10-29-2018 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 29, 2018 Keis introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION 2 018-10-222 — CALLING FOR A WORKSHOP ON NOVEMBER 14, 2018 AT 6: 00 P.M. TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TIF DISTRICT 7-2 The foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Fischer. Aye (5). Nays (0). Resolution declared adopted. PUBLIC WORKS The Public Works Director explained that the City established an apprentice APPRENTICE program in 2017 to train and develop part-time employees and serve the POSITION WAGE ongoing needs of the Public Works and Parks Department. He stated that ADJUSTMENT Alex Evenson was hired as an Apprentice worker on November 1, 2017, and has developed into an excellent employee. He reported that Mr. Evenson is currently at the six-month step of the Public Works Apprentice pay scale and with his additional pay add-ons and the budgeted Cost of Living Adjustment for 2019, he will be paid $17.25 per hour in 2019. The Public Works Director explained that the apprentice program was initially established to use an apprentice in lieu of a seasonal so that we had an additional year-round employee and we could develop potential full time employee prospects. He stated that in an effort to retain Mr. Evenson since he is a great employee and we are currently short one full-time employee, staff is recommending that the Apprentice Pay Scale be adjusted at the 1 - year anniversary on November 1, 2018 to bring the hourly wage to $20.00 per hour. The Public Works Director explained that in order to accomplish this, staff recounmends amending the Public Works Apprentice wage scale to enable staff to provide an adjustment at the 1 -year anniversary provided the need is apparent and it works with the budget. He noted that this way, the entire scale does not have to be amended and then changed back in the future, and it allows some room for extraordinary cases. He stated that the impact on the budget would be minor as the benefit package would not change and only one third of his wages are taken from the general fiend (the remaining 67% is taken from the water and sewer fiends). Staff has confirmed that the General Fund can absorb the expected increases in both years. Fischer asked if Public Works is down a fiill-time position. The Public Works Director stated that we are down one fiull-time person, but created an apprentice program, to help staff the department. Fischer asked what is preventing staff from simply hiring the full-time employee now. The Public Works Director stated that we could do that, but he also does not want to hurt the integrity of the apprentice program. The City Administrator stated that if Mr. Evenson stayed on as the apprentice for another year, he would 12