Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District

Board of Trustees Meeting

March 11, 2008


 

Agenda Topic:  New Business

 

Discussion and/or approval to engage A New Team Adventure, LLC to conduct a team building event for District Staff on April 11, 2008, from 8:30 a.m., to 3:30 p.m., in an amount not to exceed $5800 from Fund #7600.01.225 – Staff Training.  A box lunch, beverages, and a morning snack are included in the not to exceed amount. -- #7 Team Leader, Mike Martinez

 

Background:

 

On October 19 and 20, 2008, the Board of Trustees held a Strategic Planning Meeting with several members of the District Staff. One of the Strategic Directions was to hold two team building events for all employees that would empower and engage employees.  The Team of Michael Martinez and Diane Glanz was directed to investigate programs and to make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees.  The Strategic Plan directs us to schedule an event sometime during the second quarter and again during the fourth quarter of 2008.  Mike Martinez was selected as the Team Leader for the first event, and Diane Glanz was selected as the Team Leader for the second event.  The Team interviewed two team building facilitators on November 30, and December 7, 2007, and reviewed information from Fred Pryor Seminars. 

 

The Fred Pryor program was located outside of the Valley and was a lecture and break-out group format.  The Team felt transporting staff outside of the Valley was too costly and favored an interactive program rather than a lecture/breakout group for the first team building event.

 

The two, local programs of interest were A New Team Adventure and Big League Dreams.  Although the Big League Dreams program was a lesser cost, $4500, it did not provide for the interaction among staff members the Team desired.  (Five, pre-selected, staff teams of ten vied with one another.)  Additionally, of the dozen team challenges offered, only five were considered low impact and suitable for District staff.

 

The program provided by A New Team Adventure was more costly, $5800, but it offered low impact team challenges which give staff teams the opportunity to most importantly gain perspective on how they work together and facilitators work with them to explore approaches in a safe learning environment.  Additionally, A New Team Adventure has provided team building events to a number of Valley organizations who speak highly of their experience with the company. 

 

Staff Recommendation:

After careful and thoughtful consideration of the style of program the Team felt would be most beneficial as its first team building program, the Team recommends A New Team Adventure be contracted to hold the District’s Team Building event on Friday, April 11, 2008, at the Palm Desert Civic Park.   

 

Fiscal Impact:

 

Current funds available from Fund #7600.01.225 – Staff Training is $13,336.63, 32% of the budgeted amount for this line item.  This expenditure is approximately 43% of the available balance.