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1998-09-14 CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTESMINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF, THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS, HELD ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1998 AT 7:00 PM., IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, 3519 LIBERTY DRIVE, PEARLAND, TEXAS. The meeting was called to order with the following present: Mayor Mayor Pro -Tem Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember City Manager City Attorney City Secretary Tom Reid Larry Wilkins Helen Beckman Richard Tetens William Berger Klaus Seeger Paul Grohman Darrin Coker Young Lorfing Others in attendance: Project Coordinator Alan Mueller; Police Chief Mike Hogg; City Engineer John Hargrove; Grants Director Janet Berry; Planning and Development Director Dennis Smith; Director of Finance David Castillo; Parks and Recreation Director Ed Hersh; Director of Administrative Services Mary Hickling; Assistant Director of Administrative Services Wendy Standorf; Public Works Director Jerry Burns; Emergency Management Coordinator David Smith; Purchasing Officer Gordon Island; Assistant Chief of Police Chris Doyle; Assistant Director of Finance Cindy Soto; Support Personnel Supervisor Paul Dillon; EMS Director Keith Bonner; Fire Marshal Lary Steed; Communications Specialist John Knight; Assistant Executive Director PEDC John Bowman: and Project Specialist Ruby Perez. CALL TO ORDER NEW BUSINESS: EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. The Executive Session at the request of City Manager Paul Grohman was held in an open meeting forum. SECTION 551.074 - PERSONNEL MATTERS - DISCUSSION - REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT. Page 1 of 18 - 9/14 Mayor Reid: The Council has three employees we have the City Manager, and City Attorney, and we also have the Municipal Judges. Those are our only employees. We are required to set their salaries; we are required to give performance evaluations; and we have in the case of our City Manager, we have given him performance evaluations. There have been, I see a couple of the City Councilman that have set in on some of those performance evaluations over the last several years, and in those evaluations we have pointed out some of the very strong fine characteristics that Paul has, and have not been bashful at all about telling Paul that he has some quality characteristics. By the same token we've also been not at all bashful about telling Paul that he has some characteristics that have, in our opinion, negatively affected his performance. And we have asked him for his personal future growth and our City to address some of those. And to Paul's credit he has addressed some of those, and his dis-credit he has not addressed some others. Let me elaborate on this a little bit more. For the last several years we have gone into what is called a retreat. In that retreat, we bring in the staff, the City Manager, Police Chief and all of our managers and as many personnel as we can get in the room and we talk about where we want to go as a community and what does the Council see as a vision for the future. We come up with a set of goals, and we have done this for a number of years. I saw Jerry Richardson in the audience, he has participated in past Council retreats. We set these, and we ask Paul to put together a budget that would accommodate that. And he does that, He takes his best shot. Sometimes we may disagree with some of the elements of it, and we talk it out. Then, we adopt that budget and it becomes the City Council's budget, it is no longer Paul's budget, it is our budget. We say we agree that this sets the goals and objectives as we set out in our retreat, and goal setting meetings. We use the goals to move forward and that becomes the City Manager's marching orders for the coming year. I think we have had some good goals set by Council in the past several years. I think that we have been very fortunate in making some of what I consider very positive progress in the City of Pearland. I am very disappointed at this point that we have become polarized. I see Pearland twisting in the wind, and I don't see this as our finest hour. It is certainly not our shining hour these last couple of months. I do believe that at some point the City Council has to determine where do we have to go from here. I'm talking to you guys, where do we go from here? I think we are going to have to put our Page 2 of 18 - 9/14 division, our polarization and our, dissension behind us and move on. We have too many good things happening our community, We must look down the road to where we want to be. We've got to focus on the center strip we have got to do those things that we have set in motion that makes Pearland a very unique place, the envy of everyone in the area. We have records of people, I can just look at the zoning changes of people wanting to change what they have to something positive already. We are seeing a lot of good things happen and we need to continue that. The only way we can do that is for us to make whatever decision that we have to make, and I hope it will be the right the decision for Pearland, and move on. We have got, we have got to stop this dissension, we've got to stop twisting in the wind. Pearland needs to come together in the community it was several months ago and do those things that made us what we are and it took a lot of people to do it. It took Paul to do it, it took the Police Chief, it took the Council, it took the staff, it took the citizens of Pearland. It wasn't just one individual that did all of this it was a team effort on all of us. If we don't get our team back together we are going to regret in the future. With those preliminary comments said I'd like to ask the Council if they have any question or comments you'd like to make as we move along. At some point I'd like to then move, cut ,.., your comments when you get to a point, and then introduce the business item and move on through the agenda. So I talked more than I should have. Councilmember Tetens: I'd like to hear from Mr. Berger and Mr. Seeger and what it is they feel is the City Manager has actually done to warrant his firing. Anyone of you or all of you. Councilmember Berger: I'll make a comment and keep it general. As you know, as you know. City Manager Grohman: Mr. Mayor, may I, may I make a comment please, I have some things I want to say. Councilmember Berger: Point of order Mayor, this is a Council Session. Mayor Reid: This is Council Session we are still in Executive Session. Page 3 of 18 - 9114 6s - , City Manager Grohman: Well I'm entitled to be in Executive Session if it is about me, under the law. You need to read your law books. Councilmember Berger: But not to speak. Mayor Reid: I'd like to ask the Council to tell us, to tell you that you can do this. So why don't you let us still talk for a little while. City Manager Grohman: Mr. Mayor all I wanted is to make one point very briefly, I'll be glad to defer it to Council. I have some information present number one and number two this should be a public hearing under the law. If you read 551.074 when the employee asked for it to be public it becomes a public hearing and the normal rule of the Executive Session the law the rule for the law says 551.074 Subsection "b" Subsection "a" which is the restrictions on does not apply to the officer or employee who is the subject of the deliberation or hearing request a public hearing, and I have done that. City Attorney Coker: Mayor what that means is he can request that it be held in the public. It doesn't open it up to a public hearing where a public forum for citizens or anybody to speak. Mayor Reid: In other words it is an Executive Session that is held in the open. City Attorney Coker: Under our rules and procedures for the City, currently the way they are anybody has to actually obtain permission from the Council. Currently it would be up to Council's discretion whether or not you are going to let anybody speak during the Executive Session. Councilmember Berger: Your Honor, all I was going to say is that we issued and its very public knowledge that we did issue a reprimand letter back in May where we issued a bunch of deficiencies or a number of deficiencies that we thought was serious enough to get Mr. Grohman's attention. Along with that reprimand letter was a token at best; a decrease in salary. The reason given is that was a slap on the wrist in prior years where the same deficiencies did not get the individuals attention, and that was Page 4 of 18 - 9/14 67 a way to get it. These deficiencies Mrs. Beckman you know what they are, you also know what the evaluations are. I had to ask myself has the employee worked on those deficiencies? The answer I gave myself was no. The second question I asked myself would he work on those deficiencies would things get better in the future? Again the answer l told myself was no. I see no improvement coming whatsoever. That's the reasons I signed a memo for this meeting to take action. Councilmember Beckman: Your Honor, first of all I'd like to preface by saying I very much resent Councilmember Berger and Councilmember Seeger the way they have been jerking around the City of Pearland. It would seem to me that it would be a simple courtesy if you find a need for an urgent special session to call individual Councilmembers to see if they are available. So I can only conclude from your actions that your intentions was not to have me or have the Mayor present at your meeting. I am very grateful to be here. The other thing I wish to say in reference to the letter is we have had a call for work together, compromise, move ahead this is .-� exactly what I have been doing. I think you could talk to many many people who come to me with angry voices and 1 say now wait a minute the Council will work together, we'll work it out we'll move ahead. I signed that letter not because I agreed with everything that was in it, but as a compromise. I wanted us to move ahead move on with things. I didn't agree with everything on there. I must say that I feel that with that letter you've very specifically tied Mr. Grohman's hands and kept him from even responding because one of the things is that he is argumentative. He hasn't been argumentative, he hasn't even been allowed to speak. He has been told to stop writing his articles, he doesn't dare respond to anything that has been said. He doesn't respond to the press, he doesn't respond to citizens, because he wants to show you that he is not argumentative. I really believe that he has made a real effort to follow in with the things that you've requested we've requested as a Council. I think it's time to move ahead. Some of us Page 5 of 18 - 9/14 have tried to be cooperative, but I'm not so sure that your intent to begin with was to help Mr. Grohman become a better City Manager. I really think your intent was to fire Mr. Grohman from the beginning, because that's what your actions have shown. Councilmember Berger: Well my response to that Mrs. Beckman, is that if that was our intention we could have done that five months ago. We bent over backwards at the letter of deficiency that was given to him to give him enough time to correct those deficiencies. Instead, a line was drawn in the sand and anybody, be it Council, Citizen, or a staff member was on the other side of that line got on the list; got attacked. And that's not what we were expecting but your comment about our intention all along to fire is not true. Councilmember Tetens: The letter itself was written and it states so in there calling out the weak points of Mr. Grohman and what he needed to work on to make him a better City Manager. It wasn't intended as a tool to be used to fire him. It was something to help him it was our complaints, all of the City Council's complaints, which were all listed of the things we thought he needed to improve and we listed them. Some of them he's improved on and some of them he hasn't. But you can't expect him to change overnight. It's just you're taking it and using it totally out of context from what it was intended in the beginning. Councilmember Beckman: I think also we've been emphasizing the negative and completely overlooking the positive. I think the general citizens in Pearland are very happy with the way things are going with Pearland; the progress that we've made. I had a citizen call me this weekend and say you know what, we didn't have any flooding in Shadycrest. We had a lot of rain; but no flooding. I really am grateful for all the work the City is doing with drainage. A lot of that is long range planning so that there won't be any flooding in Pearland. There has been some wonderful things happening. We have some great projects about to take place and actually have been started here in Pearland right now. Most of that credit goes to Mr. Page 6 of 18 - 9/14 Grohman. We're going to quibble over a personality thing? Councilmember Wilkins: In response to Mrs. Beckman, I do feel like the letter of inefficiencies by no means is a tool to get rid of Paul. But these areas that we listed are very serious here, and I do not believe that the majority of those areas have in fact, in my opinion, with all due respect, those things have gotten worse. They have gotten to the point to where there has been aggravation, there has been stacked Councils, there have been members of a particular church in town who have taken this and made this a revolution, and I am opposed to that. And frankly, I feel that the letter was aimed beneficial and tried to get things productive, but as the Charter states very clearly, the City Manager serves at the will of the Council. Councilmember Tetens: That's is the whole Council. Mayor Reid: That's the whole point for sure. Councilmember Tetens: Mayor, I'd like to make a few more comments. Mayor Reid: Yes, please. Councilmember Tetens: You know, if the things in the letter which ya'll are using as a reasonable time, but none of them were in my opinion that serious. If you weigh that against what has happened to the City of Pearland in the last few years, and the good that has been done, its very minor - in my opinion. The shortcomings of Paul, you know if you think you're going to find the perfect City Manager you've got another thing coming. We've got about as good a one how many City Managers have you gentlemen served under or known? I've been around a lot of them and it is very difficult to find a good City Manager. And Paul, regardless of his drawbacks, is a good City Manager. He has moved the City of Pearland forward. With all of this turmoil that you've created in the last few weeks, ask Mr. Bowman how many calls we've gotten into the PEDC for new people wanting to come to town - new businesses. Very few if any. Its just killed all of that and what you're doing with your actions Page 7 of 18 - 9/14 10 I' you are killing the City of Pearland, you have killed PEDC and we're going to be a dead city. And dead cities die. Mayor Reid: Ya'II see we do have fun in the Executive Sessions. Councilman. Councilmember Seeger: Well, like is just written here, in the middle of 1998, current City Council gave the City Manager an employment review, overall scores were low. Specific examples were sited of actions by the City Manager that were inappropriate and were an apparent violation of the Code of Ethics of the International City Council and Management Association. At that point to reinforce the message that the Council was very serious that the City Manager make the required changes, the Council decreased his salary. That stated that the pay cut would be restored if the required improvements were achieved. Of course since that time that attempt, and of course the attempts to guide the City Manager to modify his job performance for behaviors identified as unacceptable, have continued unabated. The directive of the Council has simply been ignored. Because of the City Manager's continued defiance over the instructions of his employers, I feel the Council has no choice but to terminate his employment. Councilmember Tetens: Mr. Seeger, when we evaluated the City Manager, how long had you been on the City Council? Councilmember Seeger: You well know how long I was and also I've been a resident of Pearland. Councilmember Tetens: You've been here all of 4 Y2 months now. Councilmember Berger: Every new Councilmember that comes out here, its been a procedure of this City, and I'll agree with it, but the first action you have as a new Councilmember is to rate the City Manager. I proposed a year ago that that rating be moved up to April before the election so we'd have a full year. That hasn't been done yet. Councilmember Tetens: Its not fair to Mr. Seeger to have him evaluate Mr. Grohman Page 8 of 18 - 9/14 71 when he just came on Council. Councilmember Berger: I agreed a year ago, too. So did Mr. Wilkins. That's what I'm saying; that's a routine here. Councilmember Beckman: I'd also like to add that according to Mr. Grohman's contract he has to get four bad evaluations and he only received three. City Manager Grohman: That's actually two that we know about, the other one got lost accidentally. Mayor Reid: I just want to say something about these special meetings that we had, I always planned my state conferences because I'm in charge of the conference. I always felt sliced in between the meeting so our regular City Council; we always commit every Monday night for our Council meeting nights. I don't usually go out of town or plan other meetings on Monday nights and I was a little miffed I guess that I thought there was going to be a Council meeting, and I don't think in the years that 1 have been Mayor I don't know that I have ever missed a Council meeting except when there was, well I guess since I've been Mayor this time I have not missed a Council meeting or workshop or special meeting, and I did not want to ever miss. I guess that's just a sense of pride on my part and was a little concerned that we were having some Council meetings when I was out of town too. So I was a little uncomfortable about that and I think I've told ya'II and I think we discussed this a little bit. Is there any other comments? Councilmember Wilkins: With all due respect Richard, I do disagree, I think the City is going to move forward, we're going to be annexing hundreds and hundreds of acres of land. I have heard since I live here and work here I've heard many people who are moving to Pearland. Many people means businesses that are going to be moving, expanding - there are businesses here in Pearland and I dgn't see where this one issue is going to kill the City of Pearland. With all due respects, 1 disagree with that. Councilmember Tetens: It will certainly delay it for a period of time. Its just that new Page 9 of 18 - 9/14 • 72 t development coming in, new business coming in, its going to certainly delay it for quite some time. When you have a well known City Manager who has dealt with many businesses, many developments as he has, if he's fired it has an effect on those developments. Especially those who are unwilling to go forward until a new manager comes in. It certainly has stifled our growth at this time. And it will for some time, maybe not permanently, forever, that depends on if we get our act together and what kind of City Manager we have. Councilmember Berger: You're right and I agree with that, obviously if the situation continues to deteriorate and fester the way it has, I predict no end in sight and for that reason action should be taken so we can move on and get away from this period we are in. Councilmember Beckman: Soon after he received, soon after we sent the letter and reduced his salary I began getting calls and I'm sure many of you did from people who were about to invest in Pearland and wondered whether they still wanted to come. I tried to assure them that we had the same old City and stable government, but I am sure that there were a lot of questions out there. We were on low in economic development you should know that Mr. Berger since you are on the Economic Development Board. Councilmember Berger: I do not know that - I know of no real problems other than a company that kind of disappeared that had talked to us and we couldn't find anything about them - mysterious company. Other than that I have no. I Councilmember Beckman: But now, what calls are we getting now. I know people are concerned about what's happening and many of them are people who have already worked with our Economic Development Corporation and with Paul Grohman and they are very pleased with the way the City works with them and is cooperating with them and assists them many ways as far as there's not the red tape here in Pearland that there is in other areas. We have streamlined many of the development procedures Page 10 of 18 - 9/14 and been very helpful in counseling, helping in many ways. Now they're wondering okay so Paul Grohman's not doing a good job what's happening in Pearland, what's going to happen next. What are we going to do if we fire Paul Grohman, who's going to replace him? Are you ready for that? Have you three decided already who's going to replace Paul Grohman? Mayor Reid: Any other comments? You know, in normal executive sessions, when we are back in the conference room talking and we have issues I think it has always been our policy to bring in the person we are talking about and we did that with his evaluation, we did that with his salary decrease, and I think it would be, and I'm trying to be as fair as 1 can as how we go about this process. Because I think somewhere somebody has to be here to identify the bodies. I'd like to give Paul a few minutes to talk. To make a few comments. Councilmember Berger: To be honest with you your Honor, I disagree with that, I've heard enough of Mr. Grohman, again I'm addressing the deficiencies, I'm addressing the actions, not the words. The actions speak for themselves. Councilmember Beckman: I'd like to remind you that at the time of his evaluation he sat there and took it because one of the things was your too argumentative so he said "Yes Sir", "Yes Sir", "Yes Sir". Councilmember Berger: And from that point on it got a lot worse didn't it Helen? Councilmember Beckman: I haven't really heard an awful lot about it and let me also mention about this idea of stacking the Council. Believe me he doesn't have to stack this room, he has supporters. And the people that have come out to support Paul Grohman are really genuinely supporters of the City of Pearland and of Paul Grohman. He hasn't had to call people up and ask them to come. City Manager Grohman: Mr. Mayor I appreciate the opportunity to let me speak - that's the way a fair hearing is conducted and also a part of due Page 11 of 18 - 9/14 Councilmember Berger: City Manager Grohman City Manager Berger: City Manager Grohman: process and I appreciate that opportunity. Excuse me your Honor, point of order I'd like to have the Council polled - once again this our Executive Session. You can't hold an Executive Session or any public hearing. This is not a public hearing your Honor. You're in the wrong Mr. Berger. City Attorney Coker: Actually, I was just going to say that under our Rules of Procedure, that anytime, whether it's a staff member or whether it's a board member, or whether it's a citizen they have to receive the approval of the Council. City Manager Grohman: It's the approval of the Chairperson. City Attorney Coker: Its actually, the way the resolution reads, I had to look at it for one of our last meetings, it reads the approval of the majority of Council. Mayor Reid: I would like to see him speak at least three minutes. City Attorney Coker: That's going to be up to Council. Councilmember Berger: Are we going to listen to our City Attorney, Mayor? Mayor Reid: Do we have any motion to do this? Councilmember Beckman: Yes sir, I'd like hear Paul Grohman speak and the reason I want to hear what he has to say is because he hasn't been allowed to say anything. And he ought to be allowed. Mayor Reid: Councilmember Beckman: Is that a motion? It's a motion. Page 12 of 18 - 9/14 Councilmember Tetens: And a second if we are discussing his employment 1 think he should have a right to say something. Mayor Reid: We normally do that, but since we are in Executive Session the rules have changed a little bit according to our City Attorney. Councilmember Wilkins: I don't mind Paul speaking, but I really don't want, and I'll be honest, I don't want an hour of speech. I really don't. City Manager Grohman: You know, we have due process and when you think somebody's job on the line you'd at least hear them out, and let me say something. People are judging me without really knowing me, how in the world do you know what I've been doing Larry, you haven't contacted me but twice in the last seven months, once about the Lion's Club sign, and once about the budget. You told Mr. Tetens last week that you would vote to fire me because I haven't changed - how would you know? You haven't even seen me. Get to know me before you accuse me. Let me present my evidence... Councilmember Berger: Point of order. Mayor Reid: Was that a motion and a second? We have a motion and a second. Do we permit Paul to give a short comment, not an hour one? Let me take a vote on that Paul. Councilmember Wilkins: Would we take a motion like this in Executive Session? City Attorney Coker: What - well because we're in the open I think you're going to have to decide as a body whether or not you want to. Mayor Reid: In there we could make our mind up without even doing this except we are playing - people are looking through a mirror at what we are doing so that's what's so different. We have a motion and a second on the floor to let Paul have at least three minutes to speak. Is there any comments? Okay, those in favor for permitting him to do that raise your right hand. Those oppose him doing that please put up your right hand. City Manager Grohman: Mr. Mayor that's absolutely gestapo. I can't tell you anywhere Page 13 of 18 - 9/14 Page 14 of 18 - 9/14 in America you have a chance to have right of freedom of speech except the Pearland City Council's three members, I can not tell you. Councilmember Berger: Point of order your Honor he does not have the floor. City Manager Grohman: I just had it. Mayor Reid: Your dismissed. City Manager Grohman: I will say that I do have information for the public here, huge stacks of information of what really caused this problem. Marcie, Dale I've got information for ya'II. You're going to really be intrigued. Councilmember Berger: Mayor. Mayor Reid: Thank you Paul. You're going to make that available? City Manager Grohman: I've got tons of it available. Mayor Reid: Okay, very good. On your xerox machines? City Manager Grohman: No, the City's - its all City documents. Every one of them. Mayor Reid: Okay. If there's no more comments. I don't want to cut off any comments. Councilmember Beckman, do you have a comment? Councilmember Beckman: No sir, I'm ready to vote. Mayor Reid: Councilmember Tetens? Councilmember Tetens: I'm ready Mayor Reid: Councilmember Berger? Councilmember Berger: Ready Mayor Reid: Councilmember Wilkins? Page 14 of 18 - 9/14 Councilmember Wilkins: Ready 7?.a Mayor Reid: Councilmember Seeger? Councilmember Seeger: Ready Mayor Reid: Let me put on the floor an item for consideration and possible action regarding the City Manger's employment. NEW BUSINESS: COUNCIL ACTION -.REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT. Councilmember Berger made the motion, seconded by Councilmember Seeger, to terminate the City Manager, Paul Grohman, in accordance with the terms of his employment contract and second immediately. Included in my motion the Police Chief shall obtain Mr. Grohman's City vehicle and all keys to City property immediately and the Chief designate a reasonable date and time not to exceed five days from this date for Mr. Grohman to retrieve personal items from the City Manager's office. Furthermore, all City property in Mr. Grohman's possession including, but not limited to computers, cell phones, fax machines, pagers, etc. should be turned over to the Police Chief at the same designated time. In addition, until the position is filled, Glen Erwin shall be appointed Interim City Manager effective immediately. City Manager Paul Grohman stated that if you read the the letter that John Bowman wrote, Bill Berger made this decision in April. Councilmember Berger addressed the Mayor and asked for point of order. He further stated that this is a motion we're talking about. City Manager Grohman stated that there's a conspiracy. Councilmember Berger commented that we're still in discussion. City Manager Grohman stated that I'm still City Manager. Mayor Reid addressed City Manager Paul Grohman and said that he knew that it is hard to restrain yourself. City Manager Grohman stated for the record, there is a document that proves this Page 15 of 18 - 9/14 conspiracy theory. Mayor Reid stated that we have a motion and a second and the questions been called. Those in favor of calling the question indicate by upper raised right hand. Okay we have to call the question. Voting "Aye" Councilmembers Seeger, Berger, and Wilkins. Voting "No" Councilmembers Beckman and Tetens. Voting "No" None. Motion Passed 3 to 2. Mayor Reid addressed Council and sated that you probably need to authorize me to proceed with advertising for the position. Councilmember Berger stated that he thinks that we need to authorize proper action for the contract. Because it says here "In accordance with the terms of his contract". Mayor Reid asked if you are just talking his employment and what he gets out of the contract requirements. Mayor Reid asked the City Attorney if we have enough to proceed with this and stated that he does not think we do. City Attorney Darrin ask for the motion to be restated? Councilmember Berger stated that we terminate the City Manager in accordance with the terms of his employment contract effective immediately. Included in my motion the Police Chief should obtain Mr. Grohman's City vehicle and all keys to City property immediately and the Chief designate a reasonable date and time not to exceed five days from this date for Mr. Grohman to retrieve personal items from the City Manager's office. Furthermore, all City property in Mr. Grohman's possession including, but not limited to computers, cell phones, fax machines, pagers, etc. should be turned over to the Police Chief at the same designated time. In addition, until the position is filled, Glen Erwin shall be appointed Interim City Manager effective immediately. Mayor Reid stated that he still thinks we need to. Councilmember Beckman asked has Mr. Erwin agreed to that? Page 16 of 18 - 9/14 7► Mayor Reid stated that is a good question and asked Council if they would you authorize the City, the Mayor to try to resolve that issue? Councilmember Berger asked as far as dealing with the City Manager? Mayor Reid said Yes. Councilmember Berger stated that if he would like to talk to you and say yes or no that's fine. Mayor Reid stated that if he doesn't know about this he may not want to do it, and if this is to proceed onward I need to be authorized to get with the City Attorney. Councilmember Tetens stated that he did not think that it is on the agenda, and will have to wait until next meeting. City Attorney Darrin asked to do what? Councilmember Berger said to authorize the position. City Attorney Darrin Coker stated that actually, its discussion regarding, the City Manager's employment and it is. Councilmember Berger stated that he is an employee and those are the rules. City Attorney Coker stated that he was thinking of the employment of the City'Manager's office, and that is why he said that it is broad enough to where if you wanted to do that you could, but it may be something that Council decides to wait until another session. It is really going to be up to the Council. Mayor Reid stated that if there is no further business before this Council at this Special Meeting he will adjourn the meeting. .yi OTHER BUSINESS: ADJOURNMENT Meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m. Page 17 of 18 - 9/14 j Minutes approved as submitted and/or corrected this the 28th day of September, A.D., 1998. ATTEST: Tom Reid Mayor Page 18 of 18 - 9/14