Candidates Answer Questions About City Staff Retention
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As we get closer to the start of early voting for the Fall 2024 election, Potomac Local News is informing the community about candidates vying for seats on the Manassas City Council and the mayor’s seat. You can sign up for Potomac Local News' newsletter here.
To help voters make an informed decision, they are launching a new feature series, “One-Question Manassas City Council Candidate Survey.” This series will run throughout the campaign season, offering insights into each candidate’s stand on key issues affecting our city.
Here are Manassas Republican candidates answers on concerns regarding staff retention:
Xiao-Yin “Tang” Byrom (Candidate for Mayor)
Anytime our city starts to lose key personnel and struggles to get qualified applicants for critical positions a real self-evaluation is required. My time as Mayor will be marked by setting standards that attract and retain the “best qualified” individuals into our critical positions to ensure the most efficient and effective services to our citizens.
Hiring city staff is a lot like hiring for the private sector. We are both here to serve our customers which in this case are our citizens. I have been hiring for over 25 years and have found some important keys to attracting and retaining great staff.
Make sure your staff has core values that align with the mission statement of the organization.
Pay them well and develop pathways for them to grow.
Listen to your staff and make sure their opinions matter in the decisions made to improve efficiencies and serve the citizens.
I welcome the opportunity to bring top-notch talent to the city staff.
Lynn Forkell Greene (Candidate for Council)
Having served on the Manassas City Council, I deeply understand the critical importance of maintaining stability and retaining employees within our city government. This will help with providing efficient and effective services to our residents. Below, I have outlined the steps that I would take to address these pressing issues:
Exit Interviews: Implement thorough exit interviews to identify the root causes of recent resignations and uncover any systemic issues needing attention.
Communication: Advocate for regular town hall meetings for employees to provide updates, ensure open, transparent communication and make staff feel valued and informed.
Compensation: Continue to support competitive salary and benefits reviews to attract and retain top talent, ensuring our compensation packages meet or exceed industry standards.
Professional Development: Continue to promote ongoing training, career advancement, and leadership development, while fostering and implementing mentorship and sponsorship programs.
Work Environment: Continue to endorse initiatives to enhance workplace culture, including recognition programs and wellness initiatives to improve employee satisfaction.
Leadership: Focus on recruiting experienced, visionary leaders and begin looking for a new city manager if the interim does not commit full-time.
Charter Alignment: Restore alignment with our city charter, ensuring the mayor and Council focus on vision and priorities while keeping politics out of daily operations. By implementing these steps, I am confident we can create a more stable and supportive environment for our city employees, ultimately enhancing services for our community.
Stephen Kent (Candidate for Council)
What I’ve learned throughout a decade of working in large nonprofits, lean startups and private sector businesses is that everything involving staff retention and morale flows downstream from Vision (or lack thereof). My role as a city councilman would be to help set the vision for the city and its staff. After that, it’s all about having the right people in the right roles and establishing clear Decision Rights for them to fulfill the responsibilities of their jobs. We have some incredibly bright folks working for Manassas City around the clock, and City Council members can make a big difference in knowing when to step back and let these professionals fulfill the city’s Comprehensive Plan. You get mass exoduses from organizations when staff feel micromanaged, pressured by politics or distrusted to execute. I plan to be a partner to city staff wherever I can by empowering them to act, holding them accountable when needed and making sure Manassas City government is an attractive place to work.
Robyn Williams (Candidate for Council)
The recent resignations of key officials, including the city manager, have undeniably led to a sense of instability within our city government. As a candidate for City Council, I am dedicated to implementing immediate and strategic measures to restore stability and enhance employee retention.
The prolonged interim appointment of the chief of police as the city manager has created a leadership void. I will prioritize conducting a swift yet thorough search for a qualified and experienced city manager who will develop a skilled workforce and invest in employee development, fostering a positive work environment for all Manassas City employees.
Moreover, I intend to cultivate a culture of respect, collaboration, and inclusivity within the city government. I will implement policies that encourage work-life balance, recognize and reward employee achievements, and provide support for mental health and well-being.
My experience on the school board has been invaluable in our efforts to attract and retain top teachers and staff. I am pleased to report that employee retention at MCPS has been stable for several years. This success is attributed to two pillars of our comprehensive plan: a Quality Workforce and a Culture of Caring.
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