HomeMy WebLinkAbout20100607 - VIII-C-3MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilm.embers
FROM: Dave Osberg, City Administrator
DATE: June 3, 2010
SUBJECT: Police Chief Appointment
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
It is the recommendation of the City Council's Public Safety Committee (City
Councihnembers Danna Elling Schultz [Chair], Tony Nelson and Joe Balsanek) that
Mayor Hicks appoint and the fall City Council approve the appointment of Paul Schnell
as the Police Chief for the City of Hastings. Police Civil Service Commission members
Joe Drexler, Judy Gilbert and Terry Sieben support this recommendation.
Staff recommends the City Council include in their appointment action, setting the
starting compensation at Step [ C ] , of the non -union compensation schedule which
currently is set at $8,241.48 monthly. The expectation will be that Chief Schnell will
move to Step [ B ] following a successful completion of the six month probationary
period, and Step [ A ] at the conclusion of his first year of employment.
Staff also recommends a start date of Monday June 28, 2010.
BACKGROUND
The City of Hastings received 29 applications for the position of Police Chief Six
candidates were interviewed by three different panels throughout the day on May 11,
2010. Following those interviews, PDI tabulated the results of the three panels rating and
comments and forwarded the names of the three finalists, Wayne Hicks, Rick Mathwig
and Paul Schnell for the position of Police Chief to the City Council, who affirmed the
finalists at the May 17, 2010 City Council meeting.
On Monday May 24, 2010 each of the three finalists participated in a second interview
with Public Safety Committee Chair Danna Elling Schulz, Police Civil Service
Commission Chair Joe Drexler and me. That same day, the three finalists also had an
opportunity to visit with members of the public. Finally, the three finalists participated in
a question and answer session with the public, at the conclusion of the day on Monday
May 24, 2010.
Throughout this process the finalists also participated in a leadership assessment exercise
with PDI. Background and reference checks were also completed on the finalists.
On Tuesday June 1, 2010 the Public Safety conducted a meeting at the Hastings City Hall
to review the information on the finalists for the position of Police Chief. Also in
attendance at the meeting were all three members of the Police Civil Service
Conunission, Assistant City Administrator Melanie Mesko Lee and me, as well as several
members of the Hastings Police Department. At the beginning of the meeting, the
announcement was made that finalist Rick Mathwig had withdrawn from further
consideration for the Police Chief position in Hastings. The meeting included a brief
presentation by Staff indicating the following information:
a.) Paul Schnell was the top rated candidate (of all six interviewed) in all three panels
during the May 11 interviews.
b.) Schnell was the favorite of the two current remaining finalists during the second
round of interviews conducted on May 24, 2010.
c.) There were many favorable impressions of Paul Schnell during the public events
conducted on May 24, 2010.
d.) Schnell's education background meets that which was "highly desired" in the job
description and recruitment profile, including a Masters Degree and the Southern
Police Institute.
e.) Information from the leadership assessment, background and reference check
reports indicating that Paul Schnell was the top candidate.
On Tuesday June 1, 2010 Staff contacted Mayor Hicks to advise of the recommendation
from the Public Safety Committee. The Mayor is in agreement with the recommendation
and in accordance with the City Charter, advances the name of Paul Schnell for
appointment as the next Police Chief for the City of Hastings. Staff has also discussed the
employment conditions with Paul Schnell and he is in agreement with the terrns outlined
above and a start date of June 28, 2010.
A copy of Paul Schnell's resume is attached
Thus, it is recommended that the City Council take action unanimously approving Mayor
Hicks' appointment of Paul Schnell as the Police Chief for the City of Hastings.
David M. Osberg
cc. Paul Schnell
P R- t Jw
24$-6 Bond Crrcle, West. • Mendat9 Heights, Minn6sota. 5512.6 4
Pho ne. -755 -15.20
E -Mail: paul,sGiinel•I @mac,cofrt
:: April 24; -01 D_
City.- F460finos ,
HLfr OhRes:ources Police Chief Selection
10'I F. street fast
Flastmgs., - MN 55033
Dear Review Committee Members
If selected as' your Ch of Police, 1 will - .ensure policing in decor arise with the statod
values ,of crty::Ieadershrp: and th:e cornrnrani #y they`represent [ will. provjdi lead rshi.p
that tiEl advance the. cvrrim tted efforts flf fhb , Wb (en and men who today make. u'o'the
hastings Police Department 1 i�vill expect highest ethical aril practice.
of.ftself acrd all mere l ers of the department Illlith an e mphasis on criril p re ientiorr,
community safety, .and effeotivo problem so%1vjng; the Hastings Police Oepartir6en will .
prov'de ft$ community with. rriea S Ureaple sucoess and known .as the n os.
progressive laof ce agenoy of 81;te - 1h Min:riesota:
;Please. accept this. fetter; = resume arid_ ather:.encft sed: docuM- ehts application 'for the
, ltioh of Chief of PCIice.farthe Ci #y, of Has'tirtg:s:
Ovar the. yb�rs ofwdrking` in e= variaty pokcErrg' eriyiro nclu .ing rural, 5[aburban,
arid - -urban CommunitiesA;l have ha4the oppor ul ity to develop a :diverse skill'set lh.
various assignmen6s, 1 hay.e managed. ffs arid: human - resources. : -.d6veloped,
[mplem:enteo and monitored do' : rtrnentai policy engaged With'tfie. community to
Wild and mai'ntain'.h'igll §:of publi.G trust:.
In addition to rriy range aF- experier��e§ I have n- vested -in furthbdng, my educatidn to
advance -my :leadership and critical thinking ;skil]s.- As- a-2007 graduate of 11 Session
of the Southern Police _[ristitute`s AdrrMistrative Officers Gourse[ , was able to-
potticipate. in advanced study df_'th6- r'nost'relevaht police pr�ctiOes in the`UrYlfed States
and abroad:
Wo ie I.:vvelCQme th - to disc6ss bapkg.round, _skills; :and creci'entiafs.wlth
Y06" *I most look forward to sharing my vision for-:tha future of t}1e Hastings P61166
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