Sunday, October 31, 2010

Employee Survey Idea - not going to happen now

I think a broad Fire Dept Org Health Survey is good idea (all Village Employees really) considering all the change they've undergone in the past 12months. I think it's an effective tool used by Corporate America to understand what's really going on. P&G does it annually, and it becomes a key component (not the only one) to evaluate org structure, leadership performance, etc.

I could see a 2x annually survey of all Village employees, using a Survey Monkey/Zoomerang internet tool. We'd make it confidential and mask all results lower than 3ish respondents to protect anonymity. It's not the source of info for managers, but it is one. And knowing how tour employees really feel is important to me.

I brought this idea up and to be fair didn't position it well. I ruffled some feathers but wasnt my intent. Since then I've gotten feedback that it's a bad idea. I disagree but don't want to be accused of an end around so I will let it go for now.

I still believe in the concept and hope to resurrect it at some point.

Cortney

Public Works Committee Meeting 10/25

I attended the PW Meeting on 10/25. Here's what I saw.

Lighting. Dan got me thinking about other options for increasing lighting in the Hist Dist. I think we ought to try all three approaches on a test and learn basis
-new fixtures
-new higher lumen LED bulbs (still will be lower wattage=less costs and no addl stress on the 100 year old infrastructure)
-cutting back tree canopy

Trash. Accept 3% increase from Rumpke but demand more service. They should be compliance helpers.

Hist Dist improvements. I think a survey of this District would be a smart idea, maybe dovetailed off of MPF vision plan components.


Cortney

Council recap 10/25

I attended Council on 10/25 and here's what I saw

Fire Chief Vote. Concentration of power is a bad thing in government. Jeff Andrews and Andy Black have both said: get the structure right, then find the right people. Concentrating power influence and control is structurally a bad thing, so I can't get past step 1 to move on to step 2. More detail on this in a previous blog post.

Bills. I noticed Dan's cell phone bill is up significantly vs previous months. I didn't bring it up since only a 1x anomaly, but I will keep an eye on it.

Mayor's Bulletin. I appreciated Kim Sullivan's questioning of Dan on the Mayor's Bulletin comments on the now resolved Roundabout issue. Dedicating 1/4 of the real estate to beating a dead horse seemed odd. And it does not foster an environment where we might collaborate on projects.

Econ Development. We have a bit of a mess to sort out here. We desparately need ED to be a focus. Attracting new business & development, and supporting our Industrial Park are vital. And we've historically been too reactionary. The "What" is pretty clear. However, the "How" is the mess. We have many different, and I think conflicting, opinions on how to bring this to life. Dan's got a Commission idea made up of primarily non-Council. Jeff Andrews wants to make it a Council Committee (I like this). MPF has published a road map that could help either of these (I like this too). We need a Jeff to "declare" what this is, what it isn't and converge on a structure.

I think if I could set it up, it would look like:
-Council Committee
-Commission of the Citizens, Business People, chartered by this Committee
-Commission reports to the Committee
-MPF Vision Plan adopted as Committees road map.

As an aside, I thought Jeff masterfully drove his point home. Very impressive. His style is much better aligned to this job than mine. And I can learn from it. well done Jeff.

New Village Judge. As of today, I will support Judge White.


I voted in the affirmative on everything except confirming Rick H as Fire Chief. Rationale is previous post.

Cortney


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To watch the meeting, go to
icrctv.com

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Rationale behind 'no' fire chief vote

Mondays confirmation of Rick hines was an important vote. I chose not to comment during the meeting - I go back and forth on whether to draw attention to myself. I chose not to, knowing Rick would be confirmed. However for me, it didn't pass the "is it right for the village" test (my opinion) so I voted no.

This is a bit of the email I sent Rick Monday am giving him an early heads up.

Cortney

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...successfully done the job Dan asked you to do. The improvements within the Fire Department are your making. If the vote were only about your results over the past 6 months, I would vote 'yes'. My dilemma, though is the vote is really 2 things:

#1)your performance

#2)ok'ing big structural change

On the Structural side, I remain uncomfortable. I think on principle, we should not concentrate authority and budget control across Departments. I have NO DOUBT you'll do right by both of these. But on paper, it's a setup that causes me concern. And because I can't vote for just #1, I am leaning towards a No vote....

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Feedback request

I have had the good fortune of hearing from lots of folks throughout the community. Maybe it's my friendly face;). Its great to hear from folks. The difficulty however has been
-sharing only w me and not others
-unconfirmed soundbites, aka issues but no proof

Here's my request. Pls continue to call! I am a safe haven and willing ear. However I will ask for two things before jumping in: a cc to the village leader involved and/or real tangible proof of the situation.

This will help me engage appropriately and more quickly. Thx for the help on this.


Cortney

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Council Meeting 10/11

I attended Council on Monday 10/11 and this is what I heard.

MPF
Dave Zack (my neighbor) did a nice job clarifying the background and focus of the Vision Plan. I applaud their vision and foresight. If Nolen were alive today, he would be tweaking our plan and making it relevant for today. MPF is doing just that.

Economic Development Committee
2 schools of thought on this: Committee of Citizens with Council or Committe of Council with Citizens. I favor the latter. Jeff Andrews has been talking this for months, and he's right on. We need to make this a focus of Council, not a bolt on, but a structural element to our jobs. Probably would involve combining 2 committees into 1 and adding Econ Development as the 6th. We need to do this to prop up our financial position via tax base

Zoning Change Exception
I have grave concerns about any exceptions to a process. In this case, we're approving a zoning change before we get even a rendering of what is planned for the space. Many will say "still room for the Village to pull out if it's bad". While this may be true, it eliminates much of the flexibility built into the process, tying our hands. We have a process in place for a reason. If it doesn't work, change the process. Mr. Spinneweber is a proven developer and an honorable guy. However I don't think anyone deserves an exception. It only opens us up to accusations of unfair behavior.

New Fire Gear
I heard in Safety Committee that safe gear means more interest in working for the Fire Dpt. This is a good spend.

Voting
I voted in the affirmative on all the votes since they were more ceremonial in nature, Fire gear was more substantive, and I voted Yes. However I voted No on one: Zoning change, for reasons above.

Cortney

Fire Dpt Org Health Survey

I would like one metric of Fire Employees is a safe, anonymous Org Health Survey. It can't be the only metric to judge the success of the Chief/Asst Chief Probationary Periods, but it can be an indicator. I would like to personally administer and tally a 10ish question survey factoring in advice of Rick/Jeff/Dennis. The survey should focus on current state and improvement this year. I believe I should administer and tally because I'm qualified as an analyst at P&G, and I'm not on the Safety Committee and less connected to Jeff or Rick or the Mayor. I'd be happy to engage someone else if they're able to handle it and be similarly objective.

I'm sure there are some that would say I'm not objective, but I think I could execute a fair survey and report back results.

Plan is subject to change but is: share ideas with Rick/Jeff/Dennis in the next couple weeks and field a survey by end of Oct.

Matter of fact, all employees ought to fill this out. It would be a good 6mo/12mo baseline to see how we're trending as a Village.

Cortney

Safety Committee Meeting 10/11

I attended the Safety Committee Meeting before Council on Monday. I am not on the Safety Committee, but I wanted to hear how things were going in terms of Probationary Period for Jeff Travers.

From all accounts shared, he's doing a great job. I continue to be a fan of his style, experience, and rigor.

I have concerns shared in a previous blog posting, but I found the meeting informative.

Cortney

Fire Department Leadership Probationary Period Thoughts

Rick Hines is the new Fire Chief. Jeff Travers is the new Asst Fire Chief. Both are nearing the end of a temporary probationary period, and Council will vote on final positions this year (I think).

Background: I have heard from 4 different people concerns about status of the Fire Department over the past few months. I've heard some good feedback as well. However, I feel I need to engage when I hear about problems. I believe that much of what I'm hearing is natural in the face of change, big change: don't like the direction it's headed, "everybody" is unhappy, etc. But other issues could be early signs of real issues, ones that will need to be addressed.

More Background: I got to meet the Asst Chief on the night his probationary period began. I was a fan from the start. He's experienced, has a background in education, and he exudes leadership. However, he informed me that he wouldn't give up his full time job at Scarlet Oaks, and would take this full time job on too. I think 1 leader with 2 full time jobs isn't a sustainable setup for the Village. Rick Hines, similarly, shouldn't be expected to do 2 full time jobs.

I would like Jeff to be confirmed as Asst Fire Chief. I think he is an asset and a rare find. He's an inspiring guy. However, I want the Village to be his primary job. With as decentralized as we've setup leadership in the Dpt, I don't think it's unreasonable to request this focus. I shared this in a note to Jeff on Monday. I've taken much heat for sharing my views. I, however, think it's appropriate for me to share context before a possible 'no' vote.

One other area I've shared an opinion -my 6/22 blog specifically, is to hopefully one day recombine Chief into the Fire Department. Again, no disrespect to Rick Hines, he's presiding over the Fire Department and making strides. Many good things are happening. But as Jeff Andrews has so eloquently shared, we must design structure first, then think about the people to fill roles. Structurally, I want the healthy tension of two different leaders competing for resources, funds, etc. With no Asst Chief, cost savings are maintained. Jeff could be this guy one day - I like him and what he brings. Rick is a valuable player on the Police side - he should be Police Chief. I shared this in my note to Jeff, as well. This re-combine opinion re-shared this week has also brought much heat. It's not new, though, and I've not hidden this viewpoint.

In terms of a pending vote, I have concerns about confirming either Rick or Jeff for these 2 different reasons. If the vote were today, I would approve both only if the issues I continue to hear of show signs of improvement.

Related, I've shared the Dpt issues in question with Dennis Wolter, head of the Safety Committee. He's the right guy to address, and I should have enrolled him sooner.


Cortney

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Trash Service feedback from a citizen

While our Trash service is mostly baked for 2011, I would like to capture some helpful feedback when/if we consider front yard pickup.


Cortney
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I do not know how things stand in regards to the size of acceptable trash containers. In speaking with Rumpke employees about the matter, needless to say, they do NOT like the current size can/limit of what gets used here in the Village. They ultimately must wheel one of their 95-gallon totes down each person's driveway, take that trash and dump it into their tote and then wheel their own tote out to the curb. Or, if the resident's trash is already at the curb, they much empty and lift each individual trash container, which as you might imagine gets quite heavy and cumbersome for them.

I don't know if the Village could realize any potential savings if we were to switch over and permit the 95-gallon totes that most other Rumpke customers use, but is it something that we could look into?? That is, instead of wasting additional Rumpke labor hours on individual containers, if each household had a tote, it would make everyone's--literally, everyone's--lives a lot simpler. One container, on wheels, with a secure, strong lid that could easily be maneuvered by the residents. And one stop, one pick-up for the Rumpke employee that would simply need to wheel the tote onto the mechanical arm that would dump the trash for them. The hours saved on labor through Rumpke could be something to consider.

To me, it would also be a cleaner, more unified and more simplistic approach to trash pick-up in the Village. My street (East) has residents that have all kinds of different colored and sized trash receptacles. To me, it looks like everything is trash when the residents haul everything out to the curb each Monday night. A clean, sleek, uniform-sized tote for trash to accompany the uniform-looking red recycling bins is ultimately what the Village needs in regards to trash pick-up. It is the same reason there is verbiage in the Mariemont by-laws ordering that trash NOT be placed at the curb but instead at the rear of the household: To keep things clean. To keep things neat.

The 45-50 gallon size containers being discussed currently in council chambers are not typically of the build quality of the 95-gallon tote that Rumpke offers. I have lived here 6 years and have had to replace my trash cans once already. The bottoms get worn through from having to drag them across my driveway and from Rumpke at times dragging them down the driveway. At the cost of 2 new 40-gallon-ish sized trash cans, I could have almost purchased a heavy duty, sturdy, lid-locking, 95-gallon tote through Rumpke.

If a 95-gallon tote through the Village/Rumpke relationship is out of the question, I may still pursue getting my own 95-gallon tote. If I need to slap 2 stickers on it, then so be it. I know that the Rumpke employees would greatly appreciate it. Their backs would appreciate it. I also know that I wouldn't have to bungee cord my trash cans all together or have duct tape holding my lids together because I would have a product that made sense for everyone involved -- the consumer (me) and the company providing the service (Rumpke). I cannot tell you how many times I have had to clean up after the raccoons and that's AFTER doing everything I just mentioned a couple of lines above. A 95-gallon tote with a locking lid makes ALL of those problems go away.

traffic problems due to new Wooster turn lane

I support this change. That said, we have an issue for sure right now due to the restriping and new signal hardware (installed next week), but I don't think we should pass judgement until:

signage changes (this should have been done, but plans are in place to correct)

light is installed

lane is restriped (more turn lane cars)

people get used to it

Then it's time to reevaluate. Heres why I'm optimistic. We had a one lane pinch-point at the curve so logic says a few more blocks of that same pinch won't materially impact flow long term. If there are more systemic issues, then we should and will take action.

Cortney

9/23 Pub Works Committee Meeting

I attended the 9/23 Public Works Committee and here what I saw.

Lighting in Historic District. I agree we have dark spots in the Hist District and those lead to safety concerns. Fixing them is foundational to an improved neighborhood. I support new street lights where necessary. I support the historically accurate ones, knowing there is a price premium. I plan to reach out to the Emery Foundation to see if any money may be available, as was the case in 1985

Trash Contract. We have the choice to re-up with Rumpke in 2011 and 2012 without rebid. Max 3% increase per year. We are satisfied with the service we receive. After good discussion, there is not additional savings with the contract we have (rear yard). We'll keep this in place in 2011. One potential savings oppty. Lock in for 2 years with Rumpke at +3% then +0%. I like this idea.


Cortney

Council Meeting 10/02/10

I attended Council on Monday 10/2 and here's what I saw.

Leaf Pickup - I think we'll have major issues in mid October with Leaf Pickup, however we have no plans to begin picking up until Nov 1. We need to discontinue watering our new trees earlier than planned (prob ok since without leaves) and start up leaf pickup sooner. Don't extend the season, just shift it forward.

Zoning Change - Paul Wright followed up on his wife Peggy's letter to Council to call out concerns of the change. I support Paul & Peggy, and really feel for their home's impact by the change. I'll put aside my serious concerns of expanded surface parking and will focus on the exception we're making. I do not like exceptions, ever. Allowing one owner to skip important steps in the rezoning process means either all comers should be granted the exception, or we run the risk of litigation. If Mary Emery herself were to come to Council asking for an exception, I would not grant it. It's a dangerous, slippery slope, and I will vote no.

Executive Session - I confirm we stayed on track and talked only about the Lawsuit.

I voted in the affirmative on all votes, all of which were procedural.


Cortney

Video of Meeting
icrctv.com/mariemont