06-23-2014 Council Meeting Minutes

Home Search

COUNCIL MINUTES June 23, 2014 APPROVED 91 clarity. Chief Swenson said staff is mindful and has discussed how it will be handled; it should also ( 2 be considered that the firefighter positions are generally second jobs. The mayor recommended that 93 the city have clear criteria and Council Member Kusterman asked that measurable events be a part of 94 that. Mayor Reinert added that incentive programs are pretty typical in the situation of opening a new 95 department. 96 97 Council Member Roeser moved to approve Resolution No. 14-62, as presented. Council Member 98 Kusterman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote. 99 100 4C) Authorize Enrollment in Statewide Lump-Sum Volunteer Firefighter Plan Administered 101 by PERA — Police Chief Swenson reviewed staff's recommendation that the city's firefighter pension 102 plan be the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) administered plan outlined in his 103 report. He noted that the pension plan is also a recruitment tool. A report has been prepared by the 104 city's advisor, Springsted, Inc., that outlines their analysis for Lino Lakes. Terri Heaton of 105 Springsted, Inc. reported that the council received an initial report from her organization on the 106 establishment of a city fire department. This analysis provides more detail on the fire pension 107 element of that process. It provides more information for both the city council and firefighters on 108 how a change impacts them. The report is a "broad brush" look based on assumptions and then 109 providing data from those assumptions. It gives information comparing the look of a pension plan 110 administered through PERA versus one managed by the city. Based on the advantages outlined in 111 the report, the recommendation is to proceed with the PERA administered plan. She noted that 112 individuals interested in the pension plan would be able to get information on the impact to their ( *13 particular situation. .14 115 Mayor Reinert noted that the council has had the opportunity to review the analysis and the PERA 116 plan seems like the way to go. He outlined how the city contributes, where funding comes from and 117 the advantages of participating in a portable plan. 118 119 Mike Schweigert, 23 Park Drive, said he's heard that special state legislation would be required to set 120 up a plan. The mayor responded that this would not require special legislation and he added that the 121 Centennial Fire District will also be looking at how to proceed with their pension plan and if it is 172 through PERA, that will make for an easier transition option. Mr. Schweigert urged the council to get 123 information on this matter to the firefighters. The mayor concurred, noting that the city had to get the 124 analysis done and now is committed providing information to the fire personnel and making 125 Springsted available to answer questions as necessary. 126 127 Council Member Roeser moved to authorize enrollment in the Statewide Lump-Sum Volunteer 128 Firefighter Plan administered by PERA. Council Member Kusterrnan seconded the motion. Motion 129 carried on a unanimous voice vote 130 131 D) Consider Approval to Advertise Three New Public Safety Position — Chief Swenson 132 reviewed his report outlining the need for three new positions to staff the start-up of the fire services 133 division of the Public Safety Department. Administrator Karlson explained the process used to 134 determine the recommendation for salary levels for the positions, based on analysis by the city's 85 consultant, Springsted, Inc. Mayor Reinert recalled the council's decision to go with a hybrid — a 3