02-03-1997 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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mechanic position in his department. IIIPOLICE ISSUES Police Department Issues: Chief Tim will be present to address the concerns brought up at the last meeting regarding drug activity in town. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES Employee Health Insurance: Bruce and I will attempt to cover the employee health insurance program and how it came to be what it is. If the Council chooses to, it will be helpful to staff to have a clear understanding of where the Council would like us to go with this issue in 1997. Recreation Position: While the Council okayed staff to move ahead with advertising for this position, the gist of the interest appeared to focus on two issues, one, is the position as described in the advertisement and job description necessary for the pay involved, and two, an overall approach to our personnel needs and services provided should be evaluated and clearly understood by the Council. We can address these interests and those related Monday evening. City Hall Office Layout: I would like to discuss with you some work staff and I have been doing in considering some changes in the office layout. My reason for wanting to consider this is to get my office more in the flow and feel of the building, not only with employees but with the public. I 411111 also want to minimize some of the stresses that appear to have built up with some positions and the tugging and pulling that comes with getting assignments done and interacting with the public. I think we have come up with a good plan and want next to price it out. While this item wasn't in the budget for 1997, I am considering it a study issue, and if costs are nominal would attempt to proceed with it at some point. We will have drawings by meeting time. Public Works Personnel Agreement: Perhaps this items will generate discussion about City personnel practices. What is in your packets is the agreement with shaded areas noting changes from the prior year's agreement. The employees in Public Works collectively bargain, but are not an organized union. The issues for 1997 are some small increases in clothing and safety glasses allotments, a change in probation period and the 3% pay increase the rest of the employees received. One addition that I proposed, first during the police contract and then in this agreement is Article 23 which allows an employee to use accumulated sick leave for after separation health insurance coverage instead of receiving severance pay. The intent in the police contract was to discourage use of sick leave for those who have accumulated so much that they were more likely to use it when they knew they were separating from City service. No one has used this yet in police, and may not since we now think there may be prohibitive tax consequences to the individual. The premise however I think still gives some favor to the City since the City can avoid a large one time severance outlay if the employee chooses to take this option. One issue that does not get addressed in this agreement has to do with Article 25 regarding lead • man pay. There was a request to make one individual a lead man in the parks department and while there may be reasons to consider it, I feel organizationally it is an awkward situation to