HomeMy WebLinkAbout8 7 07projectasst City Council Date: 8/7/07 Item: 14 Motion ITEM: Consider approving an employment agreement for temporary, part time project assistant services SUBMITTED BY: Susan Hoyt, City Administrator REVIEWED BY: Tom Bouthilet, Finance Director Jack Griffin, City Engineer
Jerry Filla, City Attorney
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED: The city council is being asked to approve an employment agreement with Carol Kriegler for the temporary, part time services as a project assistant to the city administrator. The services provided will be both managing and hands-on work on a myriad of city projects that are necessary to accomplish city goals. The work will be varied. It will be primarily in the area of parks, public works and community development/activities. The projects will range from following up on smaller scale issues that have emerged such as determining and implementing solutions to the 9224 31st Street property, organizing a meetings with property owners on specific neighborhood topics or with individual residents to learn about needs or address issues, organizing the city and county on landscaping projects, preparing and coordinating the RFP process for transportation and surface water planning and communications and activities related to water contamination and the Baytown Superfund site. One of the project assistant’s primary responsibilities will be to work with the park commission and the city council on park planning for neighborhood parks on a park by park basis as well as on implementing trail improvements that are part of the comprehensive trail plan. If approved, these services will be performed at $35.00 per hour anywhere from 15 hours to 32 hours per week on a contractual basis without benefits. By providing someone internally to organize and implement various types of activities, the city staff will function more efficiently and collaboratively and it will allow the city engineer and the assistant city engineer to focus their time and associated costs, which are necessarily more than double the $35/hour, on tasks that are directly related to engineering activities because they will not be charged with following up on smaller items or on organizing meetings. Ms. Kriegler is being recommended for these services because her background in parks, public works and facilities prepares her for the work to support our existing staff and to expand the administrator’s and staff’s ability to be responsive to our residents and decision makers. In addition, Ms. Kriegler has demonstrated her ability to creatively problem solve on a variety of topics while working with staff, residents and appointed and elected officials in a respectful and thoughtful manner. The funds for these services are covered in the budget through a position reserved for in house city engineer. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Staffing. The services provided by Ms. Kriegler are different than those provided in the three vacant staff positions (planning director, building official and office) with the city at this time. The city currently has three vacancies in its staff positions – the building official, office support and the planning director. The city is contracting for planning services while it advertises for a planning director. The other two positions will remain vacant until an analysis of the city’s current and future needs can be determined on how these positions might be filled. Former work experience. Ms. Kriegler worked in Falcon Heights from 1988 to 1999 as the park director and, later, working with public works projects was added to her responsibilities. The Falcon Heights staff was small and worked cooperatively to provide city services so adapting to the environment in Lake Elmo should be an easy transition.
Ms. Kriegler left her work in Falcon Heights to start her own business. She is now ready to reduce her time in the business in order to take on new responsibilities on a part time basis. Her availability will increase in the coming months. Agreement: The agreement is on-going with a 30 day termination by either party. The agreement will be reviewed at the end of six months and a year by the administrator to determine if it is still operative and meets city and contractor’s needs. The specific project assistant service is left unspecified in this agreement because the services will be as assigned by the administrator and flexibility is critical. However, the administrator will work out a general description of job duties and assignments with the project assistant so that the expectations for the work to be performed are clear. These will be communicated to the staff so everyone is aware of the different roles and responsibilities and how to work together. Ms. Kriegler, as a person serving under an employment contract, is not eligible for annual increases that are provided for regular employees who are satisfactorily performing their jobs. RECOMMENDATION The recommendation is to approve the employment agreement for Ms. Kriegler to be able to provide project assistant services too efficiently and cost effectively reaches city goals. MOTION FOR CONSIDERATION
Move to approve the employment agreement with Carol Kriegler for Project Assistant Services
beginning on August 9, 2007. ORDER OF BUSINESS
• Introduction Susan Hoyt, City Administrator
• Report Susan Hoyt, City Administrator
• Questions to the staff Mayor and Council members
• Introduction by Ms. Kriegler Ms. Carol Kriegler
• Questions to Ms. Kriegler Mayor and Councilmember’s
• Questions from the public To the city council Mayor facilitates
• Consider a motion Mayor and Council members (to discuss the item, does not signify approval)
• Discussion Mayor and Council members
• Action on motion City Council
ATTACHMENTS: 1 Resume for Carol Kriegler
2 Employment Agreement