Loading...
04-14-1986 CC MIN e e e REGULAR WEEKLY MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1986 Members Present: Mayor Hinkle, Councilmembers Schuldt, Engstrom, Schuldt and Gunkel Members Absent: None Staff Memb ers Present: Chief, Sewer Tom Bublitz; City Administrator, Tom Zerwas; Police Fritz Do1ejs; Liquor Store Manager, Darrell Mack; Superintendent and Phil Ha1s; Street Superintendent 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Hinkle. 2. Agenda Item 7E - Landfill, Item 7F - Computer Room, Item 7G - Phone Line, Item 7H - Cable Television Tower, and Item 71 - Alternative Elderly Housing were items added to the Monday, April 14, 1986 City Council agenda. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL AGENDA AS AMENDED . MOTION PASSED 4-0. . MOVED TO APPROVE THE APRIL 14, 1986 CITY COUNCIL COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS SECONDED THE MOTION. THE 3. Minutes Counci1member Gunkel asked that on page 2. Item 5 - Deerfield 3rd Improvements, last paragraph, the words "adjacent properties" be inserted in place of "remaining residents." Also that on page 8, Item 6B - Overlay Projects, that the following sentence be added at the end of the paragraph ("Work on Main Street will not be included in the proposed disucssion of overlay projects"). COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 7, 1986 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS AMENDED. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 4-0. 4. Department Head Salaries, Update on Comparable Worth Study and Salary Adjustments The City Administrator reviewed his memo to the Mayor and City Council dated April 11. 1986, regarding department head salaries. He also reviewed the attached salary survey for department heads. Mr. Bublitz indicated that because of another delay in the Comparable Worth Study, results would not be available until some time in May. He further indicated that he had undertaken the attached salary survey to assist the Council in setting salaries for the department heads, should they wish to go ahead. PAGE 2 City Council Minutes April 14. 1986 e Discussion was utilizing this discussion. the carried on method of following regarding the salary survey and reasons for setting salaries. As a result of this determinations were made by the City Council: 1. Salary adjustments would be considered at this time. rather than waiting for the Comparable Worth Study results. and if further adjustments was necessary upon review of the study. that could be taken care of at a later date. 2. The City Council expressed their desire to establish a uniform pay plan with salary ranges and steps or levels within the ranges. 3. By creating steps or levels within the salary ranges. the Council could place an employee within the given salary range. on the basis of an annual performance review and length of time of service. 4. The Council wished to avoid the undesirable practice of annual straight across-the-board percentage increases for all department heads. with no consideration of individual job performance. 5. An annual adjustment to the entire salary range could be made if the Council felt it was necessary to allow consideration of factors such as increase in cost of living. etc. e 6. The Council would like to remain competitive with other comparable cities in regards of salaries for employees. 7. The Council felt that some changes were necessary in recommended salary ranges for the liquor store manager. the finance director and the sewer superintendent. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING SALARY RANGES FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS: CITY ADMINISTRATOR POLICE CHIEF STREET SUPERINTENDENT SEWER SUPERINTENDENT BUILDING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR LIQUOR STORE MANAGER FINANCE DIRECTOR $37.400 - 44.000 $32.746 - 38.525 $32.355 - 38.065 $32.355 - 38.065 $28.445 - 33.465 $28.000 - 35.000 $28.500 - 35.000 COUNCILMEMBER ENGSTROM SECONDED THE MOTION. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT OPPOSED. THE MOTION PASSED 4-1. e Councilmember Schuldt expressed his uncertainty for the need for salary ranges and that he felt the substantial increases which would be granted to some of the department heads in order to bring some department heads into their respective salary ranges would not be well accepted by the citizens of Elk River. Page 3 City Council Minutes April 14, 1986 e Discussion was carried on regarding individual salary adjustments for department heads. ClOUNCILMlMBER WILLIAMS MOVED TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING SALARY ADJUSTMENTS rOR DEPARTMENT HEADS: CITY ADMINISTRATOR POLICE CHIEF STREET SUPERINTENDENT SEWER SUPERINTENDENT BUILDING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR rINANCE DIRECTOR $40,766 RETROACTIVE TO 1/1/86 $35,693 RETROACTIVE TO 1/1/86 $33,000 RETROACTIVE TO 1/1/86 $33,000 RETROACTIVE TO 1/1/86 $28,885 BEGINNING 4/15/86 $31,065 RETROACTIVE TO 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY DATE COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL SECONDED THE MOTION. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT OPPOSED. 'l'H1 MOTION ~A~lnm 4=1 , "~YNelf:tMmQII\ WILLIAMS MOVID '1'0 ADJUST THE LIQUOR STORE MANAGER I S SALARY '1'0 $32,520. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 4-1. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT OPPOSED. COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS MOVED TO APPROVE AN INCREASE FROM $8.40 PER HOUR TO $8.88 PER HOUR, RETROACTIVE TO JANUARY 1, 1986 FOR THE FOLLOWING CLERICAL POSITIONS: e ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY - ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY - POLICE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTING CLERK - ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT COUNCILMEMBER ENGSTROM SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 5-0. Councilmember Williams requested that the Finance Director investigate obtaining a software program for salary ranges and step levels. 5. Replacement for Liquor Store Clerk Position COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE LIQUOR STORE MANAGER, FRITZ DOLEJS, TO PROMOTE MR. STEVE TILLMAN FROM PART-TIME EMPLOYEE TO FULL-TIME LIQUOR STORE CLERK, AT A STARTING WAGE OF $6.00 PER HOUR. COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 4-0. 6. Purchase of Postage Meter City Administrator, Tom Bublitz, reviewed quotations from Pitney Bowes and Friden Alcatel for a postage meter and scale. e COUNCILMEMBER ENGSTROM MOVED TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF A FRIDEN ALCATEL MAILING MACHINE AT A COST OF $381.00, ANNUAL METER RENT AT A COST OF $225.00. A 10 LB. ELECTRONIC SCALE AT A COST OF $715.00~ A ZIP TO ZONE SCALE CONVERSION AT $135.00 AND ANNUAL MAINTENANCE OF THE MAILING MACHINE AND SCALE AT A COST OF $160.00, FORA TOTAL COST OF $1,616.00. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 5-0. Page 4 City Council Minutes April 14. 1986 e 7A. Access for RDF Trucks from 169 to UPA Plant The City Administrator presented a memo to the Mayor and City Council dated April 3. 1986 for their review regarding this subject. Mr. Bublitz indicated that the request for the access has been given to a MnlDOT design engineer for review and evaluation. 7B. City Adminstrator Recruitment It was the consensus of the City Council that the following schedule be set for interviewing candidates for the City Adminstrator position: 3 Interviews Wednesday. April 16. 1986. at 7;00. 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. 3 interviews the week of April 21st Final interviews the Week of April 28th 7C. 1986 Softball Fees Discussion was softball fees. Superintendent. carried on regarding the two options for establishing as presented in a memo from Phil Hals. Street to the Mayor and City Council dated February 13. 1986. e Mr. Hals explained that Option 1 allowed for lower softball fees. and delegated the responsibility for day-to-day field maintenance to the Softball Association. He further indicated that the Softball Association would collect the fees from the individual teams using the fields with a separate check from each team to be paid to the City. Mr. Hals further explained that if the Softball Association were responsible for field maintenance. it would cut down on the complaints to the City staff. Mr. Hals also explained Option 2 which provided field maintenance by the City personnel. and therefore higher fees would be charged to the softball leagues. Mr. Hals further explained that the Softball Association would like to run the concession stand and would be requesting a beer license. as in past years. and would provide their own insurance. Discussion was carried on regarding tournaments. It was the understanding that a $25.00 fee per team is paid and that the City would receive 10 percent of the net revenues from the combined tournament fees and concession sales. Phil Hals indicated that if the City decided to approve Option 1. the City would provide the drag chalker for maintaining the fields. COUNCILMEMBER ENGSTROM MOVED TO APPROVE OPTION 1 AS EXPLAINED IN MR. PHIL HAtS MEMO TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATED FEBRUARY 13. 1986. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 5-0. e It was the consensus of the City Council that a more formalized agreement be entered into between the Softball Association and the City. incorporating the stipulations of Option 1. Page 5 City Council Minutes April 14. 1986 e 7D. Home Insurance Policy The City Administrator indicated that he ws waiting for clarification on this item by the City's insurance carrier. 7E. Landfill City Administrator Tom Bublitz indicated that Mr. Kreger of the Elk River Landfill has contacted the Sherburne County Sanitation Inspector. Brian Benson. with a request that the City and County waive 45% of the landfill tax for approximately 8 months. Mr. Bublitz indicated that Mr. Kreger wishes to use the funds to construct a new dumping site with a synthetic liner and each aid collection system at a cost of $140.000 - $150.000. Mr. Bublitz indicated that Mr. Benson would like to know if the City was willing to allow the the 15% of its alloted tax to be used in this manner. It was the consensus of the City Council that more information would be necessary before making a decision. such as whether or not the funds would be repaid or simply turned over to Mr. Kreger. and what the County's feeling was on the request. 7F. Computer Room e The City Administrator indicated that with the recent warm weather. it has been determined that an air conditioning system is necessary for the computer room. He indicated that on some days. the temperature has reached as high as 90 degrees. and that this could have a very negative effect on the operation of the computer. Mr. Bublitz presented quotations from three firms for a wall mounted air conditioning unit. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF THE 7.600 BTU AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FROM PIERCE REFRIGERATION IN ANOKA. AT A COST OF $393.00. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 5-0. 7G. Phone Lines The City Administrator. Tom Bublitz expressed the need for an additional phone line in the Building and Zoning Department and that the phone line in the computer room was no longer necessary. It was the consensus of the City Council that City staff proceed with the necessary changes. 7H. Cable Tower by Senior High e It was the consensus of the City Council that the City Administrator be directed to contact Jim Daniels of the Elk River Senior High regarding the safety issue associated with the ladder on the cable television tower and the possibility of cutting off the lower portion of the ladder to prevent children from climbing it. Page 6 City Council Minutes April 14. 1986 e 71. Alterntive Elderly Housing Councilmember Williams and Gunkel reviewed with the City Council possible options for temporary elderly housing in rural settings in the City of Elk River. It was the consensus of the City Council that the issue could be handled as an ordinance amendment to allow this type of housing as a conditional use in certain areas of the City. and that it would be considered at a future date. There being no further business. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 4- o. f)~ Debbie Kleckner Recording Secretary e e