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6.3. SR 04-08-2013 cf Ells _ REQUEST FOR ACTION River TO ITEM NUMBER Mayor and City Council 6.3 AGENDA SECTION MEETING DATE PREPARED BY Work Session Aril 8, 2013 Cal Portner, City Administrator ITEM DESCRIPTION REVIEWED By Summer Office Hours Policy REVIEWED BY ACTION REQUESTED Review and discuss proposed draft of a Summer Office Hours policy. Provide staff direction. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION At the March 11,2013, Council Work Session,we discussed an alternative city hall office hours policy that originated as a Council Goal for improved services and costs savings. While there is, little evidence that changing office hours provides a cost savings, there may be an opportunity to provide a service level benefit to residents and scheduling benefits for employees, especially in consideration of our local state culture. Attached is a proposed draft policy for the Council to review and discuss. The Mayor suggested longer business hours for building inspections and permitting. The draft policy does not include specific extended hours for building inspections. Staff agrees this may be a beneficial service improvement,but as the policy is for nearly all city hall employees,we suggest having the building safety division set their own inspection schedule independent of the policy. Staff is open to further discussion but suggests advertising extended permit and inspection hours on Mondays by appointment. FINANCIAL IMPACT N/A ATTACHMENTS ■ Summer Office Hours Policy Draft Action Motion by Second by Vote Follow Up N:\Public Bodies\City Council\Council RCA\Agenda Packet\04-08-2013\Summer Officer Hours Staff Report.docx INAWR Summer Office Hours Policy PURPOSE A policy to establish a Summer Office Hours Policy for City of Elk River City Hall (non-emergency) personnel consistent with the seasonal culture of Minnesotans and in consideration of historical workload. This policy does not include the Building Maintenance Division. OBJECTIVES This policy is intended to be temporary in nature, to be reviewed at the conclusion of the 2013 summer schedule and only continued at the will of the City of Elk River City Council. Nk There is no expectation of cost savings from the change of service hours and the number of service hours during the Summer Hours period (42.5 per week) will not change. It is anticipated that extended service hours Monday through Thursday will provide better opportunity for customers to do business before or after City Hall's normal hours of business. City Hall service levels shall not be increased or decreased during the Summer Office Hours period. Employee benefit accruals, including vacation, sick, and compensatory shall not change during the Summer Office Hours period" DEFINITIONS Summer Period—the summer period for the Summer Office Hours Policy shall be the business period between Memorial Day and the Friday preceding Labor Day. Summer Office Hours—The designated office hours by policy below. Leave—Vacation, compensatory or sick time off. POLICY I. Office Hours and Service Expectations 1) For 2013, City Hall Summer Office Hours shall be staffed as follows: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday—Thursday 7:30 a.m. to Noon, Fridays 2) All City Hall customer service desks shall be staffed during Summer Office Hours, including the Main Entrance, Parks and Recreation, Planning, Building Safety and Permitting. 3) All City Hall services will be available during the period of Summer Office Hours. II. Employee Schedule AM 1) Supervisors shall set a schedule with their employees for the Summer Office Hours period or review a schedule with their employees at the beginning of each work week. 2) Employees working 7:30 a.m. to Noon on Friday shall work one 8.5 hour day another day of the same week. 3) Summer Office Hours shall not create overtime for any non-exempt employees. III. Flex-time Arrangements V%lih, 'Nhh" 1) Employees approved to work a Flex-time Arrangement shall determine their Summer Office Hours Flex-time Arrangement with their supervisor prior to the beginning of Summer Office Hours period. - IV. Employee Leave 1) All City Hall employees taking leave on a Friday during the Summer Office Hours period shall take four (4) or four and one half(4.5) hours leave for that day depending on their Summer Office Hours schedule. 2) All City Hall employees taking leave on a Monday through Thursday shall take eight and one half(8.5) or nine (9) hours of leave for each day depending on their Summer Office Hours schedule. V. Holidays 1) For holidays that fall on Monday through Thursday, eight (8) hours of holiday shall be paid and one (1) hour of vacation or compensatory time shall be used or one (1) additional hour of work may be performed on another day of the same work week with Department Director approval. 2) For holidays that fall on Friday, employees will take four (4) or four and one half(4.5) hours of holiday time and utilize their remaining four (4) or three and one half(3.5) hours of holiday time, with supervisor approval, at another time during the same pay period.