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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION October 6, 2008
APPROVED
DATE
TIME STARTED
TIME ENDED
MEMBERS PRESENT
MEMBERS ABSENT
CITY OF LINO LAKES
MINUTES
: October 6, 2008
. 5:30 p.m.
. 8:10 p.m.
: Councilmember Gallup, O'Donnell,
Reinert, Stoltz and Mayor Bergeson
: None
Staff members present: City Administrator, Gordon Heitke; Community Development
Director, Mike Grochala; Finance Director, Al Rolek; Economic Development
Coordinator, Mary Alice Divine; Director of Public Safety, Dave Pecchia; Director of
Administration, Dan Tesch; City Clerk, Julie Bartell
CHARTER COMMISSION
Charter Commission Chair Caroline Dahl and Assistant Secretary Chris Lyden were
present. Ms. Dahl asked the council to clarify that the commission's 2009 budget request
is $7,500; the preliminary budget book doesn't reflect that amount. The council clarified
that they will consider the charter commission 2009 budget request at the November work
session.
Commissioner Dahl and Lyden then requested additional funds of $4,000 for 2008 in
consideration of the ballot question this year. The charter commission would like to put
out a piece of literature. A council member suggested that the council intends to include
information from the charter commission in the informational newsletter that the city will
be releasing.
The charter commissioners suggested that the charter commission needs to represent their
information separately; it shouldn't need to be approved by the council (as the
33 communication plan is).
34
35 A council member suggested that the commission should be able to participate in the
36 newsletter but with some editorial freedom; the consultant could be the filter.
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38 The commission was asked to put their 2008 budget request in writing. The council will
39 be reviewing the newsletter this evening and that will include a portion of the newsletter
40 for the charter commission.
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42 LEGAL SERVICES
43
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION October 6, 2008
APPROVED
44 The council members submitted individual ballot sheets relative to selection of a city
45 attorney for civil services from the four finalists of the request for proposals (RFP)
46 process. The results of the balloting:
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48 First — Ratwick, Roszak, & Maloney, P.A.
49 Second — Kenney & Graven;
50 Third — Campbell Knutson
51 Fourth — Hawkins & Baumgartner
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53 The council directed staff to prepare a contract for consideration to begin services on
54 January 1, 2009.
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56 CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMUNICATION PLAN
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58 Communications consultant Chris Deets, Dustin Deets LLC reported. Mr. Deets first
59 indicated that he has made three requests to the charter commission for input and has
60 received nothing. Mr. Deets then presented the council with the proposed newsletter.
61 The piece included a section entitled "Mayor's Corner" and the council discussed the
62 appropriateness of having one council member represented in that manner. They'd prefer
63 that the section be entitled "City Council" and include no picture.
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65 When looking at the page indicating how the ballot will appear, it was suggested by a
66 council member that the newsletter include a clear phrase of what voting "no" means and
67 what voting "yes" means.
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69 A council member suggested that the most important point of the information campaign
70 is "what are we going to vote on" and that should be up front. There was discussion
71 about whether or not the question is "how will this be governed" or "how are roads
72 improved".
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74 The charter commission should give an answer on their desire to be included. It is a
75 timing issue.
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77 Mr. Deets expects to hear council comments by the next Thursday morning. The council
78 should send a request to the charter commission offering them the opportunity to submit
79 something for the newsletter (with same deadline as council members).
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81 The newsletter would go onto the city Web site at the same time it is released. For
82 publishing in area newspapers, the council should decide on ad size and also on how an
83 opinion piece would be handled. It was suggested by a council member that a whole
84 page of the newspaper is excessive and could give the wrong impression. The council
85 concurred that a half page is preferred.
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87 On the question of the charter commission's request for additional funding in 2008, the
88 council will consider separately the request of additional funding for communication
2
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION October 6, 2008
APPROVED
•89 (considering the offer to the commission to participate in the newsletter) and the request
90 for funding for additional services.
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92 COMPENSATION AUDIT REPORT
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94 Ann Antonsen, Springsted, Incorporated, presented the consultant's completed Human
95 Resource Audit report. The audit provides a review of current compensation levels,
96 classification system, external and internal comparability, current performance evaluation
97 system, and the methodology used for the report. It asks the question of a pay
98 philosophy and how that is established (by comparison to whom). The pay for
99 performance would tie back to that pay philosophy so that isn't included in the report
100 specifically at that time. The report discusses the task and methodology used (looking at
101 information on jobs provided by the city). The pay philosophy, again, will be the key.
102 Information is provided on other metropolitan cities, by size of cities and by cluster as
103 established by the League using information besides size. The city needs to decide
104 "who" and "how" in looking at the pay philosophy question.
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106 The report also reviewed job positions and descriptions and found that the city has done a
107 good job of keeping those up to date as jobs have changed. The city is required to
108 maintain a job evaluation system and does do utilizing the same point based system as the
109 state of Minnesota.
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• 111 In looking at the compensation system for the audit, the marketplace (other comparable
112 cities) were reviewed and the city appears to be within close proximity of the survey
113 averages. An internal analysis, comparing positions within the organization for equity, is
114 also included in the report.
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116 The performance evaluation system was also reviewed. The current system used by the
117 city looks at essential jobs functions with a rating system attached. One thing that could
118 be upgraded is to expand the definitions included in the rating system. As well, the goal
119 setting system could be expanded so that goals are included by the employee and
120 supervisor. Additional performance factors could be added. Supervisor training on
121 conducting performance evaluations is another suggestion. The system used for
122 evaluation would be key in setting up any type of pay for performance element.
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124 A council member asked if there is another way to consideration compensation other than
125 comparables, Ms. Antonsen suggested that the city determined it's compensation
126 philosophy. However, if the system isn't comparable, it can result in frequent loss of
127 trained employees to other organizations with the associated costs, etc. of filling
128 positions.
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130 TOWN CENTER UPDATE
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• 132 Finance Director Rolek noted that the council has been discussing options on the
133 improvement bonds issued for the Town Center Project. As explained in the information
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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION October 6, 2008
APPROVED
134 provided to the council by Terri Heaton of Springsted, market instability is influencing
135 their recommendation on refinancing. Staff is now recommending an internal loan to
136 finance debt service payments on these bonds, specifically funding from the Sanitary
137 Sewer fund, to be repaid through future assessment collections.
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139 Staff will keep the council updated.
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141 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES QUARTERLY UPDATE
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143 Administrator Heitke reviewed the update. The council had no questions.
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145 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2008
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147 The council concurred on the following correction to the minutes:
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149 Line 143 and 144 amended to read as follows: "An independent investigation of the
150 allegation of an illegal meeting was called for. Two council members concurred."
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152 The minutes will be corrected and placed on the agenda for the next regular council
153 meeting for consideration of approval.
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155 LIQUOR COMPLIANCE HEARING — SET DATE AND TIME
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157 The council concurred with the recommended hearing time of 6:15 p.m. on October 27,
158 2008. Staff will proceed with the notification process.
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160 REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
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162 The council reviewed the agenda.
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164 The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
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166 These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting held on
167 October 27, 2008.
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170 •
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172 Julianne lArtell, City erk 1.1**1:riergeson, ayor
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