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Council's emphasis on sustainability and asked what perspective Mr. Gordon comes from — <br /> engineering, finance, operational, etc. Mr. Gordon indicated that his experience is more focused <br /> on operations and that he has a strength in resident/Council interactions. He complimented the <br /> staff's expertise in engineering and technical work and shared his focus on communication , <br /> which can set standards for supervisors and increase department morale. He expressed comfort in <br /> dealing with residents and union employees. <br /> Councilmember Rader asked what sustainability practices Mr. Gordon could bring over from <br /> Shaker, as he noted it is leading the way on sustainability on the east side of the region. Mr. <br /> Gordon stated the importance of weighing cost vs. sustainability and working on sustainable <br /> efforts as long as they fit within the city's budget. <br /> Vice President Kepple asked what particular strategies Mr. Gordon has used in communicating <br /> with the public. Mr. Gordon proposed providing more regular updates to residents on general <br /> city operations via social media, videos, etc. He noted that 5 million gallons of wastewater were <br /> pumped out of the high-rate treatment plant during a recent rain storm, that 29 sewer calls were <br /> serviced last week, and that a first round of cold patching of potholes has already been <br /> completed. This information would be valuable to keep residents up to date on, so they can see <br /> their tax dollars at work. He also mentioned that he reaches out to residents personally if their <br /> complaint emails reach his desk. <br /> Councilmember Marx complimented Shaker's rain barrel program and expressed a desire to see <br /> more programs like that in Lakewood, especially one focused on simplifying at-home recycling. <br /> Mr. Gordon noted the ever-changing nature of the recycling industry and the experiences he had <br /> in Shaker, as he and his staff created videos,postcards, and other materials to better <br /> communicate to residents what can and cannot be recycled. <br /> Councilmember Shachner inquired about Mr. Gordon's philosophy regarding the frequency of <br /> snow plowing main thoroughfares in relation to side streets. Mr. Gordon stated that the mayor <br /> had put out her ice and snow plan before he arrived, however that it looks very similar to what <br /> other cities do. Through a professional association, Mr. Gordon has been able to attend many <br /> winter weather supervisor courses and the general approach has been to focus plowing on the <br /> main arteries of the city first, primarily for emergency vehicles, followed by secondary roads, <br /> side streets, concluding with clean up. He stated he will look into the process further and looked <br /> forward to being more proactive with ice and snow. <br /> President Litten noted that Mr. Gordon seemed self-aware and emotionally intelligent. He asked <br /> him to provide an example of when he had to overcome a challenge in one of his roles. Mr. <br /> Gordon shared times where he had to manage refuse vendor emergencies while in and out of <br /> town and solved them with personal communication and resident engagement. President Litten <br /> followed up and asked Mr. Gordon to share an example of where he wished had done something <br /> differently. Mr. Gordon shared a tough decision he had to make regarding a senior resident's <br /> 2 <br />