Agenda Packets - 2008/11/24 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Item No: 7F Meeting Date: 11-24-08 Type of Business: CB Administrator Review: _____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Chief of Police, Mike Sommer Item Title/Subject: Authority to Advertise and Recommend a Candidate for Hire for the Public Service Officer Position opening in the Police Department. Background: The Mounds View Police Civil Service Commission maintains an eligibility list for the position of Public Service Officer (PSO). The PSO is currently a ¾ part time non-sworn position within the Police Department who also assists with code enforcement. This eligibility list has now expired and the police department has an opening for this position due to the resignation of the former PSO who has accepted a full time Police Officer Position with the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department. Therefore, it is necessary to create a new eligibility list for this position and hire a new person to fill the opening. The duties of the PSO include: • Pick up stray animals as required or as requested by citizen complaint. • Assist officers with traffic control, traffic and radar surveys. • Perform house-watch duties to help ensure the safety and security of property belonging to residents out of the city for a period of time. • Trap and relocate undomesticated animals. • Assist in the maintenance of agency equipment and medical supplies. • Transport equipment or personnel as requested. • Answer administrative phones when needed. • Recovery of stolen, lost or abandoned property (i.e. bicycles) • Assist with code enforcement throughout the city. Retaining an employee as a part time position has been difficult, and consequently we are in a cycle of training and equipping employees and having them leave after they are fully trained to find full time work. The council has discussed making this position a full time position both to expand the code enforcement duties of the position, and make it more attractive to prospective job seekers. Under the current pay rate moving this position from part time to full time would increase the budget for the pay and benefits of the position by approximately $12,000 for 2009. Adding the extra hours to this position would increase the code enforcement capabilities of the city, and make the job more suitable for permanent rather than temporary employment opportunity.