5.2. SR 05-02-2011REQUEST FOR ACTION
TO ITEM NUMBER
Ma or and Ci Council 5.2.
AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY
Administration Ma 2, 2011 Lori ohnson, Ci Administrator
ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED B~/
Street Department Personnel Requests
REVIEWED BY
ACTION REQUESTED
• Clarify use of Lead Street Maintenance assignment to include days when either the Street
Superintendent or Assistant Street Superintendent is absent.
• Consider hiring Laborer with savings from Street Superintendent phased retirement.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
In December 2010 the Council approved PERA's phased retirement plan. Street Superintendent
Phil Hals began his phased retirement on February 28, 2011. During the discussion with Council
regarding the phased retirement, we indicated that we would come back with a plan for
addressing the future staffing needs of the department and for filling the short term staff shortage
caused by Mr. Hals' phased retirement.
One of the first actions was to implement a lead street maintenance assignment. The Council
approved the lead program on February 7, 2011, as outlined in the memo indicating that the lead
assignment would only be utilized when both the superintendent and assistant superintendent
were absent. The request made by Assistant Street Superintendent Mark Thompson at the
meeting was slightly different than the request in the staff memo; therefore, we would like to
clarify when a lead assignment is utilized. To accommodate the street department's needs, we are
requesting that the lead street maintenance assignment be expanded to be allowed when either the
street superintendent or assistant street superintendent is absent. That will bring the cost up to
slightly over $1,000 per year.
The next request is to hire additional staff to fill the 1040 hours lost by the phased retirement.
The savings from the phased retirement is $54,500 for the first year. However, before filling that
position, the structure of the department upon Mr. Hals' full retirement must be considered. The
previous preliminary plan was to have a street superintendent and a fulltime lead maintenance
worker under the public works director. The assistant position would be replaced by assigning a
full time lead worker. Another maintenance worker or laborer would then be added. This is
consistent with other divisions such as parks maintenance and wastewater that each has a lead
worker under the division manager.
Mark Thompson did a thorough analysis of the department's work load by task and by the type of
position needed to accomplish each task. The result of his analysis is that hiring a laborer will
best meet the needs of the department. The cost including benefits for a full time labor at starting
pay is approximately $42,500. Including the lead assignment, there is funding for the labor
position during the phased retirement and long term if the assistant position is replaced by
assigning a full time lead worker.
Additionally, the street superintendent and lead worker position descriptions need to be updated
and evaluated to ensure that they are being paid appropriately if that change is made. Further, the
assistant position should be reviewed during this transition period. Lauren Wipper will work with
Mark Thompson to determine if an adjustment to the position description and pay classification
are warranted both during the transition and in the long term.
Staff recommends the change in division structure to be consistent with other divisions. With
that change, we request authorization to begin the hiring process for a laborer.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The savings from the street superintendent's phased retirement will fund all of the above requests.
However, in the long term, this is a budget addition unless the structure of the division is changed
as noted above.
ATTACHMENTS
None
Action Motion by Second by Vote
Follow Up