HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGMT - Management Partners (Strategic Planning)Management
Partners
January 13, 2020
Ms. Jill Ingram
City Manager
City of Seal Beach
211 Eighth Street
Seal Beach, CA 90740
Dear Ms. Ingram:
Thank you for the opportunity to submit a proposal to facilitate a Council strategic planning update
workshop this February. We understand the value to a council and manager of allocating time for
ensuring scarce resources are allocated through a thoughtful priority -setting process. Mary Neilan,
Senior Manager, will serve as facilitator.
As you may already know, Management Partners is a professional management consulting firm
specializing in helping local government leaders. The firm is staffed with 100 professionals who are
experienced public service managers as well as qualified management consultants. Our consultants
carry out a full range of projects for local government leaders including teambuilding, strategic planning,
organization reviews, executive coaching, performance management, and development process
reviews. Each assignment we undertake receives careful, professional attention and we take pride in the
quality of our work.
Approach
To optimize Council members' time during the workshops, we are proposing that careful advance
planning be done. This planning will include meeting with you to discuss the workshop and your desired
outcomes, conducting interviews with the Mayor and each Council member, preparing an agenda and
reviewing it with you, and coordinating with your staff about workshop logistics. Following the
workshop, we will prepare a report that documents the direction provided by the Council.
The following describes the plan of work anticipated for the engagement.
Activity 1— Gather Background Information and Conduct Interviews
Mary will start by having a phone conversation with you to discuss the work plan and schedule. She will
then spend a day onsite interviewing each Council member and meeting with you. In the Council
interviews Mary will ask questions such as:
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Ms. Jill Ingram Page 2
What are the key accomplishments of the City over the past year?
What are the key challenges facing the City in the coming year?
What are your comments on progress made on the strategic plan?
What six-month objectives would you like to see discussed at the workshop?
Z1 What other issues would you like to discuss at the workshop?
The results of Mary's interviews will be summarized for discussion during the workshop.
Activity 2 — Design and Facilitate Workshop
Mary will prepare a draft agenda and identify materials that will be helpful during workshop discussions.
She will review the draft agenda with you and then finalize it, along with other workshop materials. We
will prepare a PowerPoint presentation to aid in the workshop process.
Participants will include Council members and the management team. The session will be designed to
provide significant interaction and discussion by Council and staff. All participants will be able to
participate and productively discuss the important issues facing the City.
The discussions will include a number of items, such as:
Status of the existing strategic objectives,
Results of Council member interviews regarding priorities they identified,
Consensus about six-month strategic objectives, and
Other issues identified during interviews or the agenda -preparation process.
Following the workshop, we will prepare a report summarizing the results and follow-up steps to be
taken.
Facilitators
Mary Neilan will serve as facilitator, assisted by Rick Haydon. Their brief qualifications are provided
below.
Mary Neilan, Senior Manager
Served local governments for more than 24 years, including 12 years in
executive leadership positions in the cities of Novato, St. Helena and
Belvedere.
Experience in nearly every facet of local government operations with an
emphasis on budget and financial management, project management,
human resources, and organizational development.
Successfully coordinated dozens of projects and programs, presented
complex technical information and policy options to a variety of
audiences, and implemented new operational policies to improve organizational efficiency.
Has led cities during economic downturns, addressing budget deficits through organizational
restructuring, debt refinancing, targeted revenue enhancement and successful concession
bargaining with multiple labor groups.
Since joining Management Partners, Mary has participated in organizational reviews and
operational improvement studies for the cities of Newport Beach, Simi Valley, Santa Rosa,
Fairfield, Pleasanton, the Hayward Area Recreation District and CalTRUST.
n Holds an MPA degree from Sonoma State University and is a 20 -year member of ICMA.
Ms. Jill Ingram
Has more than 30 years of municipal government experience,
with an emphasis on management and supervision, budgeting,
financial analysis, and fund accounting.
Served as interim city manager for the City of Solvang until April
2019; retired in 2017 as city manager for the City of Santa Maria,
Page 3
having been in that capacity for six years.
Oversaw a full-service city in Santa Maria of more than 100,000
residents, a workforce of over 700 employees and an annual operating budget of $163
million; responsible for the day-to-day operations of the City and coordinated the
budget process.
During his tenure with Santa Maria, Rick was responsible for the City winning 21
consecutive California Municipal Finance Officer's (CSMFO) Excellence in Budgeting
Awards and 10 consecutive biennial Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards.
Prior to Santa Maria, Rick was the budget and employee relations manager for the City
of Dinuba where he was responsible for coordinating, preparing, and compiling the
City's annual budget document.
Project Cost
We will complete the plan of work described above for a fixed fee of $12,200, which includes our
expenses.
Conclusion
We would enjoy working with you on this important project. Please feel free to contact Jan Perkins at
(949) 202-8870 or me if you have any questions.
Accepted for the City of Seal Beach by:
Name:
Title:
Date:
Sincerely,
Julie Mares
Chief Operating Officer