01-13-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Keis and Members of City Council FROM: Chris Heineman, City Administrator DATE: January 13, 2021 RE: Reclassification of City Clerk / Human Resource Manager Position ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED Consider approval of reclassification of City Clerk position to City Clerk / Human Resource Manager BACKGROUND The City Clerk position is part of the Administration Department and provides assistance with elections, city council agendas, human resources, official records, legal notices, city communications, and licensing. With the recent transfer of election administration from the City to Ramsey County, staff had the opportunity to review the duties of this position and is recommending a reclassification to better address the current and future needs of the City of Little Canada. This initiative also adheres to the strategic objectives of the 5-year Strategic Plan adopted in 2019. According to the Strategic Plan, reclassifying the City Clerk position falls into Strategic Direction Four under the heading of Creating Operational Efficiency and aligns with the initiative of optimizing our organizational structure. One of the 2-year priorities under Creating Operational Efficiency is implementing a revised organizational structure, and the reclassification of the City Clerk position is a key aspect of this important process. Human Resources is an important aspect of City Administration, and some duties have been handled by various staff members or received a limited focus in the past. Specific duties include recruitment, benefits administration, performance evaluations, labor relations, employee engagement, organizational development, and other areas and have become increasingly complex and demand additional attention. To better meet our human resources needs going forward, staff is recommending a reclassification of this position to City Clerk / Human Resource Manager which elevates the position beyond its current level to include higher level assignments, such as overseeing the risk management program. The City Clerk / Human Resource Manager class is also used in other cities of similar size and provides flexibility in handling other assignments beyond the traditional City Clerk role. It is important to note that we are asking the City Council to reclassify the City Clerk / Human Resource Manager position, not the person in the position. Positions are classified; however incumbents are not. A reclassification is not intended to serve as a reward for superior services, recognition for longevity or the qualifications of the incumbent or a promotional system. The following is a list of factors to be and not to be considered in reviewing the reclassification of a city staff position: