5.3. SR 06-10-2002City
MEMORANDUM
Item # 5.3.
TO:
Mayor and City, Council
FROM:
DATE:
Stephen Rohlf, Building and Zoning Administrator
June 10, 2002
SUBJECT: Consider Hiring Environmental Technician
Attached is a June 25, 2001 memo from Stephen Rohlf to Pat Klaers (prepared for the 2002
budget process) outlining the need for and the duties of an Environmental Technician. Due
to numerous other staffing requests, this position was not approved.
There are now monies available in Building and Zoning Department 2002 budget to fund
this position.
$70,376 - 2002 Budgeted amount for the former Building Official position (not refilled)
-$10,036 - 2002 expenses for the Building Official position
-$13,500 - 2002 expenses for Building Inspector pay increase
$46,500 (rounded) - Monies for wages unencumbered in 2002 B & Z budget.
The exact pay range for the Environmental Technician position is still being considered.
However, staff anticipates hiring between $30,000 and $40,000 per year. Sufficient funds
exist in the B & Z 2002 budget to cover this expense, especially since the position will be
filled after mid-year.
Staff requests permission to advertise for the position of Environmental Assistant.
River
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
MEMORANDUM
PATRICK KLAERS
STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
JUNE 25, 2001
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO HIRE AN
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSISTANT
The City of Elk River can be proud of the fact that it has been a leader in the state
regarding many environmental programs. To continue being proactive on these issues,
more help is needed. The Building and Zoning Department is requesting an additional
position to aid in administering the many environmental/safety programs and issues the
city is facing.
In the recent past, the Building and Zoning Department had a position similar to the
Environmental Assistant being requested. This previous position dealt mainly with
refuse and recycling issues, the administration of the Wetland Conservation Act and
nuisance complaints. When the last staff member who held this position quit, it was not
refilled. Instead, an additional Building Inspector was hired to meet the increase demand
for inspection services.
Since that time, numerous programs have been added to the responsibility of the
Department, e.g. Lake Orono Water Quality Tasks Force, Heritage Preservation
Commission and right-of-way permitting. The city has also taken on all of the staff
functions for Energy City, which was shared with Minnesota Environmental Initiative
staff previously. As the city grows and new services are added, the Department is finding
it increasingly hard to meet the expectations of the Council and the public. Obviously,
programs that deal with environmental and safety issues are critical and should be given a
priority effort.
Specifics regarding the duties of the Environmental Assistant and how it affects the
duties of the Building and Zoning Administrator are proposed as following:
DUTIES OF THE BUILDING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
The duties of the Building and Zoning Administrator will not change with the hiring of
the position of Environmental Assistant (see attached job description). The one
exception to this is the removal of park planning activities, which have been conducted
by the Planning Department for several years.
Currently, there is no one in the Building and Zoning Department to delegate any of the
environmental duties to. The Buii'ding and Zoning Administrator will still oversee all of
Phone: 763.441.7420
Fa.x: 763.441.7425
www. ci .elk-river. mn .tls
the environmental functions of the Department, but much of the day-to-day activity will
be the responsibility of the proposed Environmental Assistant. This will not only free up
the Building and Zoning Administrator's time to better administer the Department (an
ever increasingly time consuming job), it will also help ensure that critical environmental
issues are addressed thoroughly and in a timely manner. It is vital that someone on city
staff has an intimate knowledge of the city's environmental programs for those times
when the Building and Zoning Administrator is absent.
PROPOSED DUTIES OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSISTANT
o
Coordinate Wetland Conservation Act activities (WCA)
A. Administer the city's Wetland Conservation Act program
B. Represent the city on the Technical Evaluation Panel
C. Prepare notices regarding WCA activities for the public
D. Coordinate the WCA activities with other governmental agencies
E. Assist in the preparation recommendations regarding WCA request for the
City Council and attend meetings regarding such
F. Prepare state reports and grant applications on WCA activities
G. Assist with providing general WCA information to the public
H. Inspect and monitor wetland mitigation sites
I. Conduct enforcement of WCA violations
Coordinate Recycling and Solid Waste Programs
A. Administer the city's recycling program and organize solid waste collection
including such items as: annual hauler licenses, refuse franchise negotiations
and disposal contracts
B. Assist in the development of new landfill abatement programs including
business recycling, clean-up days, etc.
C. Develops public information, education materials and programs for landfill
abatement including recycling educational program in schools
D. Responds to general inquiries and complaints regarding recycling and solid
waste issues
E. Act as city liaison on Sherburne County Solid Waste Advisory Board and with
other governmental entities regarding solid waste issues
Other Environmental and Safety Issues
A. Assists and can act as'back-up to the Building and Zoning Administer in the
administration of environmental ordinances including: Shoreland, Floodplain,
Wild and Scenic, Mineral Excavation, Right of Way Ordinances
B. Assists and can act as back-up to the Building and Zoning Administrator in
the administration of environmental permits such as: gravel mining licenses,
Elk River Landfill, NRG's RDF plant, GRE's power station
C. Assists and can act as back-up to the Building and Zoning Administrator
regarding environmental programs such as: the Lake Orono Water Quality
Task Force, mosquito control, beaver and goose trapping, ground water
monitoring at Hillside Park, county ditches and Energy City
o
D. Assists in the initial investigation and enforcement of environmental
violations such as: illegal dumping, spills, etc.
E. Assist in the administration of permits for working in city rights-of way.
F. Coordinate various environmental education efforts within the city
G. Serve as liaison to regulatory bodies and citizens on environmental issues
Ho Assist in the preparation of ordinance to regulate environmental issues
Data Entry
A. Enter Building Department's in records into ArcView data base
B. Create new parcels in Geobase from plat and lot split
C. Enter PIN numbers, setbacks, Floodplain, Shoreland and other pertinent data
on parcels in Geobase and ArcView
Other Duties as Assigned