City Manager George Brown received high marks from Boca Raton City Council members for his performance in the city’s top job during a June 11 evaluation that came five months after longtime City Manager Leif Ahnell’s retirement.
In his self-evaluation, Brown, the city’s deputy city manager before his promotion, said he has endeavored to be efficient, responsive to council inquiries and resident issues, and that he believes he has done a good job maintaining the day-to-day operations of the city.
He faulted himself only for needing to get better at delegating authority to city staff members and empowering them to act in a supportive environment.
“I express my sincerest gratitude to all staff at all levels,” he said.
While Ahnell always was praised by the council in annual evaluations, particularly for his financial stewardship of the city, his relationship with city staff went unmentioned.
This time, council members quickly responded to Brown’s comment on staff empowerment, saying they had already seen evidence that ranking employees feel more comfortable with offering their ideas and analysis.
“I am very pleased with the culture of empowerment that you are working towards with the staff and the team,” said Council member Marc Wigder.
During the annual strategic planning sessions held with the council and staff in May, Wigder said that, in a departure from the past, “many staff were really part of the conversation.”
Council member Fran Nachlas said she appreciates that Brown is doing this.
“I think that staff is invigorated,” said Deputy Mayor Yvette Drucker.
“Keep delegating where you can so for the big-picture stuff we have coming, you are the tip of the spear,” said Mayor Scott Singer.
— Mary Hladky
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