05-26-2020 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DRAFT 6 Councilmember Lyden asked for Ms. Cotton’s perspective on the position. That will be 207 clarified with the next agenda item. 208 5. Review of Finance Director Position – Human Resources Manager 209 Bartholomew reviewed her written report, including options for hiring a new Finance 210 Director (option one) or the reorganization of job duties (option two). Option two 211 represents what Ms. Cotton would envision as necessary if the Finance Director position 212 were not filled. The report also revisits the possibility of adding a Communications 213 Specialist position. She reviewed cost impacts (savings) related to the reorganization 214 option. 215 216 Finance Director Cotton explained her thoughts about the second option. She feels that it 217 is feasible but with reorganization. She explained the functions that she feels could be 218 transferred to a finance manager position and the experience of one current employee that 219 would make it feasible. She has prepared job descriptions redistributing duties. Option 220 two would create a weave that in the long term would have an administrator position that 221 could require skills that may be hard to find. 222 223 Mayor Rafferty said he doesn’t want the administrator to be overburdened but also 224 understands that you don’t take the finance out of someone coming from that background. 225 It’s important to hear Ms. Cotton’s opinion. He has some concern about the 226 Communications positions being brought in again; the council discussed those duties being 227 handled by current staff. 228 229 Councilmember Stoesz noted that Ms. Cotton has served as the IT manager for the City as 230 well and he’d like to understand that commitment. Ms. Cotton explained the duties and 231 suggested it probably takes about 10 percent of her time; she would intend that the finance 232 manager would take over that duty. 233 234 Councilmember Ruhland echoed the Mayor’s remark about handling communications with 235 current staff. He asked for Ms. Cotton’s opinion on the options. Ms. Cotton said the 236 reason the council is seeing the communications piece is that it is a component of the 237 proposed reorganization; her opinion is that in order to be successful, all the pieces would 238 have to be in place. She explained the value of a communications position and 239 specifically that is creating content. 240 241 Councilmember Cavegn said he recognizes the appeal of the savings but pointed out the 242 difficulty of replacement and also that the ease of this transition is really about having a 243 finance director that moves ahead; that wouldn’t be the case. 244 245 Administrator Karlson added that in Tracy Thouma and Karissa Bartholomew, the City 246 would have people who could certainly have come up the pipeline. 247 248 Mayor Rafferty remarked that it’s a compliment to Ms. Cotton that the council considers 249 her so capable to consider dual roles. He thinks the communications position as well as 250