HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session Notes 10/04/2010
STUDY SESSION NOTES CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO October 4, 2010 Mayor Pro Tem Reinhart called the Study Session to order at 6:34 p.m. Council Members present: Joseph DeMott, Joyce
Jay, Karen Berry, Wanda Sang, and Mike Stites. Also present: City Manager, Patrick Goff; Interim Administrative Services Director, Heather Geyer; Deputy City Clerk, Melissa Formby; Police
Chief, Dan Brennan; Parks; Parks & Recreation Director, Joyce Manwaring; Director of Public Works, Tim Paranto; Staff and interested citizens. Mayor DiTullio and Council Member Adams
and Langworthy were absent. Staff Report 2(a) was moved to the beginning of the agenda. a) Update on Off Leash Dog Park Mrs. Manwaring reminded the Council that a citizen committee was
formed by the Mayor to discuss the possibility of an off leash dog park. The committee has been meeting regularly over the past few months and will be prepared to present their recommendations
to the Parks and Recreation Commission on November 17th and then to the City Council during during the December 6th Study Session. After receiving direction and approval from the City
Council a neighborhood meeting will be held in January of 2011 and then the citizen committee will take their recommendations to the Council for approval in February of 2011. 1. Waters
Consulting Group – Presentation of Employee Compensation/Structure Analysis Report Ms. Geyer introduced Ruth Ann Eledge, representative from The Waters Consulting Group, Inc., who provided
a summary from the City of Wheat Ridge Employee Compensation and Structure Analysis Report. Three key items were reviewed from the report: the Executive Management Team Structure and
Compensation Levels; staffing levels for the Administrative Services Department and the Administrative Assistant to the Mayor and City Council; and the Annual Salary Market Analysis
process. Ms. Eledge explained the benchmark analysis process and made recommendations with regard to the proposed staffing analysis.
Study Session Notes for October 4, 2010 Page 2 2. Staff/Council Reports b) Update on Jefferson County Tobacco Prevention Initiative Ms. Geyer and Chief Brennan informed the Council that
the Jefferson County Tobacco Prevention Initiative (TPI) applied for and secured grant funding from the State of Colorado. Jefferson County received funding for 1.5 positions to assist
with local prevention efforts. Jefferson County will be moving forward with the “Tobacco-Free Communities Initiative – Wheat Ridge Project” and will start a community wide outreach program
to include public information and community education, policy change campaigns, coalition building and community organizing, and solutions to reduce the exposure of secondhand smoke
in public areas. TPI will kick-off the project this month and the educational efforts will take place until June of 2011. TPI will bring a draft ordinance to the City between January
and March of 2011. c) 2010 COPS Hiring Program Grant Chief Brennan informed the Council that the Wheat Ridge Police Department has received approval from the Community Oriented Policing
Services (COPS) Hiring Program for a grant application that will allow for two police officer positions. Chief Brennan reminded Council that the Police Department requested grant funding
for a Middle School Resource Officer and a Vice/Intelligence Detective. The addition of this position would give the City three School Resource Officers and a more stable position for
the Vice/Intelligent Detective as the position is currently stretched thin. He stated the grant funds are available immediately but hiring is not expected to take place until early to
mid 2011.
Study Session Notes for October 4, 2010 Page 3 d) 2012-2017 Transportation Improvement Program Mr. Paranto informed the Council that staff has applied for Federal highway funding through
the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) TIP process for three projects: 1. Widening of 32nd Avenue at I-70 2. Widen Wadsworth Boulevard from 36th Avenue to 46th Avenue – Environmental
Study and Design 3. Kipling Multi-use Trail, 32nd Avenue to 44th Avenue Mr. Paranto stated the City’s projects will be competing with projects from all of the cities and counties within
the Denver Metro area for a very limited pool of Federal grant funds. He will let the Council know when he receives a response to the funding request. Meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m.
Melissa Formby Deputy City Clerk