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Home My WebLink AboutSP November 9, 1999 -- ~ 1~-I-q9 -' CITY of ANDOVER SPECIAL ANDOVER CITY COUNCIL MEETING - NOVEMBER 9, 1999 MINUTES A Special Meeting ofthe Andover City Council was called to order by Mayor Jack McKelvey on November 9, 1999,7:43 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Councilmembers present: Don Jacobson, Julie Johnson, Mike Knight, Ken Orttel Councilmembers absent: None Also present: City Engineer, Scott Erickson City Planner, Jeff Johnson Community Development Director, Dave Carlberg City Administrator, Richard Fursman Others APPROVE: CHANGE ORDER #4IIP97-2/ANDOVER COMMERCIAL PARK (PHASE II); FINAL PAYMENTIIP97-2/ANDOVER COMMERCIAL PARK (PHASE II); PLANS AND SPECS/JAY STREET LANDSCAPINGIIP98-11A; PLANS AND SPECSIMARTIN STREETIIP99-I7; FINAL PAYMENT/JAY STREETIIP98-Il; CHANGE ORDER #1 AND COMPENSATING CHANGE ORDER/JAY STREETIIP98-Il Motion by Jacobson, Seconded by Orttel, approval of Items 4-9 on the City Council Agenda. (Resolution R227-99 approving Change Order #4IIP97-2; R228-99 approving final payment/IP97- 2/Andover Commercial Park {Phase II}; R229-99 approving plans & specs/Jay Street landscapinglIP98- I IA; R230-99 approving plans & specs/Martin Street/IP99- I 7; R23 I -99 approving final payment/Jay Street/IP98-1 I; R232-99 approving change order #1 and compensating change order/Jay Street/IP98-1 I) Motion carried unanimously. PERSONNEL PLACEMENTS Motion by Knight, Seconded by Johnson, approval of Item 2 (Accounting Clerk I to Accounting Clerk; Building Clerk Technician from Secretary B scale to Secretary A scale) DISCUSSION: Mr. Fursman eXplained because of the demand, the Accounting Clerk I person is doing work that is outside of that level because she could handle a higher degree of difficulty and there was a backlog of work even with a full complement of finance people. She was scheduled to be at $26,000; and with this change, she will be at $30,23 I. No one will be replaced. Councilmember Orttel raised some concerns with raising the level of a position as the employee becomes more proficient. Isn't that contemplated in the step program? ._---- · > '-.-' Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - November 9, i999 Page 2 (Personnel Placements, Continued) Mr. Fursman stated yes, but in re-evaluating the assignments, the work being done more closely resembles that of an Accounting Clerk. If an employee hired at one level rises to the next level, does the City bring that person up or keep himlher at the same level hoping that person will continue to perform? This really is not done a lot. Motion carried unanimously. UNION CONTRACT Mr. Fursman reviewed the terms of the contract as outlined in the Agenda material, noting a correction to Item 2, for the year 2000, not 200 I. The union has agreed to his recommendations. item 2: Mr. Fursman detailed how he arrived at the 6.36 percent change in the step program for each position for the year 2000 to bring the wages to the Stanton averages for 1999 plus the anticipated cost-of-living increase for I 999-2000 of 3 percent. The reason for the bigger increase is the step program was always one year behind. The steps have been adjusted for that one year plus two years' of inflation. The Stanton averages are also based on cities under 25,000 population. Increases for the following year will include just cost of living. The union contract is for two years except for wages and benefits. There was some concern on the part of the Council on the amount of increase some employees may receive because of the adjustments. Mr. Fursman was asked to provide a dollar value for those adjustments both for the total Staff and for the union Staff. They wanted the City to be competitive but have something that is defendable to the taxpayers. items 4: Mr. Fursman stated nonexempt employees can cash out their comp time anyway. The Union had suggested language be added that when an employee has more than 80 hours of comp time, they can sell it. He is saying that time can be taken as pay instead of comp time. That should be discussed further and the Personnel Policy amended to include it. Item 9: Mr. Fursman stated the Union asked that a new department be created for maintenance. He recommended instead that the individual be pennanently placed within the Street Department with lead person status. That person typically supervises two or three individuals for maintenance projects. This is technically creating a supervisory position that did not exist before. Councilmember Orttel commented the City is still small enough to customize positions to fit individuals, but this can create problems in the future when the employee leaves. Mr. Fursman also stated he is not in favor of duplicating the personnel policy language into the union contract. It creates problems if the policy is amended, but the contract is not. He preferred referencing the policy instead. ·- . " j Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - November 9, 1999 Page 3 (Personnel Placements, Continued) No formal action was taken this evening on the contract, as the Council wanted to see the specific dollar impact to the budget relating to proposed salaries. RIGHT-OF-WAY ORDINANCE NO. 247 The Council did not feel there was enough time this evening to thoroughly review the proposed ordinance, but Councilmember Jacobson strongly urged the others to read the proposal plus his comments. He felt there are many problems with it as written, plus the fee schedule is very rigorous. This would also apply to the City and has the potential of generating a lot of expenses. The City can't charge any more than it costs, but he felt the proposed fees are excessive. The ordinance was originally written for cable TV companies. While he felt a right-of-way management ordinance should be in place, he also urged the Council to discuss the proposed one further, feeling it is more negative than positive. He specifically pointed out concerns with the inability of one utility to work in the right of way for five years after other utility work has been done, that this would apply to any tangible items located in the right of way, the high cost of digging holes within the right of way and the inability to park in the street while working on utilities within the boulevard, just to name a few. It was the Council's decision that there is no rush to have this ordinance in place, and possibly it may be advantageous to wait until more cities have adopted similar ordinances. In the mean time, they proposed the City Attorney review the ordinance and comment on it. Motion by Knight, Seconded by Johnson, to refer the item with Don's (Councilmember Jacobson's) comments to Bill (Hawkins, City Attorney) for perusal. Motion carried unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS Schedule end-of-year review/City Administrator - The Council agreed to schedule a year-end review of the City Administrator for the special meeting scheduled for December 14, 1999. Snowmobile Trail Association meeting - Councilmember Johnson reported on the proposed east- west, north-south snowmobile trail corridors being proposed by the Snowmobile Trail Association. Those recommendations wiU be forwarded to the Snowmobile Task Force which is meeting tomorrow evening. They have been working with private land owners to obtain these routes. She asked for the Council's input. The Council noted the intent is to hold an informational meeting with adjacent landowners to let them know what is being proposed and to receive their input. It was felt there will be people opposing the trail going west of Round Lake, then up Seventh A venue. Another concern was the use of Round Lake for snowmobiling, as it may be a draw from other cities and for racing, especially -- '-', . --" Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - November 9, 1999 Page 4 (Other Business/Snowmobile Trail Association meeting, Continued) because of the proposed drop-off parking area at the boat ramp. Another concern may be the trail from the City Hall going west, as it must go through private land. Written documentation wíIl be needed from all private property owners to grant permission for these trails. Councilmember Johnson understood most of the affected property owners have agreed verbally, but she didn't know if there was anything in writing. She also thought that something is being worked out with the Rum River snowmobile group on grooming the trails. Mayor McKelvey also noted that unless the trails are officially designated, it limits the amount of DNR grants and donations. Councilmember Orttel wondered what the county's position is on designating snowmobile trails on county roads. He suggested they be contacted. He also questioned the City's liability to designate and to maintain the trails. Mayor McKelvey understood the bridge over Coon Creek must be removed in the spring, but it is already built and ready to install as soon as the property owner agrees. New high school- Mayor McKelvey stated he was asked by the school district to talk with Woodland Development about selling property owned off Nightingale for the new high school. He did so. There is also a problem with some of the property designated as Ag Preserve, as no other governor has ever taken property out of Ag Preserve to build a school. Motion by Jacobson, Seconded by Johnson, to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:26 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 'j\~¿'~ Mar~ena A. Peach Recording Secretary