2001 10 27 WS Minutesria
MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN
October 27, 2001
The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in work session on October 27, 2001,
at 8:00 a.m. in the Sun Deck of Goose Creek Country Club, 5000 Country Club Drive,
Baytown, Texas, with the following in attendance:
Ronnie Anderson
Council Member
Coleman Godwin
Council Member
Calvin Mundinger
Council Member
Don Murray
Council Member
Scott Sheley
Council Member
Pete C. Alfaro
Mayor
Absent: Mercedes Renteria III
Council Member
Monte Mercer
City Manager
Gary W. Smith
City Clerk
The meeting was opened with a quorum present after which the following business was
conducted:
Discuss community relations /team building.
John Western led the Council in a discussion of communications. The universal problem
in organizations is critical communications, which leads to a problem in trust.
Council broke into work groups to discuss things or events that inhibit true open
communications and solutions.
Group A listed the problems as follows:
• Lack of people doing homework
• Open Meetings Act
• Have to be diplomatic
• Ability to be candid
• Egos
• Political correctness
• Trust
• Willingness to change —more open- minded perspective
• Lack of respect
• Willingness to accept constructive criticism
• Work ethic.
SW
Page 2 of 3
Minutes of the Work Session — October 27, 2001
Group B listed the problems as follows:
• Insecurities
• Lack of confidence
• Differences in age, wealth, social standing, etc.
• Physical barriers
• Lack of preparedness
• Lack of information
• Personalities — interpersonal skills
• Lack of trust
• Motives
• Nonuse of listening skills
• Lack of patience
• Differing priorities
• Lack of open mindedness
• Special information
The solutions proposed by Group A are as follows:
• Improve communications
• Egos —Be a team player within the team; understand roles; represent people, not
ourselves
• Earned respect— Product of doing homework; work ethic; team player; accepts
constructive criticism; willingness to communicate honestly and two -way
• Learn to agree to disagree
• Accept Council decision and move on.
The solutions proposed by Group B are as follows:
• Show respect for the individual — accept for himself
• Disagree agreeably
• Get to know each other better
• Find something to like about each other (common ground)
• Lack of time —some appear to have more time to have more access to gain
information
• Time management —focus on the more important issues /events
• Add work session (I" Thursday) to discuss issues
• Get information earlier
• More debate to obtain information about the issues
• Same information to all the people at the same time
As a whole the Council reviewed the issues over which they have no control: Open
Meetings Act, the weather, others, and traffic. Each member recognized that he has
complete control only over himself. Therefore, improvement in communication must
begin within each individual.
Page 3 of 3
Minutes of the Work Session — October 27, 2001
tr As a whole, they agreed to disagree and move on. This does not require the surrender of
ideals and principles. They must trust other Council Members to vote on studied
conviction and not for personal reasons or out of friendship.
An additional work session/retreat will be scheduled to continue the progress made.
Council explored the possible reasons for a lack of trust (motivation, intent vs. modus
operandi).
The goal is selfless service. Egos and power serve as an obstacle to selfless service. The
values we in place and should not be compromised. Integrity will not be compromised.
Logic and emotion must be separated.
Decisions are to be based on the best available information at the time. If there is not
r enough information then there should not be a decision. Each Council Member should
read the packet and call Administration for additional information.
To provide additional time to review the information, the suggestion was made to consider
delivering the packet a day earlier or moving the Council meetings to Tuesday, as well as
providing notice of what is expected at the next meeting.
Adjourn.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
n
G W. mith, City Clerk