Agenda Packets - 1999/11/01 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Mounds View Staff Report October 28, 1999 Page 2 equipment for accounting and insurance purposes. Kitty reviews all invoices to determine if a fixed asset is acquired. It is then recorded in the fixed asset system and is tagged(City identification tag is placed on the item). The ability to contract out this function is limited since it requires reviewing our paid invoices for capital items, and tagging the actual item with a City of Mounds View identification tag. 4. Miscellaneous duties. Kitty performs a variety of other duties including maintaining and balancing the cash draw, maintaining petty cash, various human resources functions (explaining benefits to employees, reviewing contracts for health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, cafeteria plans,plan administration, workers compensation, etc.),backup for counter/receptionist, and numerous other duties. These duties require some continuity and will have to be performed by other City employees. Three years ago, the Finance Department consisted of a Director, an Accountant, a payroll technician, and a utility accountant. The Administration Department has varied but generally consisted of the Clerk-Administrator, an Assistant, Human Resources Technician, a secretary and a receptionist. Today, there are three fewer positions in the two departments. The ability to back up duties is limited now. If the payroll position is not filled, the ability to back up duties will be further restricted. If an individual is sick, on vacation, in a meeting, at lunch, etc., the ability to answer phones or cover the counter will be severely hampered. From an internal control standpoint, more and more responsibilities will fall to fewer positions, increasing the ability of one individual to circumvent controls and improperly process one or more transactions and have such transaction(s) go undetected. If the City fills the position within the next 6 to 8 weeks, we should be able to cover the added workload with little or no additional assistance. After that, we will be into year end reporting, closing the books and preparing for auditors,preparing for 4th quarter utility billing, etc. and will need additional assistance. Also, during the interim, most of the individuals that would be required to perform added duties are salaried positions that receive compensatory time but do not receive overtime. If this continued beyond two months, comp time would build to unreasonable levels and burnout would also start to occur. Based upon the salary range for the existing position, I feel that we should be able to hire a knowledgeable individual with an associate or bachelors degree in accounting. Once the individual was trained in, we should be able to reduce the hours for the part time temporary employee Marge Norquist to a few hour per day or week, depending upon the coverage that would be needed for telephones, counter, etc. and limited backup for filing and accounts payables. In regards to contracting out for these services and not replacing the position, I do not feel it is a viable option at this time. To even seriously consider this option, I believe that it would require an in depth study, a detailed request for proposals, and an in depth analysis of all responses.