Politics & Government

Council Gives City Manager New Focus

A lengthy performance review results in new priorities for City Manager Angel Jones.

Mayor Sidney Katz on Monday announced that, after her annual performance review, the City Manager would be training her attention on new goals set forth by the Council.

"In the first two years of City Manager Jones’ tenure with the City, significant focus was placed on fiscal matters," Katz said in a statement. "With the City on more stable economic footing, we feel that it is appropriate now, in addition to fiscal matters, to be more operationally focused as well."

She will focus specifically on the following:

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  • Improve employee morale
  • Ensure better productivity and efficiency
  • A thorough review of the Kronos timekeeping system
  • A focus on both internal and external communication

As part of the new directive, she will begin unveiling new programs and initiatives aimed at meeting these goals in early 2012.

"It is our assessment that the City of Gaithersburg, under City Manager Jones’ leadership, is poised to go from good to great," Katz said.

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Jones, who did not address the changes at Monday's meeting, said in the statement that she would embrace the change.

“I welcome this feedback,” she said. “I’m happy that there is validation that the City is a highly functioning organization, and I look forward to addressing a number of internal priorities to allow our employees to achieve even greater success. The support of the Mayor and City Council means a great deal to me, and I am proud to be part of this team.”

The Mayor and Council met four times behind closed doors, including off-site in a hotel conference room, to discuss the new review process and interview employees about Jones' performance.

While all full-time city employees are reviewed annually, only the City Manager and City Attorney are reviewed directly by the Mayor and Council.

The new review procedure is meant to include more feedback from employees.


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