Agenda Packets - 2009/12/14 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council November 9, 2009 Regular Meeting Page 3 avoid potential overtime. Deputy Police Chief Kinney recommended the Council approve the 1 hiring of a replacement police officer to fill the opening created by Officer Koss’ resignation. 2 3 Council Member Stigney asked if the second vacancy would be filled. Deputy Police Chief 4 Kinney stated the second opening was created by the retirement of Police Chief Sommer. 5 6 Council Member Mueller asked why the police officer resigned and if it had happened before 7 during a training period. Deputy Police Chief Kinney stated he preferred to not publicly state the 8 reasons and he does not recall a resignation during the probationary period in the past 24 years. 9 With regard to the officer’s equipment, it will be held for future use by another officer. Council 10 Member Mueller asked what is the City’s expense to find an officer. Finance Director Beer 11 stated the background, medical, and psychological tests will cost several hundred dollars. 12 13 Council Member Gunn asked how long is the probationary period. Deputy Police Chief Kinney 14 stated it is one year and this officer was with Mounds View just less than three months. 15 16 Council Member Stigney asked about the Civil Service Commission eligibility list. Deputy 17 Police Chief Kinney stated it was certified in February or March and valid for one year so they 18 hoped it contained viable candidates. 19 20 MOTION/SECOND: Mueller/Gunn. To Waive the Reading and Adopt Resolution 7520, 21 Authorization to Hire a Police Officer. 22 23 Council Member Stigney stated that due to loss of LGA and funding shortages, he supported 24 looking at the cost of staffing, justification for the number of Police Officers, and options for 25 shift rotations to work with 13 officers. He noted New Brighton is twice the size and population 26 yet functions with only four more officers than Mounds View. Council Member Stigney stated 27 there will be a reluctance to lay off employees, so costs should be looked at prior to filling a 28 vacancy to see if there are other options to fill those responsibilities. 29 30 Council Member Mueller stated she had the same thoughts; however, not replacing this officer 31 runs the risk of spending more wages in overtime dollars. She referenced the Police Department 32 quarterly report, unaudited revenue and expense, that indicated actual overtime for the Police 33 Department is almost $35,000. So, adding one person to staff would be less than paying 34 overtime costs, which are higher this year than last year because there were no vacancies last 35 year. Council Member Mueller noted the 2009 calls for service averaged 18.5 per day. She 36 stated the Police Department is very busy, overtime this year is higher than paid last year, and 37 hiring a patrol officer would cost less than paying overtime. 38 39 Finance Director Beer stated the Police Department generates overtime for Safe and Sober events 40 but without analyzing the situation and knowing the timing of events, he would not make a 41 “blanket statement” that 2009 overtime has resulted solely due to being short one officer. 42 43 Council Member Hull questioned when the ballot question was asked about patrol officers. 44 Finance Director Beer stated it was in the fall election of 2003, effective 2004. Council Member 45