We’ve all had job performance reviews and evaluations over the course of the years, but how many can say they’ve had their review conducted in a Zoom virtual meeting where every participant is in a separate room or building with only Internet access to one another in the process? St. Joseph City Manager John Hodgson will be able to say he’s gone that route after tonight’s closed session wherein the City Commission will evaluate his performance and provide guidance regarding his future employment and compensation for running the city’s day to day operations.
St. Joseph City Attorney Laurie Schmidt will request the City Commission to go into a closed session at the end of the regular agenda at tonight’s virtual meeting for the purpose of Hodgson’s annual evaluation, as he requested.
Mayor Mike Garey says, “This is the first time the City Commission has conducted a closed session during a virtual meeting.” In order to accomplish that evaluation, Garey says, “A separate virtual meeting has been set up that is only available to participants in the closed session. The City Commission, City Clerk, City Attorney, and City Manager will each leave the City Commission open meeting, and will log into the closed session.” Meanwhile, the open City Commission meeting on Zoom will remain open, with all participants muted, and members of the public are welcome to remain in the meeting and wait for the conclusion of the closed session.”
If you plan to hang around for the results of the closed session, Garey notes, “In the last several years, these closed sessions have typically lasted 70-to-90 minutes but there is no fixed time and it could be shorter or longer.”
At any rate, upon completion of the closed session, the City Commission will return to the open session via the original Zoom meeting, to announce the results of the evaluation process. Interesting times, thanks to the pandemic.
*****UPDATE*****UPDATE*****
Due to the absence of St. Joseph City Commissioner Dr. Jeff Richards, the formal review of City Manager John Hodgson has been postponed to the meeting of July 13th so that every commissioner will have the opportunity to provide individual evaluations and make comments during that closed session. No action was taken tonight on the City Manager’s evaluation. Stay tuned.
