11-14-2016 Council Special Work Session Minutes

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CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION November 14, 2016 APPROVED 46 - Reinstate from part-time to full-time the Office Specialist position in Finance — 47 Director Cotton recalled her request to transition certain utility functions to this 48 position, including serving as a front line resource and back-up to the utility 49 billing clerk. The individual in this position would also do scanning of certain 50 documents in the quest to reach a paperless status for the utility billing records. 51 The Mayor asked about increased activities that would call for additional 52 personnel. Mayor Reinert noted the full time Human Resources position brought 53 in this year with the promise of that position covering some additional duties. 54 Administrator Karlson said the work is there for the human resources position, 55 including benefits administration, seasonal hiring, working with hiring throughout 56 the city, wellness and safety program as well as working on performance 57 management. Council Member Rafferty recalled that Administrator Karlson 58 requested that this Office Specialist position be downsized and he wonders what 59 has changed. Council Member Manthey remarked that he recalls the position 60 would also help with some tasks that were being covered by the Finance Director 61 and that didn't seem appropriate at that level. Council Member Rafferty 62 suggested that the utility billing function seems to be impacted by the Utility 63 Billing full-time person also providing IT services when those services are 64 supposed to be coming from Metro INet He asked if there is any need to increase 65 this position that relates to comp time balances and how that impacts the presence 66 of staff. Administrator Karlson said the additional half position is not being 67 added to cover comp time but to cover duties that exist. 68 69 - A .6 FTE position added to the Public Services division to support the current 70 single support position in that department. Addition of the Cartegraph system has 71 added workload to the Public Services Department. The mayor noted that the 72 system came at great expense but he wonders if it is costing the city in staff time 73 and the value when, in some cases, it isn't providing good information that was 74 anticipated. Council Member Rafferty recognized that the city's fuel system is 75 archaic and if it needs to be updated the system that draws the most from that 76 system should bear the cost. His visit to the department and review of the 77 Cartegraph system led him to believe that the fuel system is letting us down and 78 that is causing the overwork. Director DeGardner was requested to report to the 79 council on the Cartegraph system, what it does and what is working. 80 81 The mayor called for discussion of the DEA position in the Public Safety Department, 82 Council Member Manthey remarked that drugs are a strong force and he feels some 83 comfort in having this position in place. Mayor Reinert suggested that this person 84 actually works with thirteen people on metro area problems and the work would continue 85 with or without this city's participation. 86 87 Council Member Manthey noted his experience with public safety and his awareness that 88 it's a group effort — to work as a public safety community on efforts. He also noted the 89 forfeiture funds involved that come back to the city. 90 2