package that I think will move forward from now on,” said Kiker. “A score of 450 would have made you “outstanding,” so you were that close.”
The rating scale was measured in descriptions and total score from 1 (unacceptable unsatisfactory performance) scaled from 000 to 149 points; to 2 (conditional requires improvement) scaled from 150 to 249; to 3 (satisfactory meets Council expectations) scaled from 250-349; to 4 (exceptional generally exceeds Council expectations) scaled from 350-449; to 5 (outstanding substantially exceeds Councils expectations) scaled from 450 to 500 points.
Multiplying the weight of the category by the rating equals an overall points standing.
Future recommendations were also offered: 1) manager shall contact each Council member on a regular basis; 2) manager is to provide a monthly roll-up report on financial status, community concerns and provide a formal annual review twice a year; 3) Town should pursue more Federal grants; 4) manager is to establish a formal action process with Council review to establish a process for dealing with community complaints on all matters as well as complaints specific to staff; 5) action items list from each Council meeting should be formalized in an on-going follow-up list with monthly progress updates; 6) manager is responsible for every action item regardless of whether assigned to legal or administrative staff and is to provide to Council a monthly written report.
Council members revised a previously used form to fit the format during a work session on Aug. 30. Each Council member was asked to look over the evaluation sheet prior to another workshop earlier on Monday. The five members then filled out the form at that workshop and handed them in for tabulation.
Go to www.fortmyersbeachfl.gov to view the completed evaluation form with all the particulars.