03/01/2010 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Rice Creek Watershed District on the Special Area Management Plan that will provide sonre streamlining of wetland permitting requirements when completed (Summer 20.10 ?). A core question that remains unanswered is what businesses are we marketing 10? Cost avoidance; Make sure we aren't penny wise and pound foolish in what we do here. 17. Use technology; We (council) should move to use technology right away as an example. Have a city email address set up for city business only. This will save on record retention and possible future legal issues by managing all city business email through these addresses and systematic deleting old emails in a uniform manner. Secondly, set up voice mail box to send notification to your email alerting of calls coming in. This uses technology we already have to replace the work the receptionist was doing for us. This is just one example of great ideas that the staff has if we just challenge them by asking the right questions. This has been implemented Additionally swills Continually i.vcitclringf01 ways in which proven technology -v may be employed to more cost effectively pereform operations or delivery, services. 18. Are city employees paid OT to attend city meetings? If so, could there be arranged comp time during that week to reduce hours equal to the OT? Union issues? City employees are not paid OT to attend city meetings. Staff available at council meetings are typically personnel exempt, from the Fair Labor Standards Act. hourly wage workers attending city meetings to,tulfill work responsibilities 1.e.. board minutes, are scheduled to avoid overtime. Only contract employees' i.e., City Engineer, City Attorney, and consultants are paid, for meetings. 19. Faxes are becoming obsolete. Don't replace any. Cut maintenance contracts and move toward email faxing. — We should provide cm array of avenues for residents to communicate with city staff .ticiy folks still rely on the US mail and fax machines. The Building Department and Recreation Department still receive a significant number of faxes. Since providing laves are very inexpensive, Lve suggest that this communication tool remains in place. There is no maintenance contract. 20. Large garbage trucks wear out our roads more than any other single source. Is there a way we can organize neighborhoods (not mandate) to consolidate garbage collection and reduce the number of trucks on our streets to one per week? No. The city would need to regulate this through ordinance. The (City currently limits haulers licensing to four firms. The previous attempt to obtain one hauler was denied through city referendum. We currently provide for ((free market .system for haulers and users have the ability to change as they deem necessary. At hest we could only :suggest neighbors collectively hargairr for hauler deals, however the city ii ould likely end up between disgruntled haulers and neighbors• opposed to consolidation.