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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP June 1, 1978 . . ~ 01 ANDOVER SPECIAL CITY CO¡r¡CIL JŒETI1fG - JUNE 1, 1978 tlI'IUTE5 A Special tleetin~ of the Andover City Council was called to order by Mayor Jerry Windschitl on June 1, 197i\, 7:30 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstovm Boulevard, )~7, Ano~a, Minnesota, for purposes of discussinf: the City Administrator/Engineer position. Council1Jer'sons present: Lachinski, tlcClure (arrived 7:44), Orttel, VanderLaan Gouncilpersons absent: None Also present: Anoka County Union Reporter, Ms. Carlson Discussion was on whether or not Councilperson McClure would be in attendance. The Recording Secretary was asked to call him: afterwards she reported he would be in attendance. Discussion was then on what action the Council should take. MOTIO'r by Vanderlaan, Seconded by Windschitl, to adjourn the meeting due to the absence of a Councilmember. VOTE mr HOTION: YES-VanderLaan, 17inds chitl; NO-La chinski, Orttel Hotion failed. Cou'lcilperson !1cClure arrived at 7:44 p.m. Councilperson Lachinski reviewed the engineering, municipal, and personnel experience of ~1Jplicant Jim Nervi~ as noted on his reSUMe. He felt we have an opportunity to change the entire complexion of the City. The City will be forced into makinß a lot of improvements in areas that ~IT. Nervir, has already had experience in. It was his opinion that at the moment, the City is goin~ backwards relative to deteriorating roads, maintenance, and dollars S'!1ent and that we are not providing services in this area. The City needs good sound management to accomplish this. Councilþerso!1 HcClure did not dispute Hr. Nervig's managerial qualifications, but noted there is not the staff in the City to delegate duties to, that he will be doing these thinf\s himself. He failed to see how we are ~oing to change the work being done. Councilperson Jßchinski stated the Road Improvement Committee has recommended hiring a Public ~Vorks TIerson and felt there was sufficient money in this year's budget to do so. He didn't know what cost justification there is to hiring )w. Nerviß, but the bulk of money spent in the City is for improvements and the City should have somebody watching the jobs beinp; done. Council TIers on VanderLaan agreed we have an opportunity to change the complexion of the City, but disagrees with the manner in which Councilperson Lachinski would attempt to change it. In looking at the May 19, 1978, memo from the City Clerk alluding to the potential budget problem, she felt things were getting out of hand budget-wise. She was disturbed about the many ramifications of previous acts of the Council: and as exposed by this me~o, you are looking at doublinp; the City's tax levy. It was Councilperson Lachinski's opinion of the Hay 19 memo from the Clerk that the figures are part of the problem. He reviewed the figures in the memo feeling they were not correct and many mistakes were made. In summary, he came up with 545,000 for the Public Works Department; only 3/4 of both personnel positions were financed through CETA in 1978 so the fi~ure for Personnel should be reduced to $20,000; the Road Improvement Committee shows the money exists for a Public Works person and shouldn't cost more next year; he felt there is substantial reason to believe that the Engineer/Administrator shouldn't cost over ~15,OOO: he felt it is questionable whether $10,000 would be spent for temporary TIeoTIle; and the Personnel Committee addressed the need for an Office Clerk indicating there would be no need for one. His total came to $109,000 and questioned why we take 10 percent of the total budget and forget that our revenues will increase as well. The letter has so many errors in it that that is a good reason why we need strong management in the City. Suecial City Council Heeting June I, 1978 - !·!inutes Pa¡;r;e 2 Councilperson Vanderlaan stated that those of us who take the position that the Clerk is competent in dealing with the books are going to say we cannot afford this position. Hayor Windschitl stated the Finance Committee has assigned a project to the Chairman of the Committee to do a five-year projection on revenue5 and expenditures based on current budget and then based on all of the options addressed in the Clerk's memo. Tom Babcock is a CPA and has volunteered his time to do this. ~myor Windschitl also felt the Clerk's memo points up to the fact that the budget will not handle this paition and didn't feel the memo was that vœong. He felt the Administrator/Engineer position would be low at ~30,000 and felt the nersonnel costs were fairly accurate. Discussion continued on the Clerk's memo relative to figures for Public ~orks Department, nersonnel salaries, the normal increases in revenues, revenues not increasing in the same ",oDortion that costs do, and the pros and cons of the possibility of using part of the ~oneys from improvement projects towards the Engineer/Administrator's salary. Councilþerson HcClure questioned how one person could perform all the duties required of an En~ineer and an Administrator. ~0uncilperson Orttel felt an Administrator would be delegatin~ those duties. He felt we are d~cately in need of a management arm in the City other than the Council. ¡I!e need an i.ndividual who knows what is going on; and agrees tha t if somethirg gOGS wrong, it is ultimately the Council's fault but it is also a lot of the background information that the Council is getting. 08 need an effective administrator who knows how to run the City and who would handle a great deal of the work that we are handling for no reason and to make SUre all the other duties in the City are being performed the way they should be. The Gouncil would be in charge of that administrator. Councilperson Orttel felt the administra- tor would designate the remaining positio!Bwithin the City and that he \'Iould reorganize the staff to meet the needs of the City. You must hire an adr.1Ínistra.tor frOM wherever you can find one that is capable and would look for someone who has so~e other capabilities that could be used by the City. rye are in desparate need of an engineer or public works- type individual.a~d felt that the money saved by having that type of an individual probably would never even be k~own to the Council because it would be the amount saved in these projects. He felt we need an ad~ini8trator with an ;engineerinf, backe,round and that it would not be necessary to have a reGistered engineer but one with field experience. We are in desrerate shape when it comes to iMprove~ents in this area. He felt tha t the fu~CÈ arc 8vailable and have heen allocated. He also felt an ad~inistrator may find out that we do not need the Public '-'forks person by reshuffling some of those Vie already have. He felt the ~n~ineer/Ad~inistrative position takes precedence over a Senior Public \iorks person. Imyor '"indschitl felt that the City is not in that bad a shape and that when the surrounding co~rnunities begin their improvements, they will be spending as much time and money as we are. To be in the shape of Anoka or Coon Rapids, we c~n increase our levy four times, and we will ~ave the money to do the same things they do. Discussion was on the atmosphere in which this person would be hired because of the dissension of So~e of the Councilme~bers. Mayor TIindschitl stated it is almost impossible for him to support something that he doesn't think we can fund. However, if someone is hired over his objections or vote, he would not RO around trying to "stick a knife in the guy's back." He is not in any vindictive mood Vlith this thing. The person would have to be judged in the future on his performance and on what benefits he gave to the City of Andover. He would have to evaluate the man on Vlhat he was doing and how Vlell he Vias doing the job as he would evaluate any other person in the City. lIe would work with whoever is here; and any person has an obligation to do so, as they are here to represent the best interests of the City. --~ - - Special City Council Meeting June 1, 1978 - Hinutes Page 3 Council person Lachinski promised if this is not passed this evening, he would not bring it uv again until there is a new Council next year, as we have spent enou~h time on this issue. In deciding between hirin~ a Senior Public 1Vorks person and an Engineer, he felt he would hire an Bn~ineer first. HOTTOH by Lachinski, Seconded by Orttel, that we hire ~œ. James T. Nervig to fill the uositi~n of City Administrator/Engineer. VOTE 011 HOTTOH: YF-S-Lachinski, HcClure, Orttel; ~O-VanderLaan, ITindschitl Hotion carried. Hayor l'Iindschitl - my no vote isnot a no vote objecting in person to Hr. Nervig but is objecting to the concept in total as far as the City of Andover being able to fund the Position. Councilperson VanderLaen - the facts conveyed to the Council demonstrate that the City has some budgetary difficulties with funding the position of City Administrator/Engineer and continuing those items that have been previously established by the Council such as the Fire Department, intentions, stated intentions of increased road improvement, etc. , and that a far more economical and, in my opinion, as effective course to take at this moment is the hiring of additional people to do the work such as park maintenance and road maintenance, etc., and not in the exempt positions in this City. HOTION by Lachinski, Seconded by Orttel, to set the salary for the City Administrator/ Engineer position to be 524,500 to start plus transportation with a 5 percent increase after successful completion of a probationary period, one year; and that the starting date would be as of July 10, 1978, and to forward same to Mr. Nervig with a copy of the current benefits package. VOTE ON ~!OTION: YES-Lachinski, HcClure, Orttel; NO-Vanderlaan, Windschitl Motion carried.. Hayor Windschitl questioned what the motion means by "plus transportation" as it is not clear to him. If it means the purchasing of a new car, how is it to be financed? Councilperson Lachinski stated the budget is $12,500 for the position to be over and above what revenueS would be brought in by work which the Engineer would do. The Personnel ~ommittee also addressed the question of additional transportation for the Engineer feeling he might be able to take the car home at night and it would also be used for other City business b' other employees as well during working hours. Discussion was on whether or not he would be able to use a Qar to and from work or whether transportation ~ould only be available around the City and for meetings, on why this privilege would be extended to o~ly one staff member and not the rest, on explaining this to the residents as moneys are corning fro~ taxes, and on w~ether this would be reported as taxable income to hiM as it would be providing a service_ HOTIO'1 by HcClure, Seconded by Lachinski, to reconsider the previous motion. l'lotion carr:iJd unanimously. IIOTIOn by Lachinsld, Seconded by !{cClure, to restate the earlier motion deleting the words which relate to transportation in the motion (to set the salary for the City Administrator/ Engineer position to be ~24,500 to start with a 5 percent increase after the successful completion of a proba tionary period, one year; and that the starting date would be as of July 10, 1978, and to forward sa:oe to JIr. ,'Tervig with a copy of the current benefits package.) VOTE 0'1 ]IOTIOn: YES-Lachinski, HcClure, Orttel; NO-Vanderlaan, Windschitl !Iotion carried. HOTIm~ by HcClure, Seconded by Lachinski, to adjourn. All in favor said aye. Heeting adjourned at 9 p.m. " ,'\ (: .....::> '. ~ ~~C'- ~t(~ !~rce ~. Peach, Recordinr. Secretary