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Home My WebLink About2007-07-11 Min - Board SPECIAL MEETING July 11, 2007 In accordance with District Code Section 2.08.010, the TDPUD minutes are action only minutes. All Board meetings are recorded on audio tapes which are preserved perpetually and made available for listening to any interested party upon their request. The special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Truckee Donner Public Utility District was called to order at 3:03 PM in the TDPUD Board room by President Taylor. ROLL CALL: Directors Joe Aguera, Ron Hemig, Patricia Sutton, Tim Taylor and Bill Thomason were present. EMPLOYEES PRESENT: Mary Chapman, Steve Hollabaugh and Barbara Cahill CONSULTANTS PRESENT: None OTHERS PRESENT: Frank & Juanita Schneider and Andrew Cristancho PUBLIC INPUT There was no public input. INTERVIEWS OF FOUR FIRMS THAT SPECIALIZE IN FINDING EXECUTIVES FOR PUBLIC AGENCIES AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS. 3:00 P.M. MYCOFF & ASSOCIATES: MS. LANIE PROUSE Ms. Prouse gave a presentation: • Exclusively recruit for electric, gas and water industries (60 % public power clients) • Direct experience recruiting in California • Continuing education in industry, best practices and utility governance • Successfully completed hundreds of executive searches • Resource pool: public power, rural electric coops and investor owned- 45,000 in database • Located General Managers for various firms • Scope of work o Information gathering o Develop position profile o Conduct recruitment activities o Interview candidates o Assist TDPUD to select new General manager • Schedule example: launch on 9/1/07 to new GM negations on 2/1/08 Board discussion: • Extensive pool of candidates • How does firm gain knowledge of the corporate culture? • TDPUD has a union • Sometimes the Board has a split opinion • Firm needs to be familiar with Ca. public utility law and industry regulations • How will the Board develop a search description? • Has the firm dealt with a citizen advisory situation? • When does the PUD salary and benefit package come into play? • Do most candidates want a contract? 1 July 11, 2007 minutes- special 4:00 P.M. ALLIANCE RESOURCE CONSULTING: MS. SHERRILL UYEDA & MR. NICK MESIC Ms. Uyeda spoke to the board about the Alliance process: • Unlimited meetings • Develop recruitment brochure • Proactive- target list, call on individuals and place ads in periodicals • How does an applicants needs fit with the TDPUD • Pool list of 8-15 candidates to review and have a face to face interview • Provide a transparent process by giving the client password access to their web site to check candidate progress in real time information (all confidential) Board discussion: • What kind of time frame are you looking at for initial candidates? • How do you develop a brochure of qualifications and do you guide the board through the process? • Have you dealt with a citizen advisory committee in this process? • Are you familiar with the PUD form of governance? • How do compensation and experience come into play? • Do you offer negotiation assistance? • Public Utility code has unique regulations, different than districts • Is the Alliance web site access available to the Directors? • How will the firm show that the Truckee area is unique with its weather and culture? • How does your company discover PUD corporate culture- there is a union, political environment. • Experience in dealing with an interim General Manager input? • Keep in mind the main stakeholder for the detail on approach for the GM profile/job description • Is firm familiar with the regulation the GM has to deal with? • Encourage the candidate to research the PUD and Truckee • Does the firm have a backlog of contacts? • Does a candidate want an employment contract? This may be a reality. What is the average time of a contract? • Current GM job description is old- needs updating- will Directors be individually interviewed for their input? • Should there be a requirement for certain degrees? 5:00 P.M. RALPH ANDERSEN & ASSOCIATES: MIKE LAWSON Mr. Lawson explained why Ralph Andersen would be the best firm: • Range of search activities with a focus on special districts, counties and public organizations. • The firm feels they have a connection with the community as some employees have a home in the Tahoe area. • Core of their business is in California • Extensive background in utility searches- specifically power companies • Familiar with the demands of a utility and a board • Team approach • Have a process for phases, set a time table, spend a lot of energy on the profile (4-6 pages), aggressive outreach, 25-30 initial candidates, screen process-match criteria down to 8-10 candidates, interview with Board and negotiations • The preliminary process is important to get a quality candidate • Customize the process to meet the PUD needs- each search is unique. 2 July 11, 2007 minutes- special Board discussion: • Board to meet with the whole Andersen team? • Is the firm aware that the utility faces changes? • Diverse Board • How can a profile be completed in a timely manner? • When does compensation come into the recruitment process? • How does the firm access candidates? • Does the firm have a list of talented people in electric and water to start their search? • What is a project time limit? • Emphasize Truckee is a good place to live. • Like the fact Mr. Lawson does not take on too many clients. • Candidate needs to have experience in water, electric and broadband. • Information technology strength would be good. • Contract needed? • Can the firm really do this process in 90 days? • Want to advertise in certain publications and trade journals. 6:00 P.M. BOB MURRAY & ASSOCIATES: MR. BOB MURRAY Mr. Murray talked about his firm: • They have done searches for a variety of utility companies (water districts, large utilities) and searches for town managers. • Wealth of experience, detail knowledge of the public sector. • Customer service driven, will handle the search himself. • Experts in search • Learn what the focus and needs of the PUD are- can meet individually with Directors or the Board as a whole- get a consensus- personalize to the Board and community. • Profile: challenges, opportunities, management style, education, characteristics. • Brochure as a market piece, use ads- conduct an outreach program, make calls. • Screen resumes- interview top 10-12 candidates that match profile, do background check. • Help Board with interviews and questions of 5 to 6 candidates and narrow down to 2 or 3. Board discussion: • How would you sell the Truckee area- the intangibles? • What is your feel for the labor pool and viable candidates? • Need someone with telecom or broadband experience. • Who would the Board be working with at Bob Murray&Assoc.? • Are you familiar with Public Utility laws, industry regulatory agencies? • Believes the search should put judgment on people- the kind of person to recruit. • It is the Board's job to find a general manager- public input is ok to an extent. • There are changes facing utilities- there needs to be a grasp of the industry. • Firm to meet the candidate on their turf. Would a Board member go to the candidate site? • When does compensation come into play? Get a person the PUD can afford. • Meet one on one and then Board as a whole. • What is the average time to complete the search? • By the time the firm is hired- the firm may have to work with the interim GM. 3 July 11, 2007 minutes- special ACTION ITEM CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTING A FIRM TO ASSIST THE BOARD IN RECRUITMENT OF A GENERAL MANAGER FOR THE TRUCKEE DONNER PUD. Director Hemig moved and Director Aguera seconded, a motion to appoint the firm Ralph Ander- sen & Associates with Heather Renschler and Mike Lawson to assist the Board in the recruitment of a General Manager for the Truckee Donner PUD; and project cost for professional services to be $18,675 plus incurred expenses anticipated to be $6,000 for a total of $24,675. ROLL CALL: All Directors, aye. SO MOVED. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 PM. TRUCKEE DONNER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT Tim F. Taylor, Pre 'dent Prepared by CJ/ p Barbara Cahill, Deputy District Clerk 4 July 11, 2007 minutes- special