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COUNCIL MINUTES April 9, 2018 <br />DRAFT <br />2 <br />3A) Accounting Clerk/Utility Billing Position – Finance Director Cotton reviewed her written 45 <br />report outlining an open Accounting Clerk/Utility Billing position and the duties assigned to it. The 46 <br />matter of filling this position is before the council as requested. 47 <br /> 48 <br />Mayor Reinert noted that discussion on this position may have been more appropriate at the work 49 <br />session but it is on the council agenda along with two other positions being filled. He asked the 50 <br />administrator to review all. 51 <br /> 52 <br />Administrator Karlson explained that there is a need to fill the Utility Billing position as soon as 53 <br />possible so he added the matter to the council agenda rather than the work session. There is an 54 <br />urgency since the Finance Officer is filling in and she has other pressing duties. 55 <br /> 56 <br />Council Member Stoesz remarked that the report indicates that the City is understaffed in the duties. 57 <br />Perhaps the process (utility bills) could be streamlined; maybe outsourcing parts of it should be 58 <br />considered. He also wonders if moving to a monthly cycle would be possible because that would 59 <br />better serve the customers. He would like to see if the position could be restructured. 60 <br /> 61 <br />Council Member Rafferty noted the other personnel (hiring) items on the agenda. It seems that more 62 <br />discussion is merited and a work session environment would be best. While he sees there is a closing 63 <br />date for this position, it may be that the hiring process can wait for further discussion. The council 64 <br />wants to fully understand the situation. 65 <br /> 66 <br />Mayor Reinert said the situation could possibly have been brought to the council in a proactive 67 <br />manner rather than the reactive way it is coming forward now. Administrator Karlson remarked that 68 <br />that would be a change from the established process. Mayor Reinert responded that it could just be a 69 <br />matter of the council receiving information before the request to hire comes forward. 70 <br /> 71 <br />Council Member Rafferty concurred that it could be a matter of communication. There are position 72 <br />changes and the council may need a better understanding. 73 <br /> 74 <br />Council Member Maher asked if there are questions about the matter at hand, the Utility Billing 75 <br />Clerk. Mayor Reinert said the question has been raised of possible outsourcing and questions like 76 <br />that should be discussed. 77 <br /> 78 <br />Director Cotton expressed her feeling of urgency to have the position filled or move in another 79 <br />direction. She is spending her time doing the duties of the job and she has other work to do. Mayor 80 <br />Reinert explained that the council is reasonably asking for more information on these actions of 81 <br />filling positions. Director Cotton said she did include information in two weekly updates. 82 <br /> 83 <br />Council Member Stoesz moved to look at seeing if the City can offer our residents a monthly utility 84 <br />bill and what would need to change to make that happen, including outsourcing if necessary. 85 <br /> 86 <br />Mayor Reinert suggested that Council Member Stoesz should work with staff on the matter. He 87 <br />recognizes that there is a sense of urgency on staff’s part to move forward so the timeline of reporting 88 <br />at the next work session would be appropriate. 89