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Item No. 8 <br />Meeting Date: February 3, 2002 <br />Type of Business: WS City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: James Ericson, Interim City Administrator <br />Item Title/Subject: Review Resolution 5555 <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION: <br /> <br />Mayor Linke has asked that the City Council review Resolution 5555 at this worksession <br />meeting. This resolution was adopted in part to reaffirm the role of the City Administrator <br />as well as to reaffirm and further define the communication process between employees <br />and the City Council. Much of the basis for this resolution is found in the City’s Charter. <br /> <br />DISCUSSION: <br /> <br />Resolution 5555 does not in any way prohibit or restrict City Council members from <br />contacting or speaking directly with employees. The resolution does, however, indicate <br />that employee communication to the Council be channeled through the City Administrator. <br /> <br />If the City Council finds this policy to be too restrictive, a new resolution could be adopted <br />which would supersede Resolution 5555 to the extent pertaining to employee <br />communication with the City Council. But for what it’s worth, I believe—in general--the <br />policy of channeling communication through the city administrator is worth preserving. <br />Bypassing direct supervisors, department directors and the administrator with information <br />to the Council could result in a management staff unaware of important matters, delaying <br />potentially necessary and timely action or response. <br /> <br />Should employees be prohibited from speaking to the Council? No. Should an employee <br />be reprimanded for speaking to the Council? Again, No. Should an employee however <br />use common sense and follow the “chain of command” in most cases? Yes. Doing so <br />promotes an organized, informed and responsive workplace. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br /> <br />If the Council feels that Resolution 5555 is inappropriate or no longer serves its <br />intended purpose, the Council may rescind the resolution. If the Council would like to <br />modify or clarify the intent of Resolution 5555, a new resolution could be drafted to <br />amend specific sections or parts of the original resolution. Or, Resolution 5555 can <br />stand on its own unchanged with or without a new resolution drafted to articulate the <br />Councils position on communication. <br /> <br />Respectfully Submitted, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />James Ericson