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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/09/1975 MINUTES June 9, 1975 The Study Session for the month of June was called to order by Mayor Homer Roesener at 7 40 p.m at 4355 Field Street. Aldermen present were Mary Jo Cavarra, Joseph Donaldson, Robert Howard, Calvin Hulsey and Louise Turner Alderman Larry Merkl was absent. Also attending were City Administrator John Jerman, City AtLorney Fox, City Clerk Elise Brougham, City Treasurer James Malone, staff and interested citizens. Proposal to retain Galbraith & Green Inc as consultants to evaluate the City's insurance programs was presented. Mr Jerman stated there are 2 ways they COJld serve the City as direct consultants with a fee and as brokers with their fee part of the premium Mr. Jerman recommended the broker system and stated it is a better service if the City deals with one firm Mr. Dave Olson and Garv K~spert of Galbraith & Green were presen . Mr. Olson stated the City is spending approximately $55,000 for health insurance, including the employee contribution. He stated that policies that were recently renewed by the City would be reviewed by them to see if they are the best coverage, but there would be no penalty involved by dropping them, but at future renewal time all alternatives would be presented. It was agreed by Council to place this item on the Agenda for action. Mr. Jerman reported regarding the tri-city dog pound that the County felt that reducing the property tax etc. for their share of the dog pound for $70,000 to $80,000 was not worth pursuing and the small inequity was not worth threatening the project. The County is giving up their present facility to the cooperative effort and Wheat Ridge will own 15% and will have a say in how it is run through an intergovern- mental authority and each entity's cost will be based on a formula. The estimated annual operating cost is $70,000 Alderman Howard asked if Golden, Mtn. View and Edgewater would be included as part owners. Mr. Jerman stated "no" but they would use the facility and the intergovernmental authority would charge the county, and the county would collect from these cities. It was suggested that including these other cities be looked into. Proposal for a data processing system for preparation of weekly status of bUdget and appropriation report was given. Mr. Walter Isaac and Mr. Earl Friedman from Response of Colorado Inc. were pr8sent. They stated they had been in business 4 years and that they have a 30 day notice contract. The major advantage of their type of business is that the computers are used only when needed. The information is accessible 24 hours a day and the company guarantees the cos for the first couple of months The cost would be $249/mo. There is no specialized training for the machine in the office, and the help the City has presently could be taught the operation. Richard Andrews, Director of Administrative Services stated Commerce City uses a computer for payroll and the court records. Alderman Hulsev questioned if there was backup and it was stated there are 2 identical systems. Alderman Howard questioned what prompted the proposal, and Mr. Jerman stated he had seen the system in Commerce City. Alderman Howard stated that other agencies with similar services should be contacted to compare price, and bids should be received City Treasurer James Malone stated the payroll is already on computer at $11o/mo. which is 2/3 of the budget, and several expenditures are fixed ~ounts which are not that valuable or varible to have on a printout, so that a small portion of the budget expenditure etc. will be given for $250/mo. MINUTES - 6/9/75 - Continued -2- It was agreed by Council to go out for bids and then have the item scheduled on the Agenda. Proposal to simplify the weed abatement notice procedure was presented by Dennis Zwaqerman and Ed. Sullivan, both of the Planning Department. They suggested that a legal notice be published in the paper to all property owners stating that upon posting of their property the weeds must be cut in 5 days or the City will do this and bill the owners. The present procedure giving notice by certified mail is too slow especially if the owners are out of state etc. Mr. Sullivan stating he is in the process of contracting with a weed cutting ouffit now. Alderman Howard mentioned the City of Arvada publishes a notice in the paper and suggested contacting them to look into their procedure. Alderman Turner stated that if the City is going to enforce the weed problem then they must cut their own weBB on the ROW. It was agreed that an ordinance be written incorporating these recommendations. Discussion of adoption of the DRCOG Regional Housing Plan and allocation model was scheduled. Dennis Zwaqerman sta~ed that if Council adopts thi~ all it means is that the Council recongizes the need for low and moderate income, and that there is no commitment. Alderman Cavarra stated this might be the ~irst ~ep" and that the City should be sure this is a reasonable allocation and stated she felt the allocation was much higher compared to the population. Dennis Zwagerman stated the housing part of the comprehensive plan should be completed by the City in 6 to 9 months and then the City's data could be compared with DRCOG's data. He also stated that Council and Planning Commission should establish a priorities list for the Comprehensive Plan projects. He stated adopting the plan may give favoritism of federal funding. Council expressed a desire to have the city's data available before adopting the plan. Explanation of the old and new Flood Plain Map which was prepared by Wright-McLaughlin Consulting Enginners was given by Dave Lund from Wright-McLaughlin. He stated the firm had field checked all of the information, there are now more gravel pits and Clear Creek has shifted. Consideration of upstream development had been given. He stated there were no significant changes from the Carps of Engineers Map but because mare cross sections were used the boundary is not as smooth. Ralph Johnson, City Engineer stated he was satisfied with the map. Consideration of Personnel Rules and Ordinance as reviewed and recommended by the Personnel Committee and Employee Council was scheduled. Mr. Bob Rhodes, IPA Consultant was present to ~lain the rules he had prepared. He stated there would be a brief enabling ordinance regarding the rules, and that the rules could not be changed without ~ouncil vote. Citv Attornev Fox stated this might be a legal prob!em, and that the City can trv this method of adopting the rules without being part of an oridnance. It was stated the rules when in effect, should be available in all departments and any changes should be immediately updated. Alderman Cavarra questioned the wording on Page 39 of the raises being merit raises and felt they should be step raises.Mr. Rhodes stated to have a true merit system, standards must be established and the employee must know what the standards are and understand them, and to accomplish this adequate training must be given to the supervisor and employee. It. was discussed that what. the City has now should be step increases, but for further advancement above that it should be merit after standards have been established. MINUTES - 6/9/75 - Continued -3- Mavor Roesener stated that there needs to be a definition of steps and merit increases. and that he was in favor of a merit system It was agreed by Council that the recommendations that had been distributed by the Personnel Committee and Employee Council be incorporated into the Rules and then the rules would be ready for adoption. These are attached to the Minutes Stan Hubbell, Parks Dept. employee stated that he felt that the sick day accumulation policy should be that after 5 years or 60 days of accumulation that the City match sick days over that amount with pay on a 1 to 1 basis rather than a 2 to 1 basis. Mr. Andrews also recommend~d ~'eRlicy that a resigning employee, after perhaps 3 years service~~ ~ortion of the accrued sick leave could be paid Amendments to the Rules of Procedure which were scheduled will be on the Agenda at a later date. ., lL 1 C\ il.l (rC . t 'io '~-=c../ Elise- Brougham, qi ty Clsrk APPROVED ~ ,,-....- ~ .{ >-, MINUTES - 6/9/~ - Continued - ~e 4. EMPLOYEE COUNCIL REcm'1r~ErJDA T IONS PERSONNEL MERIT SYSTEM RULES J i975 p J iTEM & RULE 8 (a) (1) date for ment." Delete in its entirety and place in its stead, "The anniversary an employee shall be the pay day nearest the date of appoint- (c) (1) Delete, " .. he shall be assigned a new anniversary dote, which shall be the first of the meJllth, in which Lase the first of that month shall be the anniversary delte II (c) (4) Change, ". . the anniversary date shelll be adjusted to the first of the month following the end of the prubutionary period" to "... the anniversary date shall be adjusted to the pay day nearest the end of the probationary period II The anniversary date should be as close to the employee's starting date as possible. RULE 9. (b) (2) Change, "... his salary may be adjusted step for step, but only if funds are aVoilable" to "... his salary shall be adjusted step for step" (Change to "shall" to coincide ltJith (b) (1) Also, if an employee is doing work at higher level, he should be paid for it) - RULE 11 (a) "When two or more actions affecting pay occur on the same effective date...." (It is felt that if an action is "near" the same effective date--example, if an employee is promoted one month prior to being eligible for a merit increase--tH" should receive both Recommend City Council consider this, and determine what is "near".) RULE 13. (a) (1) "The City Administrator and Personnel Committee shall adopt and maintain..." (It is felt that the City Administrator and Personnel Committee should prepare written specifications for adoption by Mayor and City Council.) RULE 15. (a) Add, "The department head shall submit such request to the Director of Administrative Services, who ahall be responsible for reviewing the position" RULE 17. (b) (3) Change to, "An existing filled position ... if there are sufficient funds in the budget " - (c) (2) Add,". . as though the employee were transferred to a different position, and his pay, anniversary date, and status is unchanged. Throughout this section, Classification Plan and Staffing Pattern, both City Administrator and Director of Administrative Services are used in conflict These should be changed to coincide with each other For example, change Rule 17 (b) (2) (ii) to read liThe Director of Administrative Services shall submit his recommendations to the City Administrator, Personnel Committee, and the department head. The City Administrator shall then submit his recommendations and the recommendation of the Personnel Committee to the Mayor and City Council for their action" RULE 21. (d) (1) Delete, "Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of this section...." (This is ambiguous.) Cd) (2) Cii) L;hange to, "gdmi ttance to 2l promo tlonal examination shall be limited to persons who have been satisfactorily employed by the City for a specified minimum length of time, unless no quaH fi ed employees apply." Cd) 0) (iv) Change, II .. or job perFormance.. "to" his job performance " other drugs which have affected his or other Urugs which would affect RULE 23. (a) (1) Add," and request the recruiting of applicants .e.t:. submission of a Personnel Re~Lsi hem" (El) (2) Add, "After approval by the Ci tIt AdministrCltor to fill the posi tion, the Director of Admini~i crati vc Serv.LcE':J. " (c) "i-'lny newly appointed, rf;-clpPDi nteri, or i1ruinoted employee shall serve a six-month probationary period in the po ition to which he was. .." (Do not feel an pmplo~ er; promoted ~'illDuld be on probation This, in effect, does not give any incentive to be promoted) RULE 27. (a) (1) Add," enumerated in Rule 26([) ." to ". . enumerated in Rule 26(d) " (a) (1) Add, "The employee shall be notified in writing at least fifteen (15) days prior to the effective date of such dismissal" (d) (1) Add, "The employee shall be nDtified in writing at least fifteen (15) days prior to the effective date of such layoff." RULE 28. (a) (1) Delete, ".. notify his superior in writing fifteen days prior to the fifteen days prior to the effective date " (a) (2) Add, "An employee who resigns in good standing RULE 30. Ca) (2) Add," may accrue annual leave above the annual maximum " This is not clear--what is the maximum? II Ca) (3) Delete in its entirety and place in its stead, "A year shall be considered completed after actual completion of twelve (12) con- secutive months of service." RULE 31. Ce) Change, "... shall be paid at the rate of one for two days of accrued sick leave in excess of sixty (60) days" to IIshall be paid for each day of accrued sick leave in excess of sixty (60) days". This will give incentive to accumulate sick leave, and should be beneficial to the City in that it would cut down in the amount of sick leave taken. RULE 32. Ca) Change, "... maternity leave shall not exceed six months...." to "... maternity leave shall not exceed one year...." RULE 44. (b) Add, "... any matter under these rules, except as otherwise provided." The work day should be spelled out as eight (8) hours per day, forty (40) hours per week, with two 15-minute breaks and one-half hour for lunch, in order to avoid any conflicts Provisions for health and life insuTance contributions are speJled out in Ordinance No. 46, ttl~refore, should they be spelled out in tilese rules? Also, since the employee must join the Retirement Plan (i.e., a new employee) should provisions be set out in the rules? -2- PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MINUTES - 6/9/75 - Continued - Page S.MERIT SYSTEM PERSONNEL RULES RECOMMENDATIONS RULE 4. (a) (18) Add, "'Merit Increase' is relating an employee's job performance to his position in the pay grade to which his class is assigned, and shall not be considered an automatic increase." RULE 8 (c) (1) Change to read, "When the pay of an employee is adjusted to a different step in his assigned pay grade, he shall be assigned a new anniversary date, which shall be the first pay day following such adjustment " (c) (4) Change, ".. the anniversary date shall be adjusted to the first of the month following the end of the probationary period" to " the anniversary date shall be adjusted to the first of the pay period following the end of the probationary period." RULE 12. (a) Change, "Employees (or his estate, if deceased) employee (or his estate, if deceased)...." " to "An RULE 14. Add, "This information is to be included in the job description and job classification." RULE 15. (a) Add, "The department head shall submit such request in writing to the Director of Administrative Services, setting forth his reasons for the request." (b) (1) Add, "The request shall be submitted initially to the department head in writing." RULE 21. (a) (1) Add, "The Director of Administrative Services, subject to the approval of the Personnel Commission, may determine which positions in the classified service require written, oral, or other relevant examinations as needed to establish eligibility for appoint- ment or promotion." (f) Add, "... providing that the appointing authority shall first have interviewed all persons who may have received a higher passing point." RULE 22. (a) (1) (iii) Add, "Promotional eligibility lists consisting of City service Merit System employees...." (b) (3) Add, "A person may be appointed from a current eligibility list without further examination or evaluation of his credentials." RULE 26. (a) (2) Add, "Corrective actions may include, but not be limited to, written warnings, reprimands, and censures." RULE 30. (a) Change Annual Leave Accrued as follows 20 Years and Over 1 3/4 21 (a) (7) Delete, "... a condition occurs that would allow the employee to take sick leave or other justifiable leave article ..." RULE 31. (f) Compensation for Accrued Sick Leave on Termination. Employees questioned why payment was not made for unused sick leave upon term- ination. It was felt if the City offers this as a benefit, then it should be granted to the employee. This would offer an incentive to use sick leave wisely. The employee who uses his sick leave every month actually receives more of a benefit than those who accumulate their sick leave. RULE 32. (b) Add, "... leave without pay may be continued for a period not to exceed six (6) months, when recommended by the department head and approved by the City Administrator."