April 11, 2016, Council Work Session
CITY OF SPRING PARK
SPECIAL WORK SESSION MINUTES
APRIL 11, 2016 – 7:00 PM
SPRING PARK CITY HALL
Those present: Gary Hughes, Megan Pavot, Bruce Williamson, Pam Horton, Shirley Bren, Commissioner Mason, Springsted Representatives, Nick Dragisich and Patty Kettles.
1. SPRINGSTED ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS REPORT –
Tolsma said everyone has a copy of the analysis and there will be a summary presented by Springsted. He said having an analysis performed was talked about when Lewin indicated she would probably be retiring in 2016. He said they felt it was a good time to do a workplace analysis and Springsted was chosen. He said the analysis has been gone through in summary form. Williamson said the good news is the analysis of the staff size is on point. He said the city is obviously unique and comparables are difficult due to Presbyterian Homes. Williamson knows that policies and procedures need to be updated. Dragisich said that’s why this has to be looked at in many different ways. He thinks staffing is lean but at the same time he’s not recommending hiring more.
Hughes said on page two towards the bottom regarding the city’s contract for snowplowing with Orono and that is not the case. Hughes said he was disappointed regarding salaries as Tolsma’s salary was recently increased. Hughes didn’t see salary comparisons for the others. Hughes also said Goman’s response to fire calls was eliminated a while back so he was surprised to see it included. Hughes talks about permission for someone to do something and he said staff has to be counted on to make decisions. Pavot wondered about the number of callouts for Goman compared to callouts when Orono was on call and Dragisich said it may have more to do that Goman feels the need to respond because he knows what is going on. Bren asked about callouts and she wonders how that is generated and Dragisich said that is what needs to be defined.
Goman asked if the council has seen the job descriptions of all employees and Williamson said that after the analysis was complete, they would be visiting job descriptions. He said it has to do with flexibility with the new clerk coming onboard. Hughes wonders about the new water plant and increased technology due to that. He wonders how that will be dealt with. Hughes wonders about pay and work scheduling. Dragisich said it’s usually negotiated because someone has to do it. Pavot asked about contracting and not contracting. She wonders what we don’t contract. Dragisich said the value of having a PW director is the value to watch over the systems. Pavot wonders if it is a full time position or whether it’s a two person job. Dragisich said it’s difficult to fill a position with two part-time PW’s.
Bren said she stopped at city hall recently and Goman was removing items from the lower level of city hall and she watched those items being loaded in the city truck. She said Goman was hauling personal property from city hall to his own home and his time sheet showed city time was used for personal removal of personal items. She said it’s been witnessed that he used a city vehicle to move items from his parents’ home in Mound. She thinks this needs to be taken care of. Dragisich said the policy needs to be defined. He said this comes up when someone stops for groceries on the way home and, it’s not unusual. He said it’s not good use of manager time so it’s better to be defined so there is no question.
Horton wonders about finding the correct balance by adjusting the current policies. Williamson said the net recommendations from the report are about six to seven: designate a specific work week, define in a city policy the on-call definition, compensatory compensation or converted to time and a half – all city employees treated in the same regard – with advance notification, clarify the take home vehicle with clear parameters of what is allowable. He said the fire call issue has gone away and this happened after the initial interview with Springsted. He said this bears further discussion with the council.
Dragisich said there is a summary about recommended changes in the back. Pavot asked about compensation with the take-home vehicle. Dragisich said because he’s subject to call out, the IRS does not require a 1099. Williamson believes they have a good idea as to what is necessary, clarifying things that already exist. Hughes was hoping for more discussion on salary compensation. Williamson said compensation for Lewin’s job will depend upon experience. Tolsma can bring out a recent salary comparison used in the last couple of years and it shows a pretty good comparison of comparable job duties. Dragisich said Springsted can put together a detailed job description. Pavot said she almost feels the city clerk’s position should be 40 hours in order to free up the city administrator to focus on other things. Hughes asked about other things in the office that could be contracted out and Dragisich said utility billing, payroll but he said it will cost more money to contract it out. Tolsma said perhaps a timeline should be established especially with the clerk’s position.
2. MISCELLANEOUS -
3. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
a. March Fire Department Report –
Hughes said when looking at the fire department incident report, he wonders about with Pres Homes and more than one call for false alarms, they will be fined. Hughes wonders about lift assists and whether they are still getting those calls.
Hughes said the LMCD’s first draft for the budget will be tomorrow night and looks like a 6% increase overall but he’ll know more next week.
Goman asked if the tornado awareness emails he sends out are helpful and the council agrees it is helpful. Goman wonders if the PC’s should be included. Bren wonders if this will be posted on the dynamic signage.
Adjourn at 9:01
___________________________________
Wendy Lewin, City Clerk
____________________________________
Dan Tolsma, City Administrator
SPECIAL WORK SESSION MINUTES
APRIL 11, 2016 – 7:00 PM
SPRING PARK CITY HALL
Those present: Gary Hughes, Megan Pavot, Bruce Williamson, Pam Horton, Shirley Bren, Commissioner Mason, Springsted Representatives, Nick Dragisich and Patty Kettles.
1. SPRINGSTED ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS REPORT –
Tolsma said everyone has a copy of the analysis and there will be a summary presented by Springsted. He said having an analysis performed was talked about when Lewin indicated she would probably be retiring in 2016. He said they felt it was a good time to do a workplace analysis and Springsted was chosen. He said the analysis has been gone through in summary form. Williamson said the good news is the analysis of the staff size is on point. He said the city is obviously unique and comparables are difficult due to Presbyterian Homes. Williamson knows that policies and procedures need to be updated. Dragisich said that’s why this has to be looked at in many different ways. He thinks staffing is lean but at the same time he’s not recommending hiring more.
Hughes said on page two towards the bottom regarding the city’s contract for snowplowing with Orono and that is not the case. Hughes said he was disappointed regarding salaries as Tolsma’s salary was recently increased. Hughes didn’t see salary comparisons for the others. Hughes also said Goman’s response to fire calls was eliminated a while back so he was surprised to see it included. Hughes talks about permission for someone to do something and he said staff has to be counted on to make decisions. Pavot wondered about the number of callouts for Goman compared to callouts when Orono was on call and Dragisich said it may have more to do that Goman feels the need to respond because he knows what is going on. Bren asked about callouts and she wonders how that is generated and Dragisich said that is what needs to be defined.
Goman asked if the council has seen the job descriptions of all employees and Williamson said that after the analysis was complete, they would be visiting job descriptions. He said it has to do with flexibility with the new clerk coming onboard. Hughes wonders about the new water plant and increased technology due to that. He wonders how that will be dealt with. Hughes wonders about pay and work scheduling. Dragisich said it’s usually negotiated because someone has to do it. Pavot asked about contracting and not contracting. She wonders what we don’t contract. Dragisich said the value of having a PW director is the value to watch over the systems. Pavot wonders if it is a full time position or whether it’s a two person job. Dragisich said it’s difficult to fill a position with two part-time PW’s.
Bren said she stopped at city hall recently and Goman was removing items from the lower level of city hall and she watched those items being loaded in the city truck. She said Goman was hauling personal property from city hall to his own home and his time sheet showed city time was used for personal removal of personal items. She said it’s been witnessed that he used a city vehicle to move items from his parents’ home in Mound. She thinks this needs to be taken care of. Dragisich said the policy needs to be defined. He said this comes up when someone stops for groceries on the way home and, it’s not unusual. He said it’s not good use of manager time so it’s better to be defined so there is no question.
Horton wonders about finding the correct balance by adjusting the current policies. Williamson said the net recommendations from the report are about six to seven: designate a specific work week, define in a city policy the on-call definition, compensatory compensation or converted to time and a half – all city employees treated in the same regard – with advance notification, clarify the take home vehicle with clear parameters of what is allowable. He said the fire call issue has gone away and this happened after the initial interview with Springsted. He said this bears further discussion with the council.
Dragisich said there is a summary about recommended changes in the back. Pavot asked about compensation with the take-home vehicle. Dragisich said because he’s subject to call out, the IRS does not require a 1099. Williamson believes they have a good idea as to what is necessary, clarifying things that already exist. Hughes was hoping for more discussion on salary compensation. Williamson said compensation for Lewin’s job will depend upon experience. Tolsma can bring out a recent salary comparison used in the last couple of years and it shows a pretty good comparison of comparable job duties. Dragisich said Springsted can put together a detailed job description. Pavot said she almost feels the city clerk’s position should be 40 hours in order to free up the city administrator to focus on other things. Hughes asked about other things in the office that could be contracted out and Dragisich said utility billing, payroll but he said it will cost more money to contract it out. Tolsma said perhaps a timeline should be established especially with the clerk’s position.
2. MISCELLANEOUS -
3. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
a. March Fire Department Report –
Hughes said when looking at the fire department incident report, he wonders about with Pres Homes and more than one call for false alarms, they will be fined. Hughes wonders about lift assists and whether they are still getting those calls.
Hughes said the LMCD’s first draft for the budget will be tomorrow night and looks like a 6% increase overall but he’ll know more next week.
Goman asked if the tornado awareness emails he sends out are helpful and the council agrees it is helpful. Goman wonders if the PC’s should be included. Bren wonders if this will be posted on the dynamic signage.
Adjourn at 9:01
___________________________________
Wendy Lewin, City Clerk
____________________________________
Dan Tolsma, City Administrator