2. PRSR 01-06-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Dear Fellow Commission Members, We have, over several years, created a feeling of trust on the part of the Council that our recommendations are based on solid information and reliable facts. We have not recommended things that were not beneficial to the City and the people we serve. We have learned to work within the framework of being an advisory board, (the political process if you will). On January 6~' we aze meeting to go over the job description for the new Parks and Recreation Director. This is a position we have been advocating for several years as a needed position in the City. Back two years ago we made our final presentation to the Council on the creation of a Pazks and Recreation Department and a timeline for its creation. Central to the department was the hiring of a department head. Many hours were spent going over the qualifications that we felt were needed and the overall structure of the department. John did a lot of work on the presentation and it was well received. The Council felt good about the research that we had done and the thought we had put into it. It was just a matter of time and money for it to become a reality. We served our function as an advisory board to the Council as we were instructed. It is with this as a background that I want everyone to consider the attached memo from Michele and the report that was presented to the council, (attached to your email from Michele on 12-11-03). We have an obligation to continue to do the same kind of work that we have done in the past. We also need to keep in mind that there has been a process in place for hiring department heads in the city long before this position was even thought of on the Council level. We need to follow the system and work with it no matter how we may personally feel about it. The Commission is not above the system and if we try to impose our rules on it we could find ourselves moving backwards in our relationship with the Council and key city staff. We need to be wise in our direction and remember that this is a beginning and not the end. It is the big picture we must be focused on and not just one or two parts of that picture. We must trust that we have done all that we can and if we have it will all work out. We are further today than we were last year at this time. And much farther than five yeazs ago. Thank you and we will see you on January 6`" Duane